April 30, 2003
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Bryan Triplett drove in seven runs and was 5-for-6 with two home runs including a grand slam and each South Carolina starter had at least one hit as the Gamecock baseball team defeated Wofford 23-2 in a non-conference baseball game on Wednesday evening at Duncan Park. The win improves South Carolina’s record to 29-17 on the year while the loss drops Wofford’s record to 8-32.
South Carolina starter Matt Campbell won his second consecutive start and improved to 3-3 on the year. Campbell worked five innings and allowed just one run on four hits while striking out six batters. Wofford starter Jarrod Rampey lasted just one inning and took the loss for the Terriers, dropping his record to 3-8.
The Gamecocks finished the game with a season-high 26 hits in the game. Along with Triplett’s success at the plate, Brian Buscher was 4-for-5 with four RBI, Michael Campbell 4-for-6 and Landon Powell was 3-for-4 with four runs scored to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. Carolina finished the game also with five home runs, two by Triplett, one from Buscher, one from Powell and one from Jared Greenwood.
Carolina had the bats going early as the Gamecocks touched Wofford starter Jarrod Rampey with four runs in the top of the first inning. Two-run homers from Buscher and Triplett gave Carolina an early 4-0 cushion. Buscher’s homer was his 10th of the year and Triplett’s was his 5th of the season. Wofford scored once in the bottom half of the first on a two-out RBI single by Jesse Cole to cut into the Gamecock lead.
Carolina extended the lead to seven runs with four more runs in the top of the second inning. A RBI double from Kevin Melillo, RBI single by Buscher and a two-run triple from Matt Riddle put Carolina on top 8-1. A five-run third inning increased the South Carolina lead to 13-1 as the Gamecocks batted around for the first time in the game. Justin Harris extended his hitting streak to six games with a RBI single that scored two runs with Buscher and Powell also collecting RBI hits for Carolina.
After a scoreless fourth inning the Gamecocks added five runs in the top of the fifth to take an 18-1 lead, highlighted by Triplett’s first career grand slam at Carolina. With a 1-1 count, Triplett turned on Keith Sturkie’s next pitch and drilled his second homer of the game and sixth of the season into left field. South Carolina added a single run in the sixth innning, two in the seventh and single runs in the eighth and ninth inning. Wofford scored its second run of the game in the eighth inning on a wild pitch.
South Carolina returns home to Sarge Frye Field with a three-game series vs. Kentucky beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. The Gamecocks own a 10-11 record in Southeastern Conference play and are one-half game behind Florida for first place in SEC Eastern Division.
