Feb. 22, 2003
Columbia, S.C. – A bases loaded seventh inning double by Landon Powell drove in three runs Saturday as South Carolina defeated Duquesne 7-5 to take a 2-0 lead in a three game non-conference baseball series.
The game began three hours late due to bad weather. The third game in the series will begin at 1 p.m., Sunday, half an hour earlier than scheduled, since Duquesne has 6 p.m., flight reservations back to Pittsburgh.
Freshman Conor Lalor pitched five innings to pick up his first collegiate win as South Carolina improved its record to 7-1. Lalor allowed four hits and two unearned runs. Duquesne starter Jesse Cramer, 0-1, was the loser as the Dukes dropped to 0-2.
South Carolina held a shaky 4-3 lead after six innings. Michael Campbell led of the bottom of the seventh with his second bunt single of the game. Justin Harris, attempting to sacrifice, beat out a bunt to stretch his hitting streak to eight games. Brian Buscher walked to load the bases with no outs. Powell delivered a double in the left center field gap to stretch the Gamecock lead to 7-3.
Duquesne cut the margin to 7-5 with two unearned runs in the eighth inning. Blustery, wet conditions resulted in six errors, four by Duquesne and two by South Carolina and four runs by South Carolina and four by Duquesne were unearned.
The Gamecocks scored an unearned run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead but Duquesne tied it with two unearned runs in the fifth. Two more unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth returned the lead to South Carolina at 4-3. Duquesne scored an earned run in the sixth but South Carolina countered with the Powell three run double in the bottom of the inning.
The final two Duquesne runs, both unearned, scored in the eighth inning on an error, a hit and a pair of wild pitches.
South Carolina compiled 12 hits to seven for Duquesne. Jon Coutlangus had three hits, including two bunt singles, as five of the 12 Gamecock hits were bunts. Campbell, Buscher and Powell had two hits each. Doubles by Powell and Hank Parks were the only South Carolina extra base hits.
John Rieg was the only Duquesne player with two hits. Reig and Andy Gallina had doubles for the Dukes.
Nick Gardiner, one of three Gamecocks to have at least one hit in each of the first seven South Carolina games, was hitless in three at bats but Harris and Buscher stretched their hitting streaks to eight games.
DUQUESNE 000 021 020 – 5-7-4
SOUTH CAROLINA 110 020 30x – 7-12-2
Cramer, Reifschneider (5) and Frey. Lalor, Donald (6), Beverly (8) and Powell. W-Lalor (1-0). L-Cramer (0-1). Save-None. 2B-DUQ, Reig, Gallina; USC, Powell, Parks.
