COLUMBIA, S.C. – The baseball team couldn't dig itself out of an early hole Saturday, dropping the middle game of a series against South Carolina, 10-3, at Founders Park.
 
All three runs for Cornell (1-7) came in the eighth inning. Leadoff walks by senior Alex Carnegie and Kalani Matton were followed by freshman Ryan Ross' base hit from the left side of the infield to load the bases with no outs. Pinch-hitting junior Nicholas Binnie drove in the first run with a fielder's choice, then freshman Wils Guy drove in the second with a base hit.
 
After a pitching change from South Carolina (10-4), freshman Joe Hollerbach drove in the final run with a groundout – but that's all the Big Red could muster. Matton had Cornell's other hit on the day.
 
The Gamecocks struck for three runs in the first inning, then ended the top of the third by throwing out a tagging Cornell runner at the plate. SC then blew the game open with four runs in the bottom half of the frame.
 
Sophomore Luke Yacinich was effective in long relief with just an unearned run allowed in four innings of work.
 
The series concludes with a game starting at 1 p.m. Sunday, with senior John Natoli scheduled to start for the Big Red.