USC sweeps Bulldogs in Saturday doubleheader
USC sweeps Bulldogs in Saturday doubleheader
ATHENS – The No. 14-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks extended their winning streak to 10 straight after sweeping a doubleheader over Georgia Saturday at Foley Field.
USC (19-1, 2-0 SEC) rallied past UGA in game one, 5-4, using two runs in the ninth inning before claiming the second game 12-2 via a run rule in seven innings. The Bulldogs fell 13-6 overall and 0-2 in the SEC but will have a chance to avenge those losses Sunday.
“We have to fight tomorrow,” Georgia baseball head coach Scott Stricklin said after the game two loss on Sunday. “You lose that first one, that is baseball. It is tough, but it happens. It is really tough to lose that one, but you have to have the ability to bounce back. We did not do a very good job of bouncing back. Tomorrow, we have to turn the page, play it like it is our last game and do everything we can to salvage the series.”
Game One: South Carolina 5, Georgia 4
South Carolina scored two runs in the top of the ninth to secure a 5-4 win over Georgia.
The Gamecocks plated two runs in the top of the second before Bulldogs’ designated hitter Corey Collins fired back with a leadoff home run in the bottom half of the frame.
South Carolina added a third run to the board in the fourth to lead 3-1. With Charlie Condon on second and two outs, Parks Harber launched a homer to left field to tie at 3-all.
Jaden Woods got the start for Georgia. The junior lasted a career-high 7.0 innings and had a career-high 11 strikeouts. Woods also only allowed three runs off seven hits in game one.
The Bulldogs took the lead in the seventh. Fernando Gonzalez reached on a leadoff double and Mason LaPlante sent a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 advantage.
With two runners on no outs, freshman Matthew Hoskins (1-1) was called from the bullpen in the eighth. He got the Bulldogs out of the jam but USC rallied in the top of the ninth.
Chris Veach (1-0) got the win for the Gamecocks, pitching an inning and allowing one hit and a walk. James Hicks notched the save by getting the final out as the Bulldogs stranded a runner at third.
Game Two: South Carolina 12, Georgia 2
Seven runs in the fifth inning lifted South Carolina past the Bulldogs 12-2 to clinch the series as the game ended after seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule in game two.
Georgia led 1-0 after a Harber blasted a solo home run in the second but South Carolina responded with four in the third off junior Liam Sullivan, who dropped to 3-1.
Charlie Condon extended his hitting streak to 18 games with the first UGA hit in the first inning. Harber extended his hitting streak to eight games with his home run in the second.
South Carolina freshman Ethan Petry went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and five RBI to lead a 12-hit attack. He led the Gamecocks in their rout of the Bulldogs in game two.
USC added one run in the top of the fourth and seven in the fifth inning to build a 12-1 lead.
With two Bulldogs on base, Harber sent a single to left field to score graduate Connor Tate in the bottom of the sixth (12-2). South Carolina right-hander Noah Hall (4-0) pitched a complete game, scattering two runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts.