Feb. 21, 2003
Columbia, S.C. – Hank Parks and Kevin Melillo homered twice in a 16 hit South Carolina attack Friday and the seventh ranked Gamecocks downed Duquesne 12-2 in the first of a three game weekend baseball series.
The second game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Saturday at Sarge Frye Field. South Carolina improved its season record to 6-1 while the visitors from Pittsburgh, Pa., lost their season opener.
David Marchbanks pitched six strong innings to win his third decision in as many starts. He allowed six hits, both Duquesne runs, struck out six and walked one. Duquesne starter Jim Popp was charged with the loss.
Parks hit bases empty home runs in the second and seventh innings, his second and third of the season. Melillo hit a solo homer in the sixth and a two run shot in the seventh, his first two of the season. Melillo also singled and walked and has reached base 17 times in 27 at bats, an on base percentage of .630.
After Parks staked South Carolina to a 1-0 lead with his first home run the Dukes went ahead 2-1 with a pair of third inning tallies on three consecutive hits off Marchbanks. Dan Schwartzbauer singled and scored on a double by Tim Rieg. A base hit by Pete Maropis drove in Rieg but that completed the Duquesne scoring for the day.
A walk, followed by five consecutive hits and a sacrifice fly plated six South Carolina third inning runs to break the game open. The biggest blow of the inning was a two run double by Michael Campbell.
The Gamecocks added two runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh inning to complete the scoring.
Melillo and Bryan Triplett had three hits each. One of Triplett’s hits was a double. Parks, Justin Harris and Landon Powell each had two hits. Powell and Harris had doubles. Melillo drove in three runs. Parks and Michael Campbell each had two RBI.
Duquesne managed eight hits, six off Marchbanks and two off Zach Reeves who worked two innings. Bobby White pitched a hitless ninth inning for the Gamecocks. Schwartzbauer was the only Duke with two hits and the double by Rieg was the only Duquesne extra base hit.
Harris, Brian Buscher and Nick Gardiner have hit safely in each of South Carolina’s seven games this season. Buscher and Gardiner had one hit each Friday.
DUQUESNE 002 000 000 — 2-8-4
SOUTH CAROLINA 016 002 30x – 12-16-0
Popp, Rife (4), McGill (7) and Grecco. Marchbanks, Reeves (7), White (9) and Powell, Greenwood (9). W-Marchbanks (3-0). L-Popp (0-1). Save-None. 2B-DUQ, Rieg; USC, Harris, Powell, Campbell, Triplett. HR-USC, Parks 2(3), Melillo 2(2).
