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South Carolina Shuts Down Baseball, 11-0

by Bill Franques
Baseball at South Carolina - G1 Audio Replay +0
South Carolina Shuts Down Baseball, 11-0

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina freshman right-hander Logan Chapman fired 6.2 shutout innings Friday night to lead the Gamecocks to an 11-0 win over LSU in Founders Park.

South Carolina improved to 21-17 overall and 7-9 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 24-15 overall and 9-7 in conference play.

Game 2 of the series will begin at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, and it can be heard on affiliaties of the LSU Sports Radio Network. The game may also be viewed on SEC Network +, accessible at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.

Chapman (3-0) worked a career-best 6.2 innings, allowing no runs on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

LSU starting pitcher Zack Hess (6-4) was charged with the loss as he surrendered three runs on eight hits in six innings with two walks and five strikeouts.

“It’s a credit to Zack the way he kept hanging in there and battling,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I thought he did a really great job. Otherwise, it was a tough game for us. Fortunately, it only counts as one loss.”

The Gamecocks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when leftfielder Carlos Cortes launched a solo homer, his ninth dinger of the year.

South Carolina added two runs in the fourth when first baseman Madison Stokes scored from third on a bases-loaded double-play grounder, and centerfileder TJ Hopkins lined an RBI double.

The Gamecocks extended the lead to 5-0 in the seventh against reliever Cam Sanders when third baseman Jonah Bride produced an run-scoring single, and second baseman Justin Row drove in a run from third base with a sacrifice bunt.

South Carolina erupted for six runs on four hits in the eighth inning, which was highlighted by centerfielder TJ Hopkins’ three-run triple.