COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Elliott Caldwell went 3-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs and six pitchers combined for a five-hit shutout to lead No. 1 ranked South Carolina to a 5-0 win over visiting Furman Tuesday evening at Carolina Stadium.

The shutout was the ninth of the season for South Carolina, which improves to 16-0 on the season, while the loss was the fourth straight for Furman, which slides to 6-10 on the campaign.

The Gamecocks got the only run they would need in the first inning when Caldwell stroked a two-out RBI single off Paladin starter Billy Greenfield into left field to drive home Connor Bright.

South Carolina added two more runs in the second off Greenfield, getting a two-out RBi single by Tanner English and run-scoring double by Bright to stretch the lead to 3-0.

Caldwell's single in the fifth inning off Paladin reliever Tyler Wood plated Grayson Greiner, and SouthCarolina tacked on another run in the seventh on Kyle Martin's third home run of season, a solo shot that cleared the wall in right field.

Furman failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities, stranding 11 runners on base in the game, including a pair in the first, sixth, seventh, and ninth innings.  In the sixth Chris Ohmstede and Alex Abrams led off with consecutive singles off South Carolina's third pitcher of the game, Josh Reagan, but the freshman recovered by striking out Andrew MacLatchie and Griffin Davis, and getting Jordan Simpson on a fielder's choice to end the threat.

In the ninth Paladin pinch hitter Sky Overton drew a leadoff walk and Simpson followed with single, but Furman couldn't capitalize as Cody Mincey came in from the bullpen to retire the next three hitters to strand runners at first and third to end the contest.

Bright joined Caldwell in the multi-hit column with a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

Simpson had two of Furman's five hits.

The win went to Gamecock freshman starter Taylor Widener (1-0), who allowed a hit and surrendered two walks over 3 1/3 innings.

Greenfield (1-1) took the loss in his collegiate starting debut, yielding three runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits over 3 2/3 innings.  He walked three and struck out two.

Furman plays at Duke on Wednesday in a 4:00 p.m. game.  Freshman Matthew Quarles (1-1, 2.70 ERA) is expected to get the start for the Paladins.