Gamecocks rip Bulldogs

COLUMBIA — With The Citadel's baseball team mired in a horrific slump, it just wasn't the best of times to be taking on South Carolina.

Credit The Citadel's Timmy Martin for making sure it wasn't the worst of times.

Martin turned in a solid effort in relief after The Citadel spotted the Gamecocks five runs in the first inning, making South Carolina's eventual 10-2 victory Tuesday night at Sarge Frye Field a lot easier for the Bulldogs to take.

"Timmy Martin kind of calmed the game down," said The Citadel coach Fred Jordan. "He threw three pitches for strikes and kind of extended the game."

The Citadel (25-27) had lost 13 of its last 16 games, and the prospects of victory were not bright against the Gamecocks (35-18).

But things looked downright disastrous before Martin restored order.

Martin came on in relief in the bottom of the first and turned in the longest stint of his career, pitching 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

"I came in in a bad situation and we got out of it," said Martin, a senior from Lexington. "Coach was only going to leave me in for a couple innings, but I asked if I could keep pitching if I put up one goose egg. So I just tried to go out and do that every inning."

Reese Havens, South Carolina's junior shortstop who played at Bishop England, had a solo homer for the Gamecocks in the third inning, and junior first baseman Justin Smoak, who played at Stratford High, had a three-run homer in the eighth.

"It just feels good to win," said South Carolina coach Ray Tanner. "It felt good to score some runs early. It was sort of one of those games we needed. We needed to come out and score and get the edge off."

Starter Sam Dyson (7-0) got the victory for the Gamecocks, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

South Carolina's five-run first was highlighted by Kyle Enders' two-run single to left, but the Bulldogs helped out with four walks, two of which came with the bases loaded.

Trailing 6-0, The Citadel got on the board in the top of the third on Kyle Jordan's two-run homer, but Havens countered for the Gamecocks with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to put South Carolina ahead 7-2.

South Carolina finishes out the regular season at home this weekend with a three-game Southeastern Conference series against Tennessee.

The Bulldogs wrap up the regular season at home with a three-game non-conference series with state foe Presbyterian.

Reach Charlie Bennett at cbennett@postandcourier.com.