April 25, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – Matt Campbell pitched 10 shutout innings, allowing just three hits, and Steven Tolleson lined a two out RBI single Sunday as South Carolina defeated Alabama 1-0 to take a Southeastern Conference baseball series two games to one.
The win was the first complete game shutout for a South Carolina pitcher since Chris Hernandez defeated East Carolina May 10, 2003 in the NCAA Regional Tournament at Atlanta. It was the second career complete game for Campbell, a junior left-hander who improved his season record to 6-2. Campbell struck out 10 and walked two batters before a Sarge Frye Field crowd of 3,915.
Campbell gave up singles in the first inning to Even Bush, in the fourth to Allen Rice, and in the sixth to Gabe Scott. He retired 10 consecutive Crimson Tide batters from the sixth inning until Michael McCallister reached on an error leading off the 10th inning. Campbell retired the next three in order.
Left-hander Taylor Tankersley matched Campbell’s scoreless string until relieved by Seth Johnson when South Carolina loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning. Davy Gregg and Kevin Melillo singled and Bryan Triplett walked. Michael Campbell grounded out on Johnson’s first pitch to end that threat.
Triplett walked to lead off the bottom of the 10th and Michael Campbell doubled down the left field line. Triplett ran through a stop sign at third base and was an out at the plate. Campbell remained at second base and Landon Powell was intentionally walked. Both runners moved up when Brendan Winn hit a slow grounder to the pitcher for the second out. Tolleson ripped the first pitch from Johnson to right center field to drive in Campbell.
The game winning hit was the second in extra innings for Tolleson this season. The sophomore shortstop’s 10th inning home run produced an 8-7 win at Clemson March 7. South Carolina is 4-1 in extra inning games this season.
The loss evened Johnson’s record at 2-2. Alabama fell to 24-18, 6-12 in the Southeastern Conference. South Carolina improved to 29-11 and evened its conference record at 9-9.
South Carolina had at least one hit in every inning but the second, and had a base runner on a walk in that inning, but was stymied each time by the Alabama defense over the first nine. The Gamecocks had two hits in the third and seventh, plus two in the 10th to total 12 for the game. The only extra base hits were a pair of doubles by Michael Campbell, the second figuring in the game’s only run.
Michael Campbell had three hits and was eight for 13 in the three game series. Powell had two hits Sunday and five in the series, including a grand slam home run in the 6-3 South Carolina win Friday night. Tolleson and Gregg also had two hits Sunday.
