COLUMBIA, S.C. – Facing its first Southeastern Conference opponent since 2007, the Navy baseball team faltered as the game wore on in an 8-0 loss to South Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Founders Park in Columbia, S.C.
 
The second game of the Gamecocks' Salute the Troops Weekend for the Midshipmen, Navy saw a two-hit day from rookie Patrick Walsh and starter Matt Archibald rack up seven strikeouts, while USC's Will Craddock posted a four-RBI contest in the leadoff spot to bolster Amp Phillips' six shutout innings.
 
South Carolina took an early lead when Will Craddock deposited a leadoff homer into the left-field bleachers to start the bottom of the first, but Matt Archibald kept the Gamecocks in check the rest of the inning and the next with five-straight strikeouts.
 
Craddock added to the lead with a two-run double down the left-field line in the third inning, while Talmadge LeCroy's RBI double later in the frame made it a 4-0 game. Another LeCroy RBI double and KJ Scobey's own RBI double down the left line in the fifth extended the USC lead to 6-0.
 
After Amp Phillips stranded a John Loudon and Mason Ceccarelli in the top of the sixth, Craddock continued his strong afternoon with a sacrifice fly in the home half of the frame, growing the Gamecocks' edge to 7-0. Dawson Harman's RBI double into the gap during the seventh drove in Caleb Hoover to cap off the scoring, as Timmy Virtudes retired the side for the Mids in the bottom of the eighth to keep the deficit at 8-0.
 
Phillips finished with three strikeouts and just one hit allowed in his six frames, earning the win, while Cooper Parks went two innings out of the bullpen and Hudson Lee struck out the side in the ninth inning.
 
For Archibald in the loss, he was on the hook for four runs in his four innings despite striking out seven. Ian Brown then pitched an inning, allowing three runs, while Jackson Beattie surrendered one run over his two frames and Virtudes recorded a strikeout in his inning of work.
 
Game Notes
• Navy is now 1-1 in all-time series against South Carolina.
• Saturday's game marked the first time Navy has played an SEC opponent since Feb. 25, 2027 against Missouri.
 • This marked Archibald's eighth time racking up five-or-more strikeouts in a game over the last two seasons.
• Walsh's two hits were a career high for the rookie, also extending his hit streak to three games.
 
Up Next
Navy will wrap up the weekend at Founders Park with an 11 a.m. contest Sunday against Marshall.