March 23, 2003
Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee’s Javi Herrera’s grand slam home run broke a 6-6 tie in the eighth inning as the Volunteers defeated 10th ranked South Carolina 10-6 to sweep a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series. Tennessee improves to 14-8 on the year and 4-2 in the SEC while the loss drops South Carolina to 16-8 and 1-5 in conference play.
Tennessee reliever Joey Andrews worked the final one and two thirds to earn his first win of the year and improve to 1-1 on the season. Sophomore Aaron Rawl took the loss for Carolina and is now 4-2 on the year. Rawl worked the final five and one third innings of the game for USC allowing five runs on six hits while striking out and walking two batters.
Tennessee got out to the early lead with four runs in the second inning. Carolina starter Matt Campbell walked four consecutive Volunteer batters leading to the first Tennessee run. Cliff Donald relieved Campbell and walked Jordan Czarniecki to increase the UT lead to 2-0. Michael Rivera increased the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single to right field that scored Justin Branson and Nick Crowe. Donald was able to get out of the inning with a pickoff at home and a ground out.
Carolina cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the third inning. Singles from Jon Coutlangus and Brian Buscher set the table for Landon Powell who crushed a two-out double to left center to score Coutlangus and Buscher bringing the Gamecocks within two runs. Tennessee came back with one run in their half inning as a two-out RBI single by Crowe scored Josh Alley to increase the Vols lead to 5-2. Tennessee increased the lead to 6-2 in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Walter Sevilla to score Javi Herrerra. Carolina added one run in the seventh inning to get within three runs.
Down 6-3, USC scored three runs in the eighth inning to knot the game at six. Three consecutive singles from Hank Parks, Michael Campbell and Steven Tolleson loaded the bases with no outs. After a strikeout to Jon Coutlangus, Buscher walked, Bryan Triplett was hit by a pitch and Powell walked as the Gamecocks tied the Volunteers 6-6. With Demetric Smith at the plate, Tennessee pitcher Joey Andrews entered and was able to get Smith to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to keep the game tied up at six. The double play was one of four double plays South Carolina grounded into on the day. The Gamecocks left 12 runners on base for the game.
Josh Alley opened the eighth inning reaching base on a bunt misplayed by Smith at first base. After a sacrifice by Crowe, the Gamecocks intentionally walked Czarniecki and Rivera singled to lead the bases for Herrera. Herrerra’s grand slam in the eighth inning was his first career home run at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
For the third consecutive game, South Carolina outhit Tennessee, this time 13-8. Tolleson, Buscher, Parks and Michael Campbell each had two hits for the Gamecocks. Landon Powell finished 1-for-2 with three walks and three RBI. Tennessee’s Michael Rivera was 4-for-5 to lead the Volunteers with two RBI.
The Gamecocks will next travel to Greenville, S.C. for a Wednesday evening game with Furman. Wednesday’s game will be played at Greenville Municipal Stadium, home of the Greenville Braves. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Carolina returns home next weekend for a three-game series with Vanderbilt beginning on Friday evening.
