June 8, 2002
Columbia, S.C. – Miami Pitcher Dan Touchet held the Gamecocks for 7 2/3 innings, giving up only one run on five hits and striking out four to lead the Miami Hurricanes in a 5-2 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C. Saturday. South Carolina, scoring one run in the eighth and one in the ninth, was unable to complete the comeback and advance to their first College World Series since 1985.
The two teams will meet one final time, tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., at Sarge Frye Field in Columbia, S.C. to decide who will advance to the College World Series. Miami will be the home team in the pivotal Game Three match-up. A limited number of standing room only tickets will go on sale at 11:00 a.m. EDT Sunday at Sarge Frye Field. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for youth.
Miami (34-28) scored five runs off of six hits and recorded one error in the game. South Carolina (52-16) scored two runs off of eight hits and went errorless in the loss. Touchet (6-2) is credited while Carolina pitcher David Marchbanks (9-4) gets the loss.
Miami scored all five of their runs in the third inning. Kevin Mannix singled to left center with one out, followed by Danny Figueroa singling to right field, sending Mannix to third. Paco Figueroa walked to load the bases. Brad Safchik reached first on a fielder’s choice as all the runners advanced except Mannix, who was thrown out at home attempting to score. Second baseman Javy Rodriguez came up next for the Hurricanes and hit a single into center field, scoring both Danny and Paco Figueroa and sending Safchik to third. With runners on first and third and two outs, Danny Matienzo came up next and sent a long fly ball over the deep centerfield fence, giving the Hurricanes a 5-0 lead. Kevin Howard grounded out to first to end the inning for the Hurricanes.
South Carolina came up in the top of the eighth with the Hurricanes’ 5-0 lead looming over their head. Steve Thomas started off the inning by walking, putting him at first. USC first baseman Yaron Peters stepped up to the plate next and smashed a single into left field, sending Thomas to second. Both Thomas and Peters then advanced to third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch. Brian Buscher then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, which scored Thomas. Carolina would be unable to score again in the inning.
Miami could not score in the bottom of the eighth and South Carolina had one final chance to win in the top of the ninth. Drew Meyer came up with one out and singled to right field. Steve Thomas singled to left center, sending Meyer to third. Yaron Peters, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, singled to right field sending Meyer across the plate and advancing Thomas to third. Brian Buscher struck out swinging to give Carolina two outs. Garris Gonce came up next and hit a hard fly ball into center field, but it didn’t go far enough as it was caught for the third and final out as Miami holds on 5-2.
