March 20, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – Landon Powell drove in five runs with three hits, including a three run homer Saturday as South Carolina defeated Louisiana State 12-5 to even a baseball series between to Southeastern Conference giants.
The rubber game of the three game series is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Sunday at Sarge Frye Field. South Carolina, ranked third nationally by Baseball America and fourth by Collegiate Baseball, improved its record to 19-1 overall, 1-1 in the SEC. LSU, the number one team in the Collegiate Baseball poll and fourth in Baseball America, dropped to 17-3, 1-1.
The game drew another overflow crowd of 5,908. The two day total attendance is 11,389.
Aaron Rawl pitched 6 2/3 innings to claim the win and improve his record to 5-0. He allowed 10 hits and all five LSU runs, only three of them earned. Freshman left-hander Arik Hempy retired the final seven LSU batters in order on 20 pitches. Jordan Faircloth, the second of three LSU pitchers, was charged with the loss, his second of the season against no wins.
LSU took a three run lead with two first inning runs and one in the third. J.C. Holt led off the first with a home run and the Tigers added an unearned tally on an error, a hit and a sacrifice fly. Derek Hebert singled in the third and scored on a double by Ryan Patterson. The homer was the second for Holt.
South Carolina took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Tiger starter Lane Mestepey walked Ryan Mahoney and Davy Gregg and Steven Tolleson, attempting to sacrifice, beat out a bunt to load the bases with no outs. Bryan Triplett hit into a double play with Mahoney scoring and Powell followed with a three run homer, his fifth.
LSU quickly tied it at 4-4 when Matt Liuzza homered to lead off the fourth inning, his fourth. A hit by Michael Campbell, an error, and a fielder’s choice gave the Gamecocks a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning but LSU quickly tied it in the top of the fifth. Holt doubled and later scored on a Gamecock error for the final Tiger run of the day.
Powell singled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and Brendan Winn followed with his sixth home run, second of the series. Campbell doubled and scored the third run of the Gamecock inning on a base hit by Tommy King to stretch the lead to 8-5.
South Carolina loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning on walks to Mahoney and Gregg and a sacrifice by Tolleson that turned into a fielder’s choice when LSU pitcher Michael Bonura threw to third too late to force pinch runner Steven Reinhold. A base hit by Bryan Triplett scored Reinhold and Gregg.
Powell drove in South Carolina’s final two runs in the eighth inning with his third hit of the game and seventh hit in the two games of the series. An infield hit by Tolleson and two walks had loaded he bases with two outs to set up the final two RBI.
Powell, who had four hits on his 22nd birthday Friday in the first game of the series, a 6-3 LSU win in 11 innings, is seven for 10 in the series and nine for 14 during the week including a two for four night with a home run in a non-conference win over Davidson. Powell stretched his career long hitting streak to 16 games. His season average is .429.
Campbell also had three hits Saturday including a double. Tolleson, with two infield singles, was the only other Gamecock with more than one hit. South Carolina’s total was 11. LSU had 10 hits with three by Holt the only Tiger with more than one.
