April 17, 2004
Lexington, Ky. – For the second consecutive day Kentucky scored most of its runs in the second, third and fourth innings to defeat South Carolina 11-6 and take a 2-0 lead in a Southeastern Conference baseball series.
The third and final game is scheduled for 1 p.m., Sunday at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Left-hander Matt Scott, 5-2, was the winning pitcher in relief of starter Seth Stanley and left-hander Matt Campbell, the South Carolina starter, took the loss. His record dropped to 5-2.
Kentucky improved its record to 19-15, 5-9 in the SEC, while South Carolina dropped to 25-10, 6-8. The Gamecocks have lost three consecutive games for the first time this season.
South Carolina took a first inning 1-0 lead when Davy Gregg and Bryan Triplett singled to lead off the inning. Brendan Winn bunted them to third and second, respectively. Landon Powell lashed a single to right field to drive in Gregg but Triplett was out at the plate on a good throw by Wildcat right fielder Casey Gilvin.
Kentucky tied it in the second inning. Jake Kungl singled and moved to third on a double by Justin Scutchfield. Kungl scored on a ground out by Gilvin. The Wildcats batted around in the third inning and scored five times to lead 6-1. Kentucky used a walk, three singles, a double and a solo home run by Mike Breyman in the inning. Gilvin doubled and Joe Naill, John Shelby and Spencer Graeter had the singles.
Caleb Stewart doubled, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to make the Kentucky lead 7-1.
South Carolina batted around and scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning, sending Stanley to the showers, to cut the Kentucky lead to 7-6. Back to back doubles by Ryan Mahoney and David Cash started the rally. Kevin Melillo was safe on a sacrifice bunt error. Brendan Winn and Powell singles and Steve Pearce doubled.
Scott pitched hitless baseball over the final 4 1/3 innings. He struck out only two but walked only one.
After the Gamecocks moved to within one run Kentucky maintained control by scoring three times in the fifth inning and adding an insurance run in the sixth for the final 11-6 margin.
The Wildcats collected 10 hits, one more than the nine by South Carolina, but capitalized on the wildness of three Gamecock pitchers who walked seven and hit three batters.
Stewart and Gilvin had two hits apiece for Kentucky. Stewart, Gilvin and Naill each drove in two runs. Both of Gilvin’s hits were doubles.
Powell had three hits and a walk for a perfect day at the plate for South Carolina. Six Gamecocks had one hit with Powell, Pearce, Mahoney and Cash registering doubles. Pearce drove in two runs.
