March 9, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – Four South Carolina pitchers combined to allow one Charleston Southern hit and the Gamecocks scratched out a seventh inning run without hitting the baseball out of the infield Wednesday night to defeat the Buccaneers 1-0 before 2,108 chilled fans at Sarge Frye Field.
The fourth ranked Gamecocks improved to 13-1 on the season and the Buccaneers dropped to 8-9. Andrew Cruse, 2-0, the second South Carolina pitcher, picked up the win and Brent Marsh earned his third save. Charleston Southern used five pitchers with Payton Tweddale, 0-1, charged with the loss.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Davy Gregg was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Ryan Sowers replaced Tweedale but Steven Tolleson was also hit by a pitch, the third South Carolina hit batter of the game. Chris Brown walked to load the bases. Buccaneer second baseman Drew Grosse made a diving stop on a ground ball up the middle by Steve Pearce but couldn’t make a play and Gregg scored on the infield single.
Sowers retired the next two Gamecocks to leave the bases loaded.
Freshman right-hander Wynn Pelzer pitched the first six innings for South Carolina and allowed the only Charleston Southern hit, a two out single in the sixth by Billy Dalton. When Pelzer walked Jordan Haar to begin the seventh inning and Haar stole second base Pelzer was replaced by Cruse. Graham Maiden attempted a bunt but popped out to Cruse who doubled Haar off second to blunt the Buccaneer threat.
Brad Woods reached on a Gamecock error in the first inning and stole second but catcher Cory Vanderhook picked him off base. Pelzer walked Keith Stewart in the third inning and Haar in the seventh.
Forrest Beverly, the third South Carolina pitcher, struck out both batters that he faced but the first, Alan Bontya, reached on a wild pitch and Beverly balked him to second. Beverly was relieved by March who recorded the final five outs. The only base runner he allowed was a ninth inning walk to Woods.
South Carolina managed six hits, all singles, two of them by Pearce but both of his hits were of the infield variety. Pearce was hit by a pitch and walked to reach base on all four of his plate appearances. Neil Giesler also had an infield hit and the other South Carolina hits were singles by Michael Campbell, Joey Friddle and Vanderhook.
South Carolina travels to Clemson for a 2 p.m., Saturday game with the Tigers coming to Sarge Frye Field for a 1:30 return engagement on Sunday. Both games will be televised on CSS-TV.
