NASHVILLE, Tenn. – South Carolina outlasted Vanderbilt 6-4 in 13 innings to clinch the series Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
With two outs and a runner on first base in the top of the 13th South Carolina (20-8, 3-6) slugger Christian Walker hit a two-run homer that scraped the top of the wall in left field under the scoreboard to put the Gamecocks ahead. The home run was Walker’s third of the series and third hit of the game. The Commodores (11-19, 3-6) picked up a two-out single from Connor Harrell in the bottom of the frame but Carolina reliever Jordan Montgomery finished the game by striking out pinch hitter John Norwood.
Vanderbilt rallied from an early four-run deficit to tie the game in the sixth when Vince Conde beat out a potential inning-ending double play to allow Mike Yastrzemski to score from second base. The Commodores posted three runs in the fifth that chased Gamecocks’ starter Colby Holmes. Riley Reynolds’ sacrifice fly and Tony Kemp’s two-run double did the damage in the fifth. The two teams were held scoreless from the seventh inning until the 13th with both bullpens turning in stellar outings. Vanderbilt’s Drew VerHagen tossed 4.2 scoreless innings while South Carolina’s Matt Price pitched into and out of trouble over his six innings.
Kemp led the Dores with two hits and two RBI while Conrad Gregor’s eight-game hitting streak was snapped with his 0-for-6 performance. Walker paced the Gamecocks with three hits with LB Dantzler adding three RBI. Montgomery (2-0) earned the win working two scoreless innings. Philip Pfeifer (0-1) was pinned with the loss allowing two runs over 1.1 innings. Commodores’ starter Will Clinard pitched four innings and allowed four runs on six hits. Holmes gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits in 4.2 innings.
Vanderbilt returns to action Tuesday night to wrap up the home stand against UT-Martin. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Hawkins Field.
