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After putting up 10 runs against Texas A&M on Sunday, South Carolina's bats stayed hot against the Citadel, putting up double digit runs again.
The Gamecocks got out to an early lead, going up 3-0 in the first inning. Gene Cone walked to start things off, Alex Destino also walked with one out, and Dom Thompson-Williams got hit to load the bases. Then John Jones came through with a two-run single, which was followed by a Jonah Bride RBI base hit.
South Carolina tacked on three more runs in the third inning. Destino and DTW singled to start the inning, then Bride smacked a two-run double to make it 5-0. Madison Stokes followed that with an RBI sac fly to get Bride home.
The Bulldogs ended the shutout in the next inning with a home run by Stephen Windham.
The Gamecocks broke things wide open in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bride led off with a base hit, Stokes and Chris Cullen got plunked to load the bases, and DC Arendas belted a grand slam (!!!!!!) to make it 10-1. Cone and Marcus Mooney followed that with base hits, then Destino contributed an RBI single. With one out, Jones walked, then Bride came through again with a two-run double to make the score 13-1.
The Citadel's final three runs of the night came in the top of the sixth, when they got two RBI singles and an RBI triple.
South Carolina's final three runs came in the bottom of the eighth. Ross Grosvenor walked to start things off, Jared Williams got hit with one out, and LT Tolbert, Clark Scolamiero, and Brandon McIlwain knocked back-to-back-to-back two-out RBI singles. McIlwain's hit was also the first of his college career.
Gamecocks starting pitcher Colie Bowers did a nice job tonight, especially considering it had been a really long time since he last pitched. He worked four innings, and Brandon Murray, Tyler Haswell, Matt Vogel, and Vince Fiori combined to go the rest of the way.
With the win, South Carolina improves to 39-13, while the Bulldogs drop to 16-37. The Gamecocks will be back in action for the final series of the regular season starting on Thursday, when they take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa. First pitch is set for 8 p.m.