Shaddy drives in 4, Arkansas beats South Carolina in opener

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP)   Carson Shaddy drove in four runs, including a three-run double in the seventh inning, and Arkansas beat South Carolina 9-3 in the opening game of a best-of-three NCAA super regional on Saturday night.

Shaddy’s double hit off the top of the fence in left center field and cleared the bases for the Razorbacks (43-18), making it 7-3. The Gamecocks (36-25) intentionally walked Dominic Fletcher to face Shaddy, who finished 1 for 2 with a walk.

Shaddy scored on Jared Gates sacrifice fly to make it 8-3 before the end of the seventh and Luke Bonfield’s single scored Heston Kjerstad to cap the Razorbacks’ scoring in the bottom of the eighth.

L.T. Tolbert and Madison Stokes each had home runs for the Gamecocks with Stokes making it 3-all in the sixth. Jax Biggers drove in Shaddy in the bottom of the inning for Arkansas’ go-ahead run.

Blaine Knight (12-0) gave up three runs in six innings for Arkansas, which improved to 34-3 at home this season.

The Hogs will seek to clinch the Fayetteville Super Regional and a College World Series berth on Sunday, and South Carolina will look to force a third game. The first pitch at Baum Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday’s game can be seen on ESPN.

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