COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Holy Cross baseball team fell in its season opener against South Carolina in a 10-0 result on Friday, Feb. 14.

STATS LEADERS:

• Alex Volpi (1-for-3, double)
• Evan Blum (2-for-3)
• Jake McOsker (2.0 IP, three strikeouts)
• Jack DiLauro (2.0 IP, no hits, three strikeouts)
• Connor Crotty (1.0 IP, no hits, one strikeout)
• Ben Talbot (1.0 IP, no hits, one strikeout)

W: Carmen Mlodzinski (1-0)
L: Garret Keough (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• South Carolina (1-0) jumped on the Crusaders (0-1) early, with Bryant Bowen hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the first. Dallas Beaver had a ball drop into left field that scored two more runs, and George Callil secured an RBI single to give the Gamecocks a 6-0 advantage in the first.
• Andrew Eyster hit a solo homer in the top of the second to push the South Carolina lead to 7-0.
• The Crusaders threatened in the top of the third when senior first baseman Alex Volpi hit a stand-up double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but he could not cross home plate.
• After letting up a run in the second inning, freshman lefty Jake McOsker settled, not allowing any more runs and totaling three strikeouts in two innings of relief. Freshman right-hander Jack DiLauro followed with a pair of no-hit innings and three strikeouts to keep South Carolina's bats quiet.
• Holy Cross put runners on first and third with just one out in the seventh; junior right fielder David Kale walked and then advanced to third off a single by sophomore designated hitter Nate Wolf before a double play ended the threat.
• The Gamecocks plated three more runs in the sixth inning to push their advantage to 10-0.
• Sophomore right-hander Connor Crotty and freshman righty Ben Talbot combined for two no-hit innings and a pair of strikeouts in the seventh and eighth to keep the Gamecocks off the board for the rest of the game.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• McOsker, DiLauro, Crotty and Talbot each made their collegiate debuts on Friday, combining for eight strikeouts and allowing just one run and two hits in six innings of work.

DUE UP:

• Game 2 of the Crusaders' weekend series against South Carolina is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15.
• Junior left-handed pitcher Luke Dawson is set to start on the mound against South Carolina righty Brett Kerry.