April 8, 2005
Baton Rouge, La. – Jason Fletcher worked a career-high eight and 1/3 innings and combined with Brent Marsh to limit LSU to six hits as South Carolina defeated the Tigers 3-1 on Friday evening at Alex Box stadium in the first of a three-game series. The win improves Carolina to 26-5 and 6-4 in the SEC while the loss drops LSU to 23-9 and 5-5 in the conference.
In his second start of the season, Fletcher allowed just one run on five hits and finished with three strikeouts and five walks to improve to 4-1 on the season. Marsh came on in relief for Fletcher and retired the final two batters to record his sixth save. LSU senior pitcher Lane Mestepey went the distance for the Tigers and allowed three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. Mestepey’s record is now 5-4 on the year.
Carolina went ahead 1-0 in the top of the third inning with an unearned run. Davy Gregg led the frame off with a double down the left field line and advanced to third base on a Chris Brown’s sacrifice bunt. Michael Campbell knocked a sharp one-out grounder misplayed by LSU second baseman Clay Harris allowing Gregg to score. The Tigers tied the game at one in the bottom half of the frame on a solo home run from Will Harris to right field on a 0-2 pitch by Fletcher.
The Gamecocks regained the lead with two runs in the fourth inning as the Gamecocks put together three more doubles off of Mestepey. Steve Pearce and Ryan Mahoney opened the fourth with back-to-back doubles to right centerfield and Davy Gregg added his second double of the game with two outs down the left field line as USC took a 3-1 lead.
Gregg, Pearce and Stanley each had two hits to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. Bruce Sprowl and Blake Gill had two hits apiece for the Tigers. LSU threatened in the fifth, seventh and ninth innings with the Gamecocks battling through each situation. The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth but Fletcher was able to get Clay Harris to pop out to second baseman Chris Brown. The seventh inning saw runners on the corners with two outs with Fletcher again getting the final out as Ryan Patterson flied out to Davy Gregg in centerfield. After Fletcher allowed a one-out walk to Clay Harris in the ninth inning, the Gamecocks went to the bullpen and closer Brent Marsh. Michael Hollander singled for the Tigers and put runners on first and second base. However, Marsh coaxed Bruce Sprowl to foul out to third baseman Joey Friddle and ended the game on a Blake Gill ground out from Pearce to Marsh.
South Carolina and LSU continue the series on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT with senior RHP Zac McCamie (6-1, 2.27 ERA) on the mound for the Gamecocks and sophomore LHP Clay Dirks (7-0, 3.02 ERA) taking the hill for the Tigers. Live stats and live audio will be available at www.uscsports.com.
