COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team plated four runs in the first two innings and used solid pitching to the tune of 10 strikeouts in a 4-2 win over Air Force Sunday afternoon (Feb. 22) to close the Salute the Troops Tournament at Founders Park.
Air Force plated a run in the first but Will Craddock answered with his second leadoff home run in as many days. Carolina scored the winning runs in the second. Dawson Harman opened the frame with a double and scored on Beau Hollins’ single to center. Hollins went to third on a throwing error and scored after Luke Yuhasz’s RBI groundout. Patrick Evans doubled to left, scoring Craddock. Air Force put up a run in the fifth but Carolina put up zeroes in the final four frames.
Zach Russell earned the win in relief, striking out a pair and allowing one hit with no runs and no walks in 1.2 innings. Alex Valentin picked up his second save of the year, going the final three frames and striking out three.
Craddock, Evans, LeCroy and Hollins had two hits apiece, while Craddock scored a pair of runs.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Valentin has now pitched 7.1 innings and has struck out nine with a .120 opponent’s batting average.
- Craddock upped his average to .533 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and six RBI.
- Russell becomes the first Gamecock pitcher with a pair of wins as he has struck out five and not walked a batter in five innings.
- Brandon Stone started for the Gamecocks and he struck out five and allowed a run and three hits in three innings.
UP NEXT
Carolina hosts Queens on Wednesday night (Feb. 25) at 6:30 p.m. at Founders Park.
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