Big Eighth Inning Lifts Baseball to Friday Win over Morehead State

COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Morehead State, 11-7, Friday night (March 7) at Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park.

Morehead State put up four runs in the second but Carolina came back with a pair in the bottom half as Kennedy Jones doubled, went to third on KJ Scobey’s hit and scored on a wild pitch. Ryan Bakes’ RBI double plated Scobey.

The Eagles scored a run in the fourth and Carolina tied it at five in the fifth. Jones doubled to left to score a pair and KJ Scobey brought him in with a single to right. Carolina took the lead in the seventh as Ethan Petry singled to left. Morehead State took the lead in the top of the eighth, but Petry’s catch on a fly out and throw to the plate kept it at 7-6 going to the bottom of the eighth.

Max Kaufer started the rally with a bloop double to left. He went to third on a wild pitch and came home on Jordan Carrion’s single through the drawn in infield. Henry Kaczmar and Nathan Hall both walked and Blake Jackson delivered the go-ahead RBI with a single to right. Ethan Petry added insurance with a monster three-run home run to left.

Tyler Pitzer earned the win in relief, striking out two and allowing a hit in 1.2 innings. Brandon Stone struck out nine in 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs with two walks and six hits.

Jones led the Carolina offense with three hits. Petry drove in four runs as he joined Scobey with two hits apiece.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Petry now has 49 career home runs and is in second by himself on Carolina’s all-time home run list. Petry is 13 home runs away from tying Justin Smoak (2006-08) for the all-time mark.
• Jones set a season best with three hits on the night.
• Stone now has 23 strikeouts in 18.2 innings pitched.
• Pitzer earned the win on his birthday.
• Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit.

UP NEXT
Carolina and Morehead State continue the three-game set on Saturday afternoon (March 8) at 4 p.m., at Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.