March 4, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – The leadoff Pepperdine batter hit safely in each of the first eight innings Friday, the Waves built a 7-1 lead and withstood a ninth inning South Carolina rally to knock the fifth ranked Gamecocks from the unbeaten ranks, 7-5, in the opening game of the Dairy Queen baseball classic.
In the second round, South Carolina will meet the host Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday at 6:30 p.m., CST, in the Metrodome stadium. Senior right-hander Zac McCamie (3-0) is South Carolina’s scheduled starting pitcher.
Pepperdine evened its record at 7-7 while South Carolina dropped to 10-1. Senior right-hander Kea Kometani pitched 8 2/3 innings to even his record at 2-2. Steve Kleen relieved Kometani with the tying run at the plate. He retired Michael Campbell on a fly to left field to end the game and earn his third save. Senior right-hander Aaron Rawl, 3-1, was charged with the loss.
Pepperdine collected 13 hits, including four doubles, one triple and three home runs to build a 7-1 lead before South Carolina rallied with four ninth inning runs.
Jon Willard started the Gamecock rally with a one out triple. He scored on a hit by Cory Vanderhook. Brendan Winn narrowly missed a home run when Pepperdine center fielder Adrian Ortiz reached over the fence in left center field to catch Winn’s 390 foot drive. Pinch hitter Phil Disher singled to drive in a run and Chris Brown tripled to drive in two more.
Kleen, who doubles as starting first baseman and closer, came on to record the final out.
After threatening in the first two innings Pepperdine took a 2-0 lead in the third. Ortiz opened with a triple and scored as Luke Salas grounded out. David Uribes doubled, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly.
In the fifth inning Salas opened with a single and scored ahead of a home run by Chad Tracy, the first of three Pepperdine homers in the game.
Uribes homered to lead off the seventh inning and the score mounted to 7-1 on a two run seventh inning home run by Patrick Rooney.
South Carolina scored a run in the sixth inning on singles by Campbell and Steven Tolleson and an RBI double by Steve Pearce. Campbell had a triple in the eighth when Ortiz lost his fly ball in the Metrodome roof but Campbell was left on base.
With four hits in the final inning South Carolina finished with 11 hits to 13 for Pepperdine. Campbell, Willard and Winn had two hits apiece. Shortstop Danny Worth had four hits for Pepperdine, including a pair of doubles. Salas and Uribes had two hits.
