May 15, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – Aaron Rawl allowed only three base runners in a two hit shutout and Hank Parks provided all the scoring with a two run fifth inning home run Sunday as South Carolina defeated Tennessee 2-0 before 4,502 fans to take a 2-0 lead in a Southeastern Conference baseball series.
The third game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Sunday at Sarge Frye Field. South Carolina improved its record to 38-13 overall, 15-11 in the SEC. Tennessee dropped to 34-18, 12-14. The game was played in an hour and 42 minutes.
A junior right-hander, Rawl pitched his third career complete game, first of the season, and improved his season record to 10-3. It was his first complete game shutout. His career record is 23-8. Rawl walked one and struck out seven.
Freshman right-hander Craig Cobb pitched a complete game form Tennessee. He allowed six hits, walked one and struck out seven as his record dropped to 3-2.
Rawl allowed a two out first inning single by Alex Suarez and a leadoff fourth inning single by Eli Iorg. The only Tennessee base runner after that was Josh Alley who walked with one out in the sixth inning. He was erased as Iorg hit into an inning ending double play.
Except for the fifth inning Cobb was equally effective. Davy Gregg’s two out infield hit in the third was the only Gamecock base runner over the first four innings.
Steve Pearce doubled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and Bryan Triplett bunted him to third. Michael Campbell grounded to second base against a drawn in infield for the second out but Hank Parks crushed the first pitch to him off a light pole in left centerfield for his sixth home run of the season and a two run South Carolina lead.
Gregg, who had a perfect day with two hits and a walk, doubled after the Parks homer but was left stranded. Gregg walked in the eighth inning but was out attempting to steal for the second out. Steven Tolleson and Kevin Melillo followed with singles but were left on base.
The complete game by Rawl was the second consecutive nine inning stint in two days by the South Carolina pitching staff. Matt Campbell pitched a four hitter Saturday to open the series with a 2-1 win. The South Carolina staff has pitched five complete games, three by Campbell, and 10 shutouts this season.
