March 29, 2003
Columbia, S.C. – Jon Coutlangus hit a no out grand slam home run in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday to give South Carolina an 11-7 win over Vanderbilt and a 2-0 lead in a Southeastern Conference baseball series.
The third game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., EST Sunday at Sarge Frye Field.
Senior right-hander Chris Hernandez, 2-1, pitched 4 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win. Vanderbilt relief pitcher Jensen Lewis, 2-4, took the loss. South Carolina improved its record to 18-9 overall, 3-5 in the SEC. Vanderbilt dropped to 13-12, 2-6.
South Carolina trailed 7-3 in the eighth inning when Justin Harris hit a three run homer to narrow the deficit to 7-6. It was the third homer of the season for Harris and South Carolina’s first home run in six games. Freshman Steven Tolleson led off the bottom of the ninth inning with his first collegiate home run to send the game into extra innings.
After Hernandez retired the Commodores in order in the top of the tenth Trey McDaniel drew a walk to start the bottom half and was replaced by pinch runner Tim Seaton. Kevin Melillo attempting to sacrifice beat out an infield single. Harris also attempted a bunt and beat it out to load the bases. Coutlangus drilled the first pitch from Lewis over the right center field fence to end the game.
The homer was the second of the season for the senior center fielder and just his third career homer. It was the first grand slam of the season for South Carolina.
Vanderbilt jumped on freshman right-hander Conor Lalor for three runs in the first two innings, scoring one in the first on three hits and two in the second on three more hits and a Gamecock error. Lalor was replaced by freshman left-hander Zach Reeves.
South Carolina tied the score with three runs in the bottom of the third on three hits and a throwing error by Commodore starting pitcher Robert Ransom on a sacrifice bunt fielder’s choice.
Vanderbilt regained a three run lead at 6-3 in the sixth inning on three hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Hernandez replaced Reeves and ended the Commodore rally by striking out Tony Mansolino.
Cesar Nicholas homered in the top of the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 7-3, one of only two hits allowed by Hernandez.
Vanderbilt out hit the Gamecocks 14-11 with everyone in the Commodore batting order getting at least one hit. Nicholas had three hits and two runs batted in. Matt Zeller, Jonathan Kaye and Worth Scott had two hits and two RBI each.
Six of the 11 South Carolina hits, and all three home runs, came in the final three innings. Harris had four hits, his second four hit game of the season. Brian Buscher and Tolleson had two hits each. The other Carolina hits were a double by Landon Powell, the bunt by Melillo and the game winning homer by Coutlangus.
The game was the second extra inning game for South Carolina this season. The Gamecocks defeated James Madison 7-2 in 10 innings Feb. 14 at Charleston.
