Gamecocks power past Cornell in opener behind pair of four-run innings

South Carolina bounced back from two straight series-opening losses with a 10-2 victory over Cornell on a brisk, cool Friday afternoon at Founders Park.

The Gamecocks took advantage of two Big Red errors in the second inning to score four unearned runs then added a two-run home run from Wes Clarke in the fifth. The Gamecocks added another four-run spot in the sixth inning to round out the scoring.

Carmen Mlodzinski pitched 5 1/3 innings to earn the win and improve to 2-1 on the season.

“It’s a good Friday night win. We weren’t perfect but at the end of the day when you win 10-2, you’ll take it and prepare for the next one,” South Carolina coach Mark Kingston said.

Mixed results

Mlodzinski, the junior right-hander, didn’t have his best stuff but battled to pick up the win. He didn’t work a perfect inning but kept Cornell off the scoreboard outside of the second inning, when two errors helped lead to two runs.

“That’s two outings in a row from him that’s probably subpar,” Kingston said.

Mlodzinski allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and five walks on 100 pitches. He walked the last two guys he faced and walked one each in the second, fourth and fifth innings. Daniel Lloyd came on and got a strikeout before walking the bases loaded with two outs. Lloyd then got his second strikeout of the inning to get out of the bases-loaded jam.

In all, the five South Carolina pitchers combined to walk seven. The good news: Only one of those came around to score.

The bullpen didn’t give up a hit in 3 2/3 innings, running their streak to 12 2/3 innings without allowing a hit. The four relievers combined for eight strikeouts and just two walks.

“Tremendous,” Kingston said. “We challenged (the bullpen), made a couple of adjustments on how we’re going to attack hitters and the bullpen has really responded. Carmen needs to be better that that. He knows, we know it. But the bullpen Tuesday night was tremendous, and tonight was tremendous.”

Mlodzinski believes the bullpen is shaping into form.

“It’s great to have that in the back of your head that your bullpen is going to the best possible job and they’ve done great for me so far,” he said.

Key inning

After allowing two runs in the top of the second inning, South Carolina responded with four unearned runs in the bottom half.

Brady Allen reached on an error with one out before Dallas Beaver singled. Jeff Heinrich followed with an RBI single to get USC on the board. Colin Burgess then connected for a hard line drive right to the Big Red centerfielder but he misplayed it, allowing the ball to roll all the way to the wall. That should have been the third out, but two runs scored on the play and Burgess ended up on third.

Noah Myers added an RBI groundout before the inning was over.

“It was a solid night for us offensively but not a great night,” Kingston said. “The conditions were really tough out there. It was cold, it was windy. But at the end of the day I will take 10 runs on a Friday night.”

Star of game

Wes Clarke only went 1-of-4 but his seventh home run of the season came into a stiff wind blowing in from left field. It barely landed inside the foul pole.

“Off the bat, I thought it was midway up the grandstand,” Clarke said. “Then I remembered the wind was coming in so hard, so I had to start running.”

WHEN DO THE GAMECOCKS PLAY NEXT?

Who: South Carolina (9-4) vs. Cornell (1-6)

When: 4 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday

Where: Founders Park

TV: Streaming online on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN

Radio: 1320 AM in Columbia area

This story was originally published March 6, 2020 at 6:52 PM.