COLUMBIA, S.C. — Behind five home runs ? including three homers from All-American third baseman James Darnell ? the No. 7 South Carolina Gamecocks notched a series-evening win over the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats, in front of 4,540 fans on Saturday afternoon at Sarge Frye Field.
Kentucky (22-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) gave up five home runs a day after boosting five homers in a 15-3 win. Darnell was the highlight, going 4-for-5 with three homers, marking the second time this season that the slugger has tallied three home runs in a game. Darnell finished with six RBI and four runs scored.
UK got a three-hit performance from its preseason All-American, Collin Cowgill, who boosted his eighth homer of the season, a monstrous shot that landed on the softball stadium, well behind the left-field fence. Cowgill finished 3-for-4, with three RBI and Sawyer Carroll added three RBI as part of a 1-for-4 day, extending his hit streak to a team-best nine games. Chris McClendon and Keenan Wiley each added multi-hit games, but it was not enough to overcome allowing a season-high 13 runs. UK?s previous season-high for runs allowed was eight, in a 9-8 win over Auburn on Sunday.
UK Saturday starter Scott Green got tagged for eight runs on nine hits in three innings, giving way to Aaron Lovett, who allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Logan Darnell made his first career appearance in an SEC contest, working 2/3 of an inning, not allowing a hit and striking out one.
South Carolina (17-7, 5-3 SEC) starter Will Atwood worked six innings to pick up the win, allowing six hits and five runs. Fellow southpaw Craig Thomas relieved him, working the final three innings, allowing two runs and walking two.
The two teams will resume the series with a rubber game on Sunday, with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. ET at Sarge Frye Field. Fans in Lexington can catch the action live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with Dick Gabriel on station 1580 WXRA-AM or in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM.
After a 29-minute rain delay, South Carolina got to Green, putting up five runs on five hits to take a 5-0 lead. After Green got Andrew Crisp to pop out immediately following the delay, Green proceeded to walk the next batter and allow an RBI double down the left-field line to designated hitter Phil Disher. Adam Crisp singled to right field and Reese Havens scored Disher with an RBI single through the right side, just under the glove of Spear diving from first base. Darnell made amends for starting the series 0-for-5, boosting a two-run homer over the left-field fence, his sixth homer of the year.
The Wildcats answered in its half of the third cutting the lead to 5-3, beginning with a lead-off single from Chris Wade and a walk from Troy Frazier. After Wiley laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to put the runners in scoring position, Cowgill connected on the first pitch he saw, an inside fastball that he launched soaring over the left-field fence, landing on the softball stadium well behind the wall. The no-doubt bomb marked Cowgill?s second of the series and his eighth of the season.
The Gamecocks answered in the third, adding three runs on three hits, highlighted by a two-run homer from Disher.
USC added a run in the fourth on two hits, with Andrew Crisp hitting into an RBI fielders choice.
The Wildcats cut the lead in the fifth, as Wiley led off with a single and Cowgill followed with a line-drive single of his own. Spear drew a walk to load the bases and Carroll scored Wiley with a sacrifice fly. Wilkes followed, lofting a sacrifice fly of his own to score Cowgill.
South Carolina immediately answered in the fifth, adding two runs of two hits. After Havens singled with one out, Darnell added another homer to right center field.
USC made it 13-5 with two runs in the seventh, as Andrew Crisp singled through the left side to lead off and Havens moved him to second with a sacrifice. Darnell followed, clearing the bases with a homer to left field, his third of the game.
UK?s ninth-inning rally fell shot, as UK added two runs for the final margin 13-7. Wiley led off with a single and Cowgill singled to left field. Carroll scored the duo with a single to center field.
