April 14, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – Clemson batted around in the second and third innings Wednesday night, including a pair of three run homers, and defeated South Carolina 13-5 to even the season series between the in-state rivals at two wins apiece.
The Tigers scored five runs in each of the big innings. Russell Triplett hit his third home run of the season with two teammates on base in the second and Garrick Evans hit his first, also with two mates aboard, in the third inning. Clemson banged out 19 hits against four South Carolina pitchers.
Steven Jackson , 1-1, picked up his first win of the season. He pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits, three earned runs, walked two and struck out three. South Carolina starter Jason Fletcher lasted only 1 1/3 innings to take his first loss and drop his record to 4-1. He allowed six hits, five earned runs, walked one and struck out two.
Clemson improved its record to 20-13 while South Carolina dropped to 25-8. The Gamecocks travels to Lexington, Ky., for a three game Southeastern Conference series with the Wildcats beginning Friday night.
Andy D’Allessio and Travis Storrer hit back to back doubles to open the Clemson second inning. D’Allessio advanced only one base on the Storrer hit but Triplett homered for a 3-0 Clemson lead. A walk followed by three consecutive singles added two runs.
The Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate for the second time in the third inning to lead 10-0, on five hits, a hit batter and a walk. The big blows were the Evans home run, a triple by Herman Demmink, his third consecutive hit, and a double by Kris Harvey.
The Tigers tacked on two runs in the fourth inning to lead 12-0. Evans doubled in a run and had another RBI in the eighth inning for a five RBI night.
Landon Powell broke up Jackson’s shutout bid with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth. It was the 10th homer of the season by the Gamecock catcher. South Carolina scored two runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to account for the five Gamecock runs. Davy Gregg drove in two with a bases loaded single in the seventh and freshman David Cash had a two RBI single after a pair of walks in the eighth inning.
Demmink and Brad McCann had three hits each for Clemson. Harvey, D’Allessio, Storrer, Triplett and Tyler Colvin had two hits each. Triplett drove in three runs and Kris Harvey and Brad McCann each had two RBI.
South Carolina had nine hits with Powell the only Gamecock with two. His homer was the only South Carolina extra base hit.
In a post game ceremony the Bob Bradley Award as the outstanding Clemson player of the four game series with South Carolina went to Demmink, the Tiger second baseman. In the four games he had seven hits in 15 at bats, including two home runs and a triple. The Tom Price award to the outstanding South Carolina player of the series went to infielder Steve Pearce. He had one hit Wednesday night and was six for 16 in the series.
South Carolina won the first two games of the series with Clemson taking the final two..
