Sophomore Wes Clarke drove in a career-high 7 runs with a pair of home runs as the University of South Carolina baseball team scored 8 runs in the first 2 innings in a 12-3 win over Northwestern Saturday afternoon at Founders Park.
Northwestern scored a run as the first 3 Wildcats reached on hits.
South Carolina responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st, 2 off the bat of Jeff Heinrich, who singled to left to score Clarke and Andrew Eyster. 
The Gamecock bats then had 5 runs off 5 hits in the second, with Clarke's home run to left the big blow in the frame.
South Carolina starter Brett Kerry settled down to pitch 6 innings and allow 7 hits and 3 runs with 3 strikeouts and a walk, earning his 2nd win of the season.
Clarke's 2nd home run of the game, a grand slam, happened in the 6th inning. The Gamecocks had 13 hits on the day, led by Clarke's 3-4 performance. Noah Campbell and Braylen Wimmer had 2 hits apiece.
The Gamecock bullpen threw up zeroes in the final t3 innings, as Dutch Fork graduate T.J. Shook, John Gilreath and Brett Thomas combined to strike out 6 Wildcats.
The rubber match of the series will take place Sunday at 1:30 pm. The game can be heard on WNKT (107.5 FM).