COLUMBIA, South Carolina – A five-run fourth inning and strong pitching from starter Taylor Widener and reliever Josh Reagan pushed South Carolina to a 10-5 win over UNCW on Tuesday in the championship game of the NCAA Columbia Regional at Founders Park.
With the win, South Carolina (46-16) advances to the Super Regionals where it will host Oklahoma State. The Seahawks saw their season conclude with a 41-19 record.
Madison Stokes and TJ Hopkins finished with three hits apiece while Stokes drove in three runs. Alex Destino added two hits and two RBI's.
Reagan earned the win for the Gamecocks to move to 3-2.
Zack Canada and
Brian Mims led UNCW with two hits apiece while
Casey Golden was 1-for-3 with a two-run double.
UNCW starter
Ryan Foster (13-2) took the loss in his Seahawk finale. The righthander was tagged for five runs, three earned, in 3.1 innings.
Canada, Mims,
Kennard McDowell and
Robbie Thorburn were named to the All-Regional team.
Home Runs: USC – Arendas (off Gesell leading off the eighth inning)
How it happened: The Gamecocks pushed five runs across the plate in the fourth inning on four hits and a pair of UNCW throwing errors. Alex Destino and Madison Stokes both had two-run singles to highlight the inning.
Notes: Thorburn extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the third …
Gavin Stupienski pushed his on-base streak to 36 consecutive games with a third inning walk … UNCW finished with 41 wins for the second straight season … The Seahawks have now appeared in the regional championship in 5-of-8 NCAA Tournament appearances.
