COLLEGE BASEBALL

A return trip to Omaha, Neb. for the College World Series came up a game short for the University of South Carolina.

The Gamecocks saw its season come to a close in the deciding game of the Fayetteville Super Regional, falling 14-4 to fifth-ranked Arkansas this past Monday night at Baum Stadium.

The Razorbacks scored seven runs in the first two innings, highlighted by a 3-run home run from Carson Shaddy in the first frame.

South Carolina scored a pair of runs on a wild pitch in the fourth, as Justin Row scored from second on that play. The Razorbacks then scored a run in the fourth and five runs in the fifth.

Jacob Olson belted a pair of solo home runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Olson had two hits to lead the Gamecocks. Luke Bonfield went 3-for-4 with four RBI while Eric Cole scored five runs for the Razorbacks.

Carmen Mlodzinski took the loss for South Carolina. He allowed four earned runs and four hits with a strikeout and a walk in the first inning. Ridge Chapman had three strikeouts in two innings of relief.

South Carolina had rebounded from the 9-3 loss in Game 1 to force a deciding game with a 8-5 win in Game

2. A grand slam home run by L.T. Tolbert, followed by a solo shot by Hunter Taylor helped break open a 2-1 game in the fifth inning.

Former Lexington County Blowfish Madison Stokes added an insurance run in the sixth when he scored on a wild pitch.

The Game 3 loss dropped South Carolina to 17-15 all-time at Super Regionals. The Gamecocks were seeking their first appearance at the College World Series since 2012 when it finished national runner-up to Arizona.

South Carolina ended the 2018 season winning its final five SEC series, advancing to the NCAA Tournament, winning the Greenville Regional and taking Arkansas to a third game of the Super Regional.

This was also the final contest for seniors Jonah Bride, Justin Row, Hunter Taylor, Matt Williams and Stokes.

“I wouldn’t trade anything of these four years that I’ve been through, the bad times or good times,” Stokes said. “good and bad,” Stokes said. “I wouldn’t trade this team for anything, but I’m not satisfied obviously because we didn’t accomplish what we wanted to accomplish.”