ROCK HILL, S.C. — A trio of home runs in the top of the seventh broke a 1-all deadlock and gave the University of South Carolina baseball team a 6-1 win over Winthrop Wednesday night at Winthrop Ballpark.
Winthrop was looking to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth but Caleb Denny and Jonathan French connected on a throw to the plate to get Jonathan Strauss at the plate. French then hit the first pitch in the top of the seventh out to left for his second home run of the year. Two batters later, Will Tippett hit his second home run in as many games to make it 3-1 Gamecocks. Ethan Petry then belted his 21st of the season, a two-run blast to left, for a 5-1 lead.
Dylan Brewer added insurance in the eighth with an infield single that scored a run.
Cole Messina opened the scoring in the top of the second with his 15th home run of the year, a solo shot to left.
Nick Proctor earned the win in relief, his fourth of the season. He struck out three in 1.1 innings of work. Eli Jerzembeck pitched three hitless innings while Austin Williamson struck out three in two innings.
Michael Braswell led Carolina with two hits while Petry drove in a pair.