Feb. 8, 2002

COLUMBIA, SC –
Brian Buscher hit a three run home run and David Marchbanks pitched eight strong innings Friday night as fourth ranked South Carolina defeated Seton Hall in the first game of a three game college baseball series.

The second game is scheduled for 4 p.m., Saturday at Sarge Frye Field with a 1:30 p.m., start scheduled Sunday.

Marchbanks scattered seven hits, struck out seven and walked one to improve his record to 4-1 with ninth inning relief help from freshman Aaron Rawl. Isaac Pavik pitched his second complete game for Seton Hall but saw his record drop to 0-2 as the Pirates fell to 2-8. South Carolina improved its record to 12-2.

The Gamecocks scored four of their five runs in the second inning. Garris Gonce walked and Justin Harris singled. With one out a base hit by Landon Powell scored Gonce and Harris and Powell scored ahead of Buscher’s third home run of the season.

South Carolina made it 5-0 with a run in the fifth inning. Buscher walked, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored when Steve Thomas blooped a two out single to center field. Seton Hall averted a shutout with a seventh inning run. Lou Santangelo walked, moved to third on a double by Matt Cuttruff and scored on a sacrifice fly by Garrett Weir.

Seton Hall out hit the Gamecocks 8-7 with Todd Crawford collecting two singles.. Thomas had two hits for South Carolina. South Carolina played its eighth errorless game in 13 starts while Seton Hall committed only one error.

SETON HALL 000 000 100 – 1- 8-1
SOUTH CAROLINA 040 010 00X -5-7-0

Pavlik and Santangelo. Marchbanks, Rawl (9) and Powell. W-Marchbanks (4-1). L-Pavlik (0-2). Save-None. 2B-SH, Cuttruff. HR, USC, Buscher (3).