COLUMBIA, S.C. — Andrew Eyster had a pair of home runs and drove in four but Mississippi State scored its nine runs in the first five innings on its way to a 9-6 win over the University of South Carolina baseball team Saturday afternoon (May 8) at Founders Park.
The Bulldogs put up nine runs with the help of home runs from Rowdy Jordan, Logan Tanner and Luke Hancock. Carolina started to chip away at the Bulldog lead with an Eyster home run in the fourth. Wes Clarke belted his 18th home run of the season in the sixth, a two-run shot. Eyster then came back in the seventh and hit a three-run home run to right, making it 9-6.
Colin Burgess had a pair of hits for the Gamecocks while Clarke drove in a pair. Will Sanders took the loss on the mound, allowing four earned runs and six hits with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work. The final three Gamecocks that pitched – Wesley Sweatt, Jaret Bennett and Daniel Lloyd – combined to shut out the Bulldogs over the final 3.2 innings.
Tanner Allen led MSU with four hits while Tanner added three. Will Bednar struck out 13 in six innings of work to earn the win.
Carolina and Mississippi State will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday afternoon (May 9) with a 2 p.m. first pitch. The game will be televised on SEC Network.