March 14, 2003
Columbia, S.C. – Brian Buscher hit two home runs, Bryan Triplett also homered and Landon Powell had a two run double Friday night and sixth ranked South Carolina opened its Southeastern Conference baseball schedule with a 7-2 win over 27th ranked Arkansas.
The second game of the three game series is scheduled for 4 p.m., Saturday at Sarge Frye Field. South Carolina improved its overall record to 15-3, 1-0 in the SEC. Arkansas lost for just the second time in 16 games and dropped to 0-1 in the conference.
Senior left-hander Steven Bondurant pitched five innings, allowed seven hits and both Razorback runs to improve his record to 2-0. Aaron Rawl pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits, to earn his third save. Redshirt freshman Charley Boyce pitched a complete game for Arkansas but suffered his first defeat. He has won three times.
South Carolina jumped off to a 3-0 first inning lead. With two out Buscher hit his third home run of the season. Powell singled and Triplett followed with his first homer.
Arkansas scored its two runs in the third inning. Brady Toops singled and was forced at second by Scott Hode who stole second base. With two out, Brett Hagedorn singled to drive in Hode. Haas Pratt singled to put runners at first and second. Andrew Wishy doubled to drive in Hagedorn. Ryan Fox hit back to the mound to end the rally.
The double by Wishy was just the second extra base hit allowed by the South Carolina pitching staff in the past five games.
Jon Coutlangus beat out a two out bunt in the fifth inning and Buscher singled and moved to second as Coutlangus beat the throw to third. Powell doubled to drive in Coutlangus and Buscher and increase the lead to 5-2.
Coutlangus walked with two out in the seventh inning and Buscher hit his second homer of the game and fourth of the year to complete the scoring at 7-2.
Buscher and Powell had three hits to account for six of the nine South Carolina hits. Arkansas also had nine hits, two each by Wishy and Clay Goodwin.
