March 6, 2005
Minneapolis, Minn. – Steven Tolleson had a perfect day at the plate and Brendan Winn hit his seventh home run Sunday to lead South Carolina to a 9-3 win over New Orleans and a 2-1 record in the Dairy Queen Classic played in the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome.
Tolleson had three hits, including two doubles, walked twice, drove in a run and stole his seventh base. Winn hit a two run sixth inning homer, a long drive just to the eight of the 408 foot sign in center field.
Jason Fletcher, 2-0, the second of five Gamecock pitchers, was the winner. He allowed three hits but no runs over the middle three innings. Fletcher walked one and struck out six. Bryan Cryer, 1-3, the second of five New Orleans pitchers, was charged with the loss.
After falling behind 3-1 after four innings South Carolina scored two runs each in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth to clinch the win and improve the fifth ranked Gamecocks record to 12-1. New Orleans, 0-3, in the Dairy Queen Classic, dropped to 3-10. South Carolina lost Friday to Pepperdine but bounced back Saturday to defeat host Minnesota 13-6.
The Gamecocks took a 1-0 first inning lead when Tolleson doubled, was sacrificed to third, and scored when Steve Pearce grounded out. New Orleans scored twice in the second and once in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
Two infield hits, a double by Brandon Bowser and a sacrifice fly produced the second inning runs. Singles by Josh Jones and Mike Costantino wrapped around a sacrifice accounted for the third and final Privateer run.
South Carolina tied it in the fifth on three hits, including Tolleson’ s second double, and took a 5-3 lead in the sixth on Winn’s home run. Chris Brown and Jon Willard drove in two runs in the seventh.
Tolleson’s three hits led South Carolina’s 11 hit offense and Joey Friddle had two hits. Dave Gregg had a triple and Willard’s hit was a double.
Bowser had four hits in four at bats for New Orleans.
