Charlotte Capitalizes on Gamecocks' Errors in 11-8 Victory

South Carolina commits five errors leading to eight unearned runs in loss to Charlotte 49ers

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:50am

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The South Carolina Gamecocks committed five errors that led to eight unearned runs, allowing the Charlotte 49ers to come from behind and defeat the Gamecocks 11-8 in front of a sparse crowd at Founders Park. The 49ers scored seven runs in the fifth inning, capped by a grand slam from Lexington native Todd Hudson, to take the lead and hold on for the victory.

Why it matters

This loss drops the Gamecocks to 12-10 on the season, just 22 games in, and highlights their defensive struggles with a high number of errors. The 49ers, on the other hand, showed their offensive firepower and ability to capitalize on mistakes, improving to 13-6 on the year.

The details

South Carolina shortstop KJ Scobey committed his seventh error of the season, dropping a pop-up that led to six unearned runs in the fifth inning. Charlotte's Adam Stanton then came in to pitch the final four innings, giving up only one hit to pick up the save. Each Gamecocks infielder, except for first baseman Patrick Evans, had an error in the game.

  • The game was played on a chilly night at Founders Park on March 18, 2026.

The players

KJ Scobey

South Carolina shortstop who committed his seventh error of the season, dropping a pop-up that led to six unearned runs in the fifth inning.

Todd Hudson

Charlotte 49ers player who hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to cap a seven-run frame for the visitors.

Adam Stanton

Charlotte 49ers pitcher who gave up only one hit over the final four innings to pick up the save.

Paul Mainieri

Second-year head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Robert Woodard

Head coach of the Charlotte 49ers.

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What they’re saying

“We kind of get in that zone that as long as we're in the dugout, we have a chance to score. We really like our lineup. There are a lot of seniors, grad students, a couple of juniors in there, and they just have a lot of experience under their belt. With that, they've seen college baseball and know once the door gets cracked open, things can change in a hurry.”

— Robert Woodard, Head Coach

“I probably waited a little too long to put him in, but he's a veteran. He's pitched in a lot of big games, and he's done a bunch of different things for us. He's built up a lot of stock and equity with our staff and even when things get a little dicey, we know he can reel it in. We were going to stay with him until the wheels came off and thankfully, the wheels stayed on and he did a heck of a job.”

— Robert Woodard, Head Coach

“I don't have much to say tonight. Thirteen free passes, five errors about tells it all. That's all I need to say.”

— Paul Mainieri, Head Coach

What’s next

The Gamecocks will look to end their five-game losing streak when they host No. 4 Arkansas this Friday.

The takeaway

This game highlights the defensive struggles of the South Carolina Gamecocks, who committed five errors leading to eight unearned runs. Meanwhile, the Charlotte 49ers showed their ability to capitalize on mistakes and mount a comeback, improving to 13-6 on the season.