GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Parker Bangs' two-run homer keyed a four-run fourth inning, leading South Carolina to an 11-3 victory over George Mason on Friday in an NCAA Tournament opener.

Nick Ebert and Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered and Whit Merrifield drove in three runs for the Gamecocks (39-21), who had 17 hits and took advantage of four errors by the Patriots (42-13) in advancing in the double- elimination Greenville regional.

Chris Henderson drove in two runs for George Mason, which lost its third in a row. The Patriots' only victory in the NCAA Tournament came in 1992.

Sam Dyson struck out five in seven innings for the Gamecocks, who are in the tournament for the 10th consecutive year.

Mike Modica allowed 10 hits and four earned runs in five innings for George Mason.

South Carolina rallied from an early 1-0 deficit with a big fourth inning.

Bradley led off with a single and two batters later came around to score after two errors by shortstop Brent Weiss. Bangs followed with his blast to right field that put the Gamecocks ahead to stay, and Merrifield later singled in Bobby Haney to make it 4-1.

South Carolina added two runs in the fifth on Merrifield's two-run single, and made it 8-1 in the sixth on Bradley's two-run shot to right.

Ebert went deep as part of a three-run seventh.

Justin Bour's RBI double in the first gave the Patriots their first lead in an NCAA Tournament game since the mid 1990s. Chris Henderson added a two-run double in the seventh for George Mason.