FOUNDERS PARK: Playing without two of their top hitters Tuesday night against Charleston Southern, South Carolina was held in check until a four-run seventh inning outburst gave them breathing room in a 5-3 win.
Besides the victory, the biggest news for the Gamecocks are the injuries to right fielder Ethan Petry and center fielder Nathan Hall. Coach Paul Mainieri said after the game Petry, who hurt his shoulder Saturday at Kentucky, could miss the rest of the season with a sprain of the AC joint. Hall reaggravated an on-going heel issue at Kentucky but Mainieri is hopeful he can rejoin the lineup Friday night against Florida.
South Carolina scored a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second and then was held scoreless until the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Kennedy Jones drew a walk to make it 2-0. Evan Stone followed with a two-run single up the middle for a 4-0 lead. A muffed throw to first on a pickoff attempt allowed Blake Jackson to score from third for the final run of the inning and a 5-0 lead.
Jarvis Evans (5-2) started for the Gamecocks and shut out the Bucs over 5.2 innings. He allowed two hits, struck out one and walked three.
Charleston Southern got on the board in the top of the eighth against Ashton Crowther. A bases loaded, one out single by Chandler Tuupo drove in two runs to make it a 5-2 game. Ryder Garino replaced Crowther and got the final two outs of the inning.
Brendan Sweeney started the ninth on the mound for USC and gave up a leadoff double. With two outs, Blake Edgmon got the run home with a single to left center making it a 5-3 game. Sweeney then got a ground out to second to end the game and earn his sixth save of the season.
The Gamecocks are 26-20 and will host Florida this weekend. The Bucs are 24-17.