Buccaneer baseball feels wrath of USC, 38-0

Shortstop Billy Dalton has three hits in first two games

COLUMBIA, SC - The nation's seventh-ranked college baseball team flexed a little muscle for the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Saturday night as South Carolina rolled up 35 hits in a 38-0 thumping of CSU at Sarge Frye Field.

South Carolina (2-0) pounded out seven homeruns and 11 doubles in posting their most impressive victory in school history. The Gamecocks scored seven runs in the first and essentially put the game out of reach with a 14-run second inning.

CSU (0-2) managed just four hits on the night, striking out 17 times. The Bucs have struck out 33 times in the first two games of the three-game series. Junior shortstop Billy Dalton picked up one of the four hits, giving him three safeties in the early season. Third baseman Brad Woods and rightfielder Mike Blankenship also had hits, as did freshman second baseman Adam Brown, who collected his first collegiate hit in the game.

CSU starter Ian Holmen took the loss, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) in a little more than an inning of work. Holmen was the winning pitcher in CSU's upset victory over South Carolina in the second game of last season.

The game was delayed more than five hours due to heavy rains in the Palmetto State, starting just before seven o'clock.

Game three of the series is slated for Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., weather permitting. Junior left-hander Brad Bissell will make the start for the Buccaneers.