Box Score <>Become A Fan Of Colonel Baseball On Facebook

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Eastern Kentucky stayed close to No. 5 South Carolina, but lost 4-0 on Friday in the opener of the three-game series.

The Gamecocks have now held their opponents scoreless for 33 consecutive innings.

Kyle Nowlin had a hit in each of his first three trips to the plate and finished 3-for-3 with a walk for Eastern Kentucky (1-4). Joey Pankake went 2-for-4 with a run scored for South Carolina (5-0).

Nowlin took the first pitch of the game and drove it into right field for a single, but it was the Gamecocks that got on the board first. Kyle Martin led off the second with a home run over the right field wall. Max Schrock made it 2-0 in favor of South Carolina with a solo shot in the third inning.

Sean Hagen led off the fourth inning with a single to left center. He stole second and advanced to third on a fly ball. However, Jordan Montgomery retired the next two batters to end the threat.

A lead-off double by Pankake in the sixth led to another run for South Carolina. Pankake moved to third on a ground ball and then scored on a fielder's choice. Brison Celek made it 4-0 with an RBI single to center field.

Brent Cobb (1-1) started for the Colonels. He allowed four runs on seven hits in five and two-thirds innings. Freshman Caleb Johnson came on with two outs in the fifth and retired all seven batters he faced. He pitched two and one third hitless innings and struck out one.

Montgomery (2-0) scattered five hits over seven innings. He walked two and struck out four.

The Colonels and Gamecocks continue their three game series on Saturday at 4 p.m.