March 30, 2003
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior left-hander David Marchbanks pitched his first career complete game Sunday and South Carolina defeated Vanderbilt 8-3 to sweep three games from the Commodores for the sixth consecutive year.
The win was the 20th straight over the Commodores dating back to 1997 as the Gamecocks improved their 2003 record to 19-9 at the halfway point of the 56 game schedule. South Carolina’s conference record is 4-5. Vanderbilt evened its overall record at 13-13 and fell to 2-7 in the SEC.
Marchbanks gave up seven hits, struck out seven and walked only one to improve his season record to 5-2. His career record is 21-7. Vanderbilt starter Ryan Mullins, 10-4, allowed seven hits in six innings. Only one of the five runs off him was earned.
Vanderbilt scored two unearned run without a hit to take the lead in the second inning. The only walk issued by Marchbanks, a wild pitch, a fielders choice that retired no one, an error and a sacrifice fly accounted for the 2-0 Commodore lead. The lead swelled to 3-0 in the top of the fifth when Ryan Klosterman doubled with two out and scored on a single by Matt Zeller.
South Carolina took the lead at 4-3 with four unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out Kevin Melillo singled, Jon Coutlangus beat out an infield hit and pinch hitter Nick Gardiner reached on an error to load the bases. Bryan Triplett struck out but Steven Tolleson walked to force in the first Gamecock run. Brian Buscher cleared the bases with a three run double.
Pinch hitter Matt Riddle singled to lead off the Gamecock sixth inning, moved to second on a ground out, to third on Melillo’s infield hit, and scored when Coutlangus grounded out. A double by Tolleson, a walk to Buscher, two infield hits and a sacrifice fly scored two runs in the seventh inning to swell the Gamecock lead to 7-3.
Triplett led off the bottom of the eighth inning with his second home run of the season to complete the scoring.
Riddle, Melillo and Justin Harris had two hits in an 11 hit South Carolina attack. Landon Powell, Tolleson and Buscher contributed doubles and Triplett had the game’s only home run.
John Kaye was the only Commodore with two hits. Klosterman and Cesar Nicholas had doubles.
South Carolina meets in state rival Clemson Wednesday night at Sarge Frye Field before a challenging seven consecutive road games including three game Southeastern Conference series at Louisiana State and Florida wrapped around a non-conference game at Clemson.
