COLUMBIA, S.C. – Senior Alex Carnegie hit an RBI double and the baseball team got five solid innings of long relief from senior Seth Urbon, but South Carolina scored three runs in the sixth inning to pull away for a 6-1 victory and series sweep on Sunday at Founders Park.
 
Cornell (1-8) was dealt a tough blow just two pitches into the game when senior starter John Natoli was removed from the game due to injury. Though under unexpected circumstances, Urbon performed admirably by chewing up five innings for the Big Red.
 
After South Carolina (11-4) took the lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the second, Cornell pulled even in the third. Junior Kalani Matton pulled a single to left to lead off the third, then Carnegie took the next pitch down the line in left for a run-scoring double.
 
The Big Red brought another potential go-ahead run into scoring position in the fourth after junior Ramon Garza led off with a walk and eventually stole second. But it was the Gamecocks who would ultimately strike next, adding single runs in the fourth and fifth. Cornell had two runners on with one out in the sixth, but a pair of strikeouts ended the inning. South Carolina then tagged the bullpen with three runs in the bottom of the frame to pull away.
 
Andrew Eyster led South Carolina by going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Brannon Jordan earned the win with 10 strikeouts in five innings. Matton led Cornell offensively by going 2-for-4.
 
The Big Red's early-season travels continue next weekend with a three-game series at VMI. The teams open with a doubleheader on Saturday before a single-game series finale on Sunday.