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South Carolina is now on a seven-game losing streak that includes two sweeps in conference play so it’s safe to say this season can’t end soon enough. Things stayed bad on Wednesday night as the Gamecocks were yet again very unfun to watch, this time against Furman in a game where they gave up the lead early and never regained it.
USC got on the board first, going up 1-0 in the first inning after Noah Campbell led off with a base hit and Andrew Eyster grounded out with one out to bring Campbell home. The Paladins took the lead in the top of the third inning on a two-run homer Jabari Richards that made the score 2-1. The Gamecocks tied things up in the bottom of the inning though, after Nick Neville started things off with a triple and came home on an RBI groundout by Noah Campbell.
Furman went back on top in the fifth inning, thanks to a one-out RBI sac fly from Trent Alley and a wild pitch, making it a 4-2 game. South Carolina got one run back on a leadoff home run from TJ Hopkins in the sixth that made the score 4-3, then they tied the game in the eighth, when Hopkins doubled with one out and Eyster brought him home with an RBI single.
Unfortunately, the Paladins rallied in the top of the ninth, scoring on a two-run single from Alley and an RBI triple by Logan Taplett. The Gamecocks had a chance to make things interesting after the first two batters walked in the bottom of the ninth, but they were unable to capitalize.
USC starter Wesley Sweatt worked four innings and allowed two hits and two runs. he walked three batters and struck out four. Cole Ganopulos, Parker Coyne, Dylan Harley, and Gage Hinson also pitched in this game, and Harley took the loss, making him 2-4. Furman reliever Eric Taylor earned the win and is now 2-0, while reliever Rob Hughes got the save, his second of the season.
The Gamecocks drop to 24-24 overall, while the Paladins are now 21-27. South Carolina will be back in action on Friday, when they open up a series against Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Founders Park.