Baseball Falls at South Carolina in NCAA Regional Opener
The Central Connecticut baseball team lost to 15th-seeded South Carolina, 19-1, on Friday in Columbia, SC, at the NCAA Columbia Regional. The Blue Devils were held scoreless until the eighth inning by the Gamecocks who would bat around in the fifth inning, breaking the game open.
The Central Connecticut baseball team lost to 15th-seeded South Carolina, 19-1, on Friday in Columbia, SC, at the NCAA Columbia Regional. The Blue Devils were held scoreless until the eighth inning by the Gamecocks who would bat around in the fifth inning, breaking the game open.
The Blue Devils will play Campbell in an elimination game on Saturday at 12 p.m. The regional is a double-elimination format.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 0, #15 SOUTH CAROLINA 19
Pitching Record: W: Hicks (8-1) | L: Neuman (6-3) | Sv: - -
Records: CCSU (36-13), USC (40-19)
Location: Founders Park | Columbia, SC
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE (Charlie Hickey & Jimmy Sullivan)
KEY MOMENTS
- South Carolina would load the bases in each of the first two innings. In the bottom of the second, Ethan Petry drew a bases loaded walk and would force in a run to open the scoring. CCSU would avoid further harm, getting a fly out to leave the bases full.
- The Gamecocks opened a four-run third inning with a double by Talmadge LeCroy. He would score two batters later on a double by Gavin Casas off the wall in left to make it 2-0. With two runners aboard, Will McGillis would take a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left field to make it 5-0.
- Central was unable to avoid a big inning in the fourth as the Gamecocks would bat around and send 17 batters to the plate.. Casas, Dylan Brewer, Cole Messina and Michael Braswell each had two-run hits in the inning as Carolina would score 11 runs in the frame. The Gamecocks would tack on three more runs in the fifth inning.
- The Blue Devils were able to manage just one hit off James Hicks in the first five innings of play before he exited with six strikeouts.
- Central got on the scoreboard in the eighth after Jimmy Sullivan led off with a triple to deep center field. He would come across on a wild pitch.
NOTES
- CCSU is playing in its 8th NCAA Regional and is 1-15 all-time.
- The Blue Devils and South Carolina were meeting for the first time, while CCSU is 0-6 against SEC programs.
- Sullivan finished the game 2-for-4.
- Drew Munn tossed 4.0 shutout innings in relief and recorded four strikeouts.
- Jake Neuman earned the start for CCSU and went 3.1 innings. He took the loss, but did record four strikeouts.
- Elliot Good would single in the eighth inning to extend his reaching base streak to 35 games.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils will play Campbell in an elimination game on Saturday at 12 p.m. The regional is a double-elimination format and South Carolina will face NC State on Saturday night.
Follow @CCSUBlueDevils on Twitter and CCSUBlueDevils.com for updates.
