May 30, 2008
Raleigh, N.C. – Justin Smoak went 4-for-4 with three RBI and James Darnell and DeAngelo Mack added a pair of three-run homers as South Carolina opened up NCAA Regional play with a 15-8 win over Charlotte on Friday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C. at Doak Field. The Gamecocks advance to the winner’s bracket and will meet NC State on Saturday evening at 7 pm. Carolina is now 39-21 on the year with Charlotte falling to 43-15 this season.
The Carolina offense had it going with 18 hits on the afternoon and South Carolina erupted for a 9-0 lead in the first four innings. Smoak’s four hits tied a career-high and Parker Bangs also set a career-high with three hits to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. Smoak set the school record as well for total bases as he has 476 in his career with the Garnet & Black. In his first career start, Mack added two hits including a home run, his sixth of the year. Darnell’s home run was his 19th of the season and was also his 41st of his career to tie for eighth on the USC All-Time career list. Scott Wingo and Reese Havens added two hits apiece as eight of nine starters recorded at least one hit. The 18-hit total for Carolina is tied for third highest in a game this season for South Carolina.
“I thought we had some great at-bats early,” said South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner. “That was good to see. We were aggressive and attacking. We were trying to make something happen and not wait for something to happen. That is one of the reasons we jumped out front. We’ve seen a lot of these guys the last three years and they are great players who are well-coached. The thing that really kept me on the edge of my seat – I knew the run was coming. Their bullpen has been very good as of late; their pitching staff has been really solid from the fifth through the ninth so I was on the edge of my seat. We scored some runs late that has helped us win the game.”
Starting pitcher Sam Dyson earned the win and is now 8-0 on the year. He lasted 6.2 innings and allowed seven runs on 11 hits. Gamecock junior right-hander Mike Cisco came on in relief and earned his second career save. He allowed just one run on three hits in 2.1 innings of work. Charlotte starter Joe Yermal suffered the loss and is 8-2 on the year. He lasted only 1.1 innings and gave up six runs on five hits and faced only 10 batters.
South Carolina broke ahead 4-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Havens got things started with a leadoff double, was sacrificed to third base by Whit Merrifield and scored on a RBI base hit from Smoak. Carolina would put another runner on base then as James Darnell was hit by a 2-2 pitch from Yermal that gave the Gamecocks runners on first and second base. With two outs, Carolina extended its lead on a three-run homer from DeAngelo Mack to left field. Mack drove a 2-2 pitch opposite field for his first postseason home run. South Carolina has now homered in 20 consecutive games.
Carolina would knock Yermal from the game in the second inning with two more runs to increase the advantage to 6-0 over the 49ers. Wingo reached base on a one-out single, stole second base and scored on Havens’ RBI single up the middle. Havens would eventually score then on a RBI single from Smoak, his second of the game. The Gamecocks scored three more runs in the fourth inning to take a 9-0 lead. Smoak recorded a RBI double with the second run scoring a ground out double play and Parker Bangs tallying a two-out RBI base hit as well.
The run support helped Dyson early, as he set down the Charlotte offense through the first five innings without yielding a run. The 49ers finally struck back in the sixth inning with four runs to cut into the Carolina lead. Chris Taylor was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning that was followed by a single from Brad McElroy and Corey Shaylor’s RBI single to give Charlotte its first run of the game. Cory Tilton added a sacrifice fly RBI and Alan Parks knocked a two-run homer as Carolina saw its lead shrink to 9-4.
South Carolina answered in the sixth inning with a single run as Bangs and Andrew Crisp recorded back-to-back doubles to give Carolina a six-run cushion. The 49ers however were not done on offense and crept to within three runs then in the seventh inning as Bray delivered with his third hit of the game, this one a two-out three-run homer to right field that left the Gamecocks up by just three runs.
Head coach Ray Tanner would go to the bullpen then and bring in Cisco, who set down Cory Tilton with a strikeout looking to keep the Gamecock on top 10-7 and with a three-run lead. Cisco kept the 49ers at bay in the top of the eighth as well and got a key line out double play with third baseman James Darnell, which Carolina out in front by three runs.
With the 10-7 lead, the Carolina bats came alive again with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Justin Hopper was hit by a pitch followed by a single to Scott Wingo giving Carolina runners on first and second base with no outs. After a sacrifice bunt from Reese Havens advanced the runners, Whit Merrifield delivered with a key two-run single to left field that gave the Gamecocks some breathing room. South Carolina then received another positive jolt as a intentional walk to Justin Smoak set the stage for Darnell, who launched a three-run homer to left that gave Carolina a commanding 15-7 lead. Charlotte scored its final run in the ninth inning on a solo homer to left field by Rob Lyerly.
Saturday’s game in the NCAA Regional for South Carolina can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network and on the Gamecocks’ official website at gamecocksonline.com.
South Carolina is now 18-2 on the year when scoring 10 or more runs. Carolina outfielder Harley Lail left the game in the second inning after running into a wall in right field in the top half of the second when going for a foul ball. He has a bruised right knee and is listed day-to-day.
