CHARLOTTE, N.C. — South Carolina, which leads the nation in home runs, did not need the long ball on Tuesday night to beat rival North Carolina in Uptown.
The Gamecocks used strong pitching, defense and timely hitting to take down the Tar Heels, 5-0 in the mid-week contest, played as part of the Charlotte Knights College Baseball Series at Truist Field.
Lefthanded starters Mattew Becker (USC) and Dalton Pence (UNC) kept opposing hitters in check.
Relievers Eli Jerzembeck (USC) and Matthew Matthijs (UNC) also tossed several scoreless innings.
Defensively, Gamecocks centerfielder Evan Stone and Tar Heels shortstop Coby Wilkerson each made spectacular plays.
Stone went back to the warning track in center to make a catch as he backpedaled just before colliding with the wall.
Wilkerson snagged a sinking line drive, then fired to first base to double off the runner and end a Gamecocks threat.
But South Carolina finally broke through in the seventh inning on a pair of two-out, RBI doubles by Jonathan French and Stone.
Cole Messina and Talmadge McCoy had run-scoring hits in the eighth, while pitchers Nick Proctor (W, 2-0), Eli Jones and Cade Austin shut the door on UNC.
South Carolina, ranked sixth in the nation, improved to 27-3 and will host No. 1 LSU this week.
The Knights college series continues with games between NC State and Davidson on April 18, followed by ECU against Charlotte on April 19.
Contact Nick Carboni at ncarboni@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.