March 5, 2002

COLUMBIA, SC –
Back to back home runs by Yaron Peters and Garris Gonce featured a six run first inning Tuesday night and fourth ranked South Carolina coasted to a 10-4 non-conference win over UNC Asheville.

The Bulldogs, 0-2, averted a shutout by batting around in the ninth inning when they scored four times on two hits, two Gamecock errors, a passed ball and a pair of walks. The Gamecocks improved to 10-2 with Matt Wilson, 1-0, the second of six South Carolina pitchers, credited with the win. UNCA starter Mark Schuurman, 0-1, took the loss.

Schuurman retired the first two South Carolina batters in the bottom of the first inning but a walk preceded the homers by Peters and Gonce and two Bulldog errors, a hit by Jared Greenwood and a walk produced three more runs as 10 Gameock batters went to the plate.

South Carolina added three runs in the fourth inning. Peters drove in two with a double, giving him four RBI in the game and 26 in the first 12 games of the season. South Carolina closed out its scoring with one fifth inning run on hits by Drew Meyer and Steve Thomas and an error. UNC Asheville committed six errors in the game, four by shortstop Scott Stotler.

Meyer and Thomas had three hits apiece in a 13 hit South Carolina attack. Peters had two hits. His homer was his fifth of the year and Gonce hit his sixth. South Carolina recorded its third back to back homer game with Gonce involved in all three.

Stotler was the only Asheville player with two hits as the Bulldogs managed five hits, two of them in the ninth inning. Curtis Moncus, Grant Rembert and Stotler had doubles. Brian Buscher had a double for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina continues its home stand Wednesday night when the Gamecocks meet William and Mary. Game time is 7 p.m.

UNC ASHEVILLE 000 000 004 – 4-5-6
SOUTH CAROLINA 600 310 00x – 10-13-3
Schuurman, Sode (3), Beck (6), Rembert (8) and Rembert. Bondurant, Wilson (5), Evans (7), Donald (8), Wesley (9), Bravo (9) and Greenwood. W-Wilson (1-0> L-Schuurman (0-1). Save-None. 2B-UNCA, Moncus, Rembert, Stotler, USC, Peters, Buscher. HR-USC, Peters (5), Gonce (6).