March 11, 2015
7 | |
| 3 | 13 |
| Carolina Stadium | Columbia, S.C. | Attn: 6566 | |
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| VIDEO: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Max Schrock and Alex Destino combined to go 6-for-7 with seven RBIs to lead No. 7 South Carolina past Penn State, 13-3, in non-conference baseball action Wednesday night in Carolina Stadium. The Nittany Lions ended the Gamecocks 44 inning streak of not allowing an earned run.
Catcher Alex Malinsky (Apex, N.C.) drove in Penn State's (1-10) first two runs in the fifth inning, pulling the Lions within four, after shortstop Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.), third baseman Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.) and left fielder James Coates (Girard, Ohio) loaded the bases with consecutive singles. However, South Carolina (14-3) scored another run in the bottom half, and then Destino cleared the bases with a double as part of a five-run sixth inning to put the game out of reach, 12-2.
The Gamecocks scored two runs in the first inning, another in the second, and then doubled their margin in the fourth when Schrock slugged a three-run home run to right field.
South Carolina continued to bring strong pitching, as well. RHP Reed Scott kept PSU in check early, yielding just one hit and two walks while striking out four, while RHP Preston Johnson (2-0) earned the win in relief, yielding two runs on five hits with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Eight different Lions had the team's eight hits, including centerfielder Aaron Novak (Ambler, Pa.), who extended his hitting streak to a career-best nine games.
Making his first appearance since 2013 and his first career start, LHP Jordan Donmoyer (Lititz, Pa.) (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks.
Second baseman Ryky Smith (York, Pa.) drove in a Lion run in the seventh inning with a base hit and Kyle Martin hit a solo home run in the bottom half for the final margin.
Penn State will begin heading back north, competing next in the Liberty Invitational in Lynchburg, Va. The Lions will face Western Carolina Friday before taking on host Liberty Saturday and Sunday. All three games are slated to start at 1 p.m.