March 26, 2008
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Columbia, S.C. – Freshman right-handed pitcher Sam Dyson struck out eight batters in a career-high seven innings and Reese Havens hit his seventh home run of the year as South Carolina defeated College of Charleston 5-3 on Wednesday evening at Sarge Frye Field. The Gamecocks improve to 16-6 on the year while the loss drops College of Charleston to 16-8. Carolina returns to action at home this weekend with a three-game series at Sarge Frye Field vs. Kentucky. First pitch for the opener is set for 7 pm on Friday night.
In only his second start of his career, Dyson allowed just three hits on three runs in his longest outing of his career, seven innings. He is 2-0 on the year. Carolina relievers Craig Thomas and Brandon Todd each pitched scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to close out the game for the Gamecocks. Todd’s perfect ninth inning earned him his second save of the year. College of Charleston starter Clay Caulfield took the loss and is 2-2. He allowed all five runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
South Carolina took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Phil Disher walked to lead off the frame and would score on Reese Havens’ one-out home run. Havens drove the 1-2 pitch from Caulfield to right center for his team-leading seventh homer of the year. The Gamecocks have now homered in 21 of 22 games this year. Carolina added to the lead as Andrew Crisp extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a two-out RBI base hit to score Whit Merrifield.
College of Charleston came away with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. Michael Kohn drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second base on a single from Brandon Sizemore. Up until that point, Dyson had not allowed a hit before the base hit from Sizemore. Both runners would then score on a one-out RBI single courtesy of Stuart Haywood.
The Gamecocks came back in the bottom half though with a pair of their own runs. With the bases loaded, Kyle Enders delivered a RBI single to score both James Darnell and Justin Smoak. College of Charleston scored one run in the sixth inning but that would be the last run of the game for the Cougars.
Carolina out-hit College of Charleston 8-4 with Darnell and Enders finishing with two apiece to lead the Gamecocks. Havens and Enders had two RBI as well. Darnell has a 10-game hitting streak.
