May 12, 2004
Charleston, S.C. – A bases loaded walk to Brendan Winn and a grand slam home run from Steve Pearce lifted seventh ranked South Carolina to a 6-1 win in 10 innings vs. The Citadel at Riley Park in front of 4,618 fans. The Gamecocks improve to 36-13 on the year while the loss drops the Bulldogs to 30-21 on the season.
South Carolina sent 10 batters to the plate in the extra frame and got things started on a one-out bunt single from Steven Tolleson. Kevin Melillo launched a high fly ball to right field that was dropped by Citadel outfielder Josh Stackley to put runners on second and third with one out. After an intentional walk to Landon Powell, Gamecock outfielder Brendan Winn took Citadel reliever Ryan Owens to a 3-2 count before taking a high ball for ball four and giving the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead. With the bases still loaded, Pearce launched the 1-0 pitch from Owens to left center for his 14th home run of the season and second grand slam this year.
Junior Chad Blackwell earned the victory in relief for USC to improve to 3-3 on the year. Blackwell allowed just one hit in the night inning vs. The Bulldogs and struck out two batters. Owens took the loss for The Citadel and is now 0-1 on the year.
The Citadel got on top first in the game taking a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning as Jon Aughey led off the frame with a solo homer off South Carolina starter Cliff Donald that just cleared the left field foul line. South Carolina would come back with one run in the top of the sixth to tie the game as a two-out RBI double to left-center from Brendan Winn scored Kevin Melillo from first base.
Donald worked a career-high six 1/3 innings allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts. The five strikeouts for Donald tied a career-high that the junior from Anderson, S.C. set as a freshman at Mississippi State on March 15, 2002. As sharp as Donald was Bulldog starter Justin Smith, who worked six 2/3 innings and allowed one run on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks allowed.
South Carolina returns home to Sarge Frye Field on Friday for a three-game series vs. Tennessee, the last home series of the regular season. First pitch for Friday is set for 7 p.m. with Saturday’s start scheduled for 4 p.m. and Sunday’s finale at 1:30 p.m. The Gamecocks are 13-11 in SEC play heading into this weekend’s match-up with the Volunteers.
