The University of South Carolina baseball team achieved a 4-1 record over the past week, including two midweek victories and winning two out of three games in the Salute the Troops Tournament at Founders Park. The team’s overall record now stands at 6-2.
During last week’s matchups, South Carolina secured wins against Wofford (8-2), Gardner-Webb (12-2 in eight innings), Navy (8-0), and Air Force (4-2). The team’s only loss came against Army with a score of 9-5.
Talmadge LeCroy played all five games as catcher and was productive offensively, finishing the week 11-for-20 at the plate with four runs scored, two doubles, two home runs, and five RBIs. “He had multiple hits in all five games, including going 3-for-4 with an RBI against Gardner-Webb and belting home runs against Wofford and Army,” according to the team report. LeCroy currently leads South Carolina with a .467 batting average and seven RBIs.
Freshman Will Craddock made a strong collegiate debut by going 8-for-15 for the week. He scored nine runs, hit two doubles, a triple, two home runs, drew two walks, and drove in six RBIs. Craddock reached base safely in all five plate appearances during the win over Gardner-Webb. Against Navy on Saturday, he started the game with a leadoff home run and added a two-run double for four RBIs total. In Sunday’s victory over Air Force, Craddock again led off with a home run.
Pitcher Amp Phillips contributed six shutout innings in the win over Navy on Saturday. He allowed one hit while striking out three batters and walking two across his outing. Phillips threw just 79 pitches to help secure South Carolina’s first shutout of the season. So far this year, Phillips has posted a 1.86 ERA along with ten strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched.
Connor Chicoli earned his first win for South Carolina after pitching five innings at Wofford where he struck out four batters without issuing any walks.
Patrick Evans also made significant contributions by hitting five doubles across four games during the week.
South Carolina will host Queens on Wednesday before beginning a three-game series against Clemson starting Friday night at Founders Park.
