Crowe, Cortes lead Gamecocks past Gators 4-2

GAINESVILLE, FLA. – Junior right-hander Wil Crowe allowed just one run in 7-plus innings of work and freshman outfielder Carlos Cortes hit his fifth homer of the year as 18th-ranked South Carolina defeated 9th-ranked Florida 4-2 on Friday at McKethan Stadium to even the series. 

The Gamecocks are 24-14 and 9-8 in the SEC with Florida 26-13 and 9-8 in league play. The Gators defeated USC 1-0 on Thursday night.

Crowe (4-3) was solid all night as he limited the Gators to just six singles with no walks and three strikeouts. Junior right-hander Tyler Johnson pitched two innings of relief with just one run allowed and two strikeouts to earn his sixth save of the year. 

Cortes gave the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a towering homer to right field. The Gators got a run back in the bottom of the second to cut the Gamecock advantage to one run.

The Gamecocks extended the lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning as Jacob Olson drove in Chris Cullen with a one-out RBI double to left field. Another run in the seventh inning would make it 4-1 Gamecocks as Cullen drove in LT Tolbert on a RBI groundout.

The Gators would threaten in the eighth and ninth innings. Florida loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth but Johnson fought back with a popup, strikeout and flyout to keep Carolina ahead by three runs. Florida would score once in the ninth as a walk and a single and a balk led to a run and cut Carolina’s lead to 4-2. With a runner on second base and no outs, Johnson retired the next three batters on a popup, strikeout and groundout to preserve the Carolina victory.

Clemson 8

Wake Forest 7

CLEMSON -- Chris Williams’ bases-loaded walk with two outs plated Chase Pinder to compete a 3-run ninth inning in No. 4 Clemson’s 8-7 walk-off win over No. 17 Wake Forest on Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. 

The Tigers improved to 32-7 overall and 15-4 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons fell to 28-12 overall and 12-7 in ACC play.

Former Sumter High and P-15’s standout Charlie Barnes earned a no decision after going five innings and allowing five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Clemson scored four runs in the first inning, highlighted by Reed Rohlman’s single that extended his hitting streak to 16 games and Seth Beer’s 2-run double. Wake Forest answered with three runs in the third inning, capped by Gavin Sheets’ 2-run homer. With the score tied 5-5 in the eighth inning, Bruce Steel ripped a run-scoring single to put Wake Forest on top, then it added another run on a bases-loaded walk.

But the Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning before Rohlman’s single scored Jordan Greene. Logan Davidson’s sacrifice fly brought home Weston Jackson to tie the score. After Beer walked, Williams walked on a 3-2 pitch to score Pinder.

Jacob Hennessy (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout to earn the win. Griffin Roberts (1-2) suffered the loss, as he allowed three runs on two hits, three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

Due to forecasted inclement weather on Sunday, the series concludes today with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. 

Mercer 6

Citadel 5

CHARLESTON – After leading through seven innings, The Citadel baseball team fell in 10 innings 6-5 on Friday afternoon against No. 27 Mercer.

National strikeout leader and former Wilson Hall standout JP Sears made the start against the powerful Bears lineup. Sears held Mercer in check over six innings, allowing eight hits and three runs with nine strikeouts, leaving the ball game with a 5-3 lead.

The Bulldogs (12-23, 3-7 SoCon) broke out with a 4-run second inning to jump out in front of the hard-hitting Bears early.

With runners on first and second, Bryce Leasure laced a ground ball up the middle to drive home Ben Peden and Joe Sabatini. Two batters later, Taylor Cothran hit a double down the right field line to score Leasure. J.D. Davis knocked home Cothran to end the big inning for The Citadel with a 4-0 lead.

After Mercer (33-7, 12-1 SoCon) scored runs in the third and fourth to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 4-2, The Citadel responded with another run in the bottom of the fourth. Cothran scored his second run of the game on an RBI single by Clay Martin to extend the lead back to three runs.

The fifth-ranked Mercer offense would not be held down, however, scoring two runs in the eighth inning to tie the score 5-5. In the top of the 10th, the Bears scored the eventual winning run on an RBI single by Charlie Madden.