Gamecocks Pound Out 17 Hits, Take Series Opener 11-5
April 28, 2006 | Baseball
* Official Statistics
* Official Statistics (PDF)
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Sophomore right-hander Wynn Pelzer (4-1) held MSU to two runs over the first eight innings and South Carolina pounded out 17 hits as the 12th-ranked Gamecocks (31-11, 12-7 SEC) downed No. 17 Mississippi State 11-5 in the opening game of a three-game SEC weekend series at Sarge Frye Field. The loss was the fourth straight for MSU (29-14, 8-10 SEC).
USC pulled away from a 2-2 deadlock with a four-run third-inning burst and scored in six of eight innings. All of USC's starters had hits, including three-hit performances by Cheyne Hurst and Justin Smoak. Two of Smoak's hits were home runs.
Pelzer, making his third start of the year, scattered five hits, struck out five and allowed two runs before leaving the game in the eighth. He allowed only two hits after the second inning.
Aaron Weatherford (4-1), in his first collegiate start, gave up six runs on eight hits and absorbed his first loss.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases and scored a run to open the game. Jeffrey Rea doubled to right-center, Edward Easley drew a walk and Thomas Berkery singled to shallow right. Brian LaNinfa's sacrifice fly to left scored Rea, but USC starter Wynn Pelzer avoided a big inning when he got Joseph McCaskill to ground into an inning-ending double play.
USC answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Cheyn Hurst singled to center field, stole second, advanced to third on an infield groundout and Neil Giesler's single to right scored Hurst and tied the score.
State regained the lead in the second on Mitch Moreland's one-out solo shot to right. South Carolina matched the run in the bottom of the second. Trent Kline singled sharply to center field, Justin Smoak looped a base hit to shallow left, both runners advanced on Mark Stanley's sacrifice bunt, and Hurst followed with a sacrifice fly to left.
Pelzer retired the Bulldogs in order in the third, but Weatherford wasn't so fortunate. He struck lead-off batter Michael Campbell with a 1-2 pitch. Campbell stole second and advanced a bag on an infield groundout. Robbie Grimestaff gave South Carolina its first lead with a run-scoring single to right, and Reese Havens followed with a two-run home run to right, his third blast of the year.
Weatherford, who struck out the next batter, ran into two-out problems, walking the next two batters before Hurst delivered a run-scoring single to shallow left, scoring USC's fourth run in the frame and ending Weatherford's first career start after 2-2/3 innings. Mike Valentine replaced Weatherford and retired the Andrew Crisp on one pitch to end the inning.
South Carolina expanded its lead with two runs in the fifth off Valentine. Smoak opened the inning with a solo home run, his ninth roundtripper of the year. Hurst, Andrew Crisp and Campbell followed with back-to-back singles that scored a run and extended the USC lead to 8-2. That lead grew by two to 10-2 in the sixth on Mark Stanley's third home run of the season, and in the eighth Smoak lined a two-out solo shot over the right field fence to complete USC's scoring.
State got on the scoreboard in the ninth off USC relief pitcher Dan Luczak. Wynn Diggs drew a walk, Joseph Hunter was struck by a pitch and Andy Rice laced his third home run of the year, a three-run shot over the wall in center field.
Rea led MSU's six-hit attack with a pair of doubles. Rice drove in three of the MSU's five runs with his home run in the ninth.
Mike Valentine followed Weatherford to the hill in the third inning, allowing four runs on seven hits in 3-1/3 innings of middle inning relief. Senior Brooks Tinsley, in hi second career pitching stint, gave up a run on two hits over two innings.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. (CDT). MSU has not declared a starting pitcher to work opposite USC freshman right-hander Mike Cisco.
SOUTH CAROLINA 11, MSU 5
MSU 110 000 000 --- 5- 6-1USC 114 012 200 --- 11-17-0WP --- Aaron Weatherford (4-1). LP --- Wynn Pelzer (4-1). HR --- Mitch Moreland (4), Andy Rice (3), Reese Havens (3), Justin Smoak-2 (10), Mark Stanley (2). T --- 2:48. ATT --- 3,841.
