March 7, 2003
Columbia, S.C. –
An eighth inning sacrifice fly by Dean Altavilla broke a tie and Radford upset sixth ranked South Carolina 5-4 Friday night in the first of a three game non-conference baseball series.
The second game is scheduled for 4 p.m., Saturday at Sarge Frye Field.
After South Carolina scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning the Highlanders shut the Gamecocks out over the final eight to improve their record to 3-2. South Carolina fell to 11-3. Rob Bursey was the winner in relief to even his record to 1-1 and Bret Lieberman earned his third save. Forrest Beverly, 0-1, was the losing pitcher in relief for the Gamecocks.
Kellen Wohlford blooped a single to right field to lead off the Radford eighth inning. He moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a deep fly ball to right field by Steve Mignogna. Altavilla lifted another fly to right to score what proved to be the winning run.
South Carolina, which left eight base runners stranded in the final five innings, put the tying run on third base with one out in the ninth inning when Brian Buscher led off with a single. Pinch runner Davy Gregg moved to second on a wild pitch and to third when Landon Powell grounded out. Jared Greenwood grounded to first base for the second out and pinch hitter Hank Parks grounded to shortstop to end the game.
Three hits, a walk and a Radford error staked South Carolina to a 4-0 first inning lead. The big hit was a bases loaded triple by Nick Gardiner. In the second inning Buscher doubled with two outs but Jon Coutlangus, who had singled to open the inning, was out at the plate on a relay from the outfield.
Radford scored its first run in the third inning and scored three runs in the sixth inning to tie the score. The Highlanders bunched three hits with two Gamecock errors in that inning. Radford had 10 hits to eight by the Gamecocks. Ryan Wetzel, Mark Fleisher, Kellen Woolford and Mignogna had two hits apiece. A double by Mignogna was the only extra base hit by the Highlanders.
Buscher and Coutlangus had two hits each to account for half of South Carolina’s total. Melillo, Buscher and Coutlangus had doubles.
RADFORD 001 003 010 – 5-10-3
SOUTH CAROLINA 400 000 000 -4-8-2
Fleisher, Williamson (6), Bursey (8), Lieberman (8) and Altavilla. Ma. Campbell, Beverly (6) and Powell. W-Bursey (1-1). L-Beverly (0-1). Save-Lieberman (3). 2B-RU, Mignogna; USC, Melillo, Buscher, Coutlangus. 3B-USC, Gardiner.
