STARKVILLE – Henry Kaczmar hit two of the University of South Carolina baseball team’s three home runs but Mississippi State scored runs in seven of the eight frames in an 11-4 win over the Gamecocks Saturday afternoon (April 5) at Dudy Noble Field.

Both teams used the home run to score in the first third of the game. Noah Sullivan’s two-run home run in the first gave MSU a 2-0 lead. Kaczmar’s third of the year to straightaway center field cut that lead to 2-1 but Ace Reese answered in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to lead off the frame. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the third, highlighted by Joe Powell’s two-run double.

Carolina hit a pair of home runs in the fifth. After Max Kaufer singled to open the inning, Kaczmar hit his second home run of the game to make it 6-3. Two batters later, Blake Jackson belted a solo home run to left field to cut the MSU lead to two. The Bulldogs came back with a run in the fifth as Nolan Stevens singled up the middle to score Hunter Hines.

Dylan Cupp and Reese each homered in the sixth for a 9-4 MSU advantage. Mississippi State scored single runs in the seventh and eighth for the final score.

Kaczmar had two hits and three RBI to lead the Gamecock offense. Jarvis Evans Jr., took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

POSTGAME NOTES

The three home runs on the day are the most in an SEC game for Carolina this season.Cooper Parks pitched a career high 2.1 innings on Saturday, striking out a batter and allowing a run on two hits.Jackson now has six career home runs at Carolina.

UP NEXTCarolina and Mississippi State close out the three-game set on Sunday afternoon (April 6) at 2 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. CDT). The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.