May 13, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – Fresh off a three-game sweep at Alabama, the South Carolina baseball team returns home on Wednesday night to host The Citadel in the last non-conference game of the regular season. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. with freshman RHP Conor Lalor (5-0, 3.18 ERA) on the mound for Carolina and sophomore RHP Griff Beckham (2-1, 1.67 ERA) taking the hill for the Bulldogs.

South Carolina defeated The Citadel the first time both teams played on February 19. The Gamecocks traveled to Charleston, S.C. and defeated the Bulldogs 7-5 with Aaron Rawl earning his third win of the season. Carolina tied a school record for strikeouts by a pitching staff in a game with Carolina posting 18 strikeouts in the win. Rawl set a new career-high with 10, Steven Bondurant struck out three and Matt Campbell closed the game out with five strikeouts. Campbell, this week’s SEC Pitcher of the Week, earned his first career save as well in the victory.

South Carolina currently owns a seven-game winning streak, tying the longest winning streak of the season for the Gamecocks. Senior 3B Brian Buscher enters the week leading the SEC in hitting with a .397 batting average. Junior LHP David Marhchbanks is also an SEC leader in wins with 11 on the year.

The series between Carolina and The Citadel dates back more than a century to 1900 with Carolina holding a 107-42-1 lead in the 150 games played.