South Carolina's offense exploded for 16 runs on 12 hits as the Gamecocks outlasted Morehead State 16-11 on Saturday afternoon at Founders Park to secure the series victory.

The Gamecocks (13-3) overcame a shaky pitching performance with timely hitting, including a pair of crucial home runs from Evan Stone and KJ Scobey that fueled an 11-run outburst across the second and third innings.

Stone delivered the game's defining blow in the second inning when he hammered a grand slam to left field that turned a 1-1 tie into a commanding 5-1 South Carolina advantage. He finished with four RBIs despite going just 1-for-3 at the plate.

South Carolina continued its offensive onslaught in the third inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring seven more runs. Scobey launched a two-run homer to left field to start the rally, followed by an RBI double from Jordan Carrion. The Gamecocks also capitalized on three walks, a hit batter, and two wild pitches to extend their lead to 12-1.

Carrion had a stellar day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. The third baseman accounted for a quarter of South Carolina's hits as he continued his hot streak at the plate, raising his batting average to .346.

Starting pitcher Jake McCoy struggled with command throughout his outing, allowing six runs on nine hits over four innings while striking out five. The Morehead State offense repeatedly threatened, led by Davis Germann, who went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs for the Eagles (0-0).

Germann's first homer, a solo shot in the second inning, gave Morehead State an early 1-0 lead. He added a three-run blast in the fifth as part of the Eagles' attempt to rally back into the game. The visitors narrowed the deficit to 12-9 after six innings, following two runs off an error by South Carolina's shortstop.

The Gamecocks' bullpen steadied the ship in the later innings, with Zach Russell working out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and limiting further damage. South Carolina added four insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with Beau Hollins (2-for-4 with 2 RBIs) and Cayden Gaskin (1-for-2 with 2 RBIs) delivering key hits.

Despite the offensive fireworks, the game featured some defensive concerns for South Carolina, as the team committed three errors that led to unearned runs. The Gamecocks also stranded eight Morehead State runners, preventing the game from becoming even closer.

The victory gives South Carolina a chance for a series sweep in Sunday's finale, with first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m.