COLUMBIA, S.C. – Thomas Otto hit a game-tying three-run home run in the top of the second inning for Milwaukee, but the Panthers were unable to keep pace with South Carolina in a 14-4 loss on Sunday afternoon.
 
Milwaukee was only able to muster five hits and drew five walks, while South Carolina drew just as many walks but had a season-high 13 hits off Milwaukee pitching.
 
"We did not really do anything well overall today and then you wind up not getting to play all nine innings," said head coach Shaun Wegner after the game. "We found ourselves behind too often on the mound … we need to do a better job of attacking the zone early, so we can maintain leverage."
 
The Gamecocks took advantage of a leadoff walk and scored three runs in the opening inning off Milwaukee starter Mike Sullivan to take the early lead.
 
In the top of the second, the Panthers used their own leadoff walk by John Hadley, followed by a perfectly-placed bunt single between the mound and first base by Caden Headlee to put two on with no outs. Otto got ahead in the count, 1-0, before depositing the next pitch deep over the left field fence to level the score at three.
 
South Carolina regained a one-run lead in the bottom half of the second and scored in three of the next four innings to open a 12-3 difference on the scoreboard.
 
Milwaukee was unable to get any consistent offense going as the Panthers got two-out baserunners in the third, fourth, and fifth innings but could do nothing further.
 
Charlie Marion got one run back for the Panthers in the top of the eighth inning with a leadoff home run. Cade Palkowski and Hadley walked to put the next two runners on, before South Carolina reliever Aydin Palmer struck out the next three Panthers.
 
Aiden Fishnick retired the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth, but an error, hit batter, double, and a second error, allowed the Gamecocks to scratch across two runners to close out the scoring at 14-4.
 
"We played uncharacteristically poor on the defensive side of the ball and that was disappointing," added Wegner on the team's four errors. "We will discuss and attack the mindset aspect of the game and find ways to relax and just play."
 
Sullivan took the loss after allowing the first five Gamecock runs. Tyler Deleskiewicz retired the only batter he faced, while Zach Dohrmann struck out one of the two batters he faced in the seventh. Fishnick retired the first two batters of the eighth before the defense extended the inning.
 
"We leave Columbia having learned plenty of information about our guys and now we look towards Vegas and our four-game series against the Rebels," Wegner concluded.
 
Jake McCoy struck out eight Panthers over the first four innings, while Ashton Crowther picked up the win for South Carolina as he struck out three batters over his two innings of work. Palmer closed out the game by facing the last three Milwaukee batters.
 
Offensively, South Carolina had multi-RBI games from Ethan Petry, Ryan Bakes, Nolan Nawrocki, with Backes and Nawrocki hitting home runs.
 
Milwaukee will look to bounce back next weekend beginning on Friday evening at UNLV. The Panthers and Rebels will get the series started at 8:00 p.m. (CT) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.