Ole Miss took an early lead on Friday but couldn’t make it stick, falling 4-2 to South Carolina as the Gamecocks evened up the series at Founders Park.
Derek Diamond took the loss on the hill, allowing four runs on five hits. Freshman Riley Maddox came on in relief and retired all eight batters he faced.
Tim Elko posted the fourth multi-homer game of his career in the defeat, taking Gamecock starter Noah Hall deep twice to take over the SEC lead and move into a tie for fifth on Ole Miss’ all-time career home run list. The Rebel captain finished the game with four hits in all.
Elko got the Rebels off on the right foot, planting a ball into the palmetto trees in left-center for a solo homer in the top of the first.
South Carolina, however, took the lead in the third with some pop of its own as Josiah Sightler’s high fly to left kept carrying all the way over the fence. The Gamecocks added another run in the fourth on a wild pitch, making it 4-1.
Elko went yard again in the sixth, cutting the deficit to two. Sitting on a 1-0 count, the Rebel captain touched one to center field, clearing the wall and the leaping attempt by Gamecock center fielder Evan Stone.
That was as close as the Rebels would get as South Carolina closed things out to setup a rubber match.
The Rebels and Gamecocks will play the decisive game three on Saturday, squaring off at 2 p.m. on SEC Network+
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
