Morehead, Ky. -- A big eighth inning by South Carolina proved to be the dagger for Morehead State, and the Eagles fell to the Gamecocks 11-7 at Founders Park in Columbia, S.C. Friday night.

South Carolina (12-3) plated five runs in the eighth punctuated by a three-RBI home run blast by right fielder Ethan Petry. The Gamecocks also got a strong outing out of the bullpen by Brandon Stone who went 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out nine Eagle batters.

Reliever Will Grimmett (2-1) took the loss for Morehead State. South Carolina's Tyler Pitzer (3-0) got the win.

Morehead State (6-6) opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Right fielder JJ Dutton and left fielder Davis Germann led off with singles. Shortstop Andy Cisneros walked to load the bases. Designated hitter Caden Sheridan walked to force Dutton to score, then center fielder Hayden Robbins drove a two-RBI single through the left side to make it 4-0. Germann, Dutton and Sheridan all finished with two hits apiece.

South Carolina got two runs back in the bottom of the second on three hits, two of them doubles, to halve the Eagle lead, 4-2.

Morehead State struck again in the fourth: second baseman Aubrey Kearns singled to left and was driven in by Robbins' single through the left side to go up 5-2. Robbins finished the night with two hits in four at-bats with three runs batted in.

The Gamecocks tied the game in the fifth, plating three runs punctuated by a two-run by USC left fielder Kennedy Jones. South Carolina took the lead in the seventh with a lead-off double and RBI single.

USC went ahead in the seventh on a leadoff double and single to go up 6-5.

MSU answered in the eighth; shortstop Andy Cisneros reached on an error, Sheridan was hit by a pitch, and Robbins walked to load the bases. Eagle third baseman Griffin Olson smashed a one-out, two-run double to deep center field to put the Eagles ahead 7-6.
 
NOTABLE

• Hayden Robbins has five multi-hit games on the season, and 23 in his career. He's now hitting .340 on the season.
• The game marked the fourth multi-hit game for JJ Dutton.
• Morehead State pitching recorded six strikeouts, five by starter Trevor Callahan.