Center Fielder Whit Merrifield up to the plate.by: Lauren Cohen
Posted 10:11 AM Feb. 22, 2010
South Carolina baseball kicked off its 2010 season with a 3-game series sweep of the Duquesne Dukes over the weekend.
The Gamecocks now have a 22-0 all time series winning record over the Dukes. This will be the last time the teams face off because Duquesne will cut their baseball program after the end of season.
Gamecock first baseman Jeffery Jones had an explosive game Friday. The senior had a grand slam and an all time career high of five RBI's in one game.
Another major contributor to the series wins was freshman third baseman Christian Walker who started his college career by going with eight hits in 14 plate appearances including two home runs, a double, and a total of seven runs batted in.
Together Jones and Walker supplied 17 of the Gamecocks' 27 RBI's in the series.
Eleven rookies made their college debuts over the weekend. Towering freshman Tyler Webb opened Sunday's game on the mound. The 6-foot 6-inch tall left hander started off strong, striking out the first batter, and aggressively handling Duquesne's lineup.
South Carolina (3-0) will be on the road to Greenville to face East Carolina (1-2) next weekend. The Pirates lost two of their three games in a season-opening series against Virginia this weekend.
This will be the first time the two have met since East Carolina knocked the Gamecocks out of the Regionals at the end of last season.
