Duke's NCAA Run Ends Against No. 8 South Carolina

Saturday, June 4

Columbia, S.C.

12:00 PM

Duke University

South Carolina

Duke's NCAA Run Ends Against No. 8 South Carolina

6/4/2016 4:22:00 PM | Baseball

DUKE vs USC: Press Conference BASE vs. USC: Bellinger Solo Shot BASE vs. USC: Trent Swart Tosses Gem BASE vs. USC: Herron Third-Inning RBI Box Score (PDF)Box Score (HTML)Photo Gallery

By: Duke Sports Information

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Tied in the ninth, No. 8 South Carolina took the lead on a Hunter Taylor RBI double to defeat Duke, 4-2, in the NCAA Columbia Regional Saturday afternoon at Founders Park.

The loss ends the Blue Devils' season while the Gamecocks go on to play the loser of tonight's matchup between UNC Wilmington and Rhode Island. Duke finished the season with a 33-24 overall record after securing the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 1961.

“I'm proud of our team,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “I'm proud of the way we competed today and I'm proud of the way we competed this year, especially in light of the start we got off to.”

Graduate student Trent Swart (4-3) suffered the loss despite pitching an outstanding game. Swart tossed a season-high eight complete before exiting with a runner on in the ninth. He allowed three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and just one walk. After South Carolina (43-16) scored two runs early, Swart kept the Gamecocks off the board for six straight frames and retired 11 consecutive batters at one point.

“I'm especially proud of Trent Swart,” Pollard said. “He wouldn't tell anybody, but he pitched that game on guts. To do the job he did, to keep us in the ballgame and give us a chance to win was really impressive. He's everything that's great about Duke.”

Sophomore Justin Bellinger went 2-for-3, tying the game 2-2 with a sixth-inning solo home run. Sophomore Max Miller singled and scored while freshman Jimmy Herron added a base knock and a third-inning sacrifice fly.

A fortuitous roll helped South Carolina stake a 1-0 first-inning lead. With two outs and a runner at third, Jonah Bride hit a dribbler down the third base line that stayed just fair to plate the game's opening run.

The Gamecocks' hot start continued in the second. With one out, Hunter Taylor walked, LT Tolbert doubled and Marcus Mooney singled prior to an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

After yielding two early runs, Swart settled in and kept the Gamecocks off balance until the ninth.

Duke trimmed to lead to 2-1 in the third. Miller lined an 0-2 breaking pitch to right center then scampered to third on a failed pickoff throw that rolled up the line. Herron then provided a sacrifice fly to deep left for his 22 RBI of the season.

Both teams had their chances over the fourth and fifth but couldn't capitalize. The Blue Devils loaded the bases with no fourth-inning outs before USC escaped. The first two South Carolina batters reached to start the fifth prior to Swart inducing a popped-up bunt and 6-4-3 double play.

Bellinger then greeted the sixth with his seventh homer of the season, sending the first pitch well over the right field wall to tie the game, 2-2.

The Bellinger bomb was the only offense Josh Reagan allowed in his season-high-tying 4.2 innings of work. Reagan struck out four, allowed two hits and walked one.

Swart kept the South Carolina bats quiet until exiting with a man on first in the ninth. With reliever Mitch Stallings in the game, Taylor hit a grounder down the line that ricocheted off third base to allow the game-winning run to cross home. South Carolina added an insurance run later on a bases-loaded wild pitch.

USC's Tyler Johnson (2-2) took the mound in the ninth. He allowed two baserunners before a ground ball concluded the game.

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