May 8, 2005
Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee put together 16 hits and scored seven runs in the sixth inning on its way to an 11-5 win over South Carolina on Sunday afternoon to sweep a three-game series in the SEC. Tennessee improves to 35-14 and 15-8 in the conference. The Gamecocks are now 32-16 and 12-12 in the SEC. USC returns home for a two-game stretch with non-conference games vs. Wofford and Furman at Sarge Frye Field on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Tuesday night’s game vs. the Terriers will be televised on C-SET with first pitch set for 7 p.m.
Tennessee starter Chase Adkins worked seven 2/3 innings to pick up the victory. Adkins allowed just three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk. He is now 7-2 this season. Carolina starter Jason Fletcher lasted only two innings allowing six runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. Fletcher is now 5-4 on the year.
Alex Suarez would put Tennessee ahead 1-0 in the second inning on a two-out RBI single through the hole between shortstop and third base to score Eric King. The Volunteers would add three more runs in the third inning chasing Fletcher from the game. Eli Iorg doubled to lead off the inning with J.P. Arenceibia, Chase Headley and Julio Borbon following with singles. Carolina reliever Jeff Jeffords was able to get a double play pop out against Michael Rivera for two outs, but Kelly Edmundson would add a RBI double as the Volunteers built a 4-0 lead.
Tennessee increase its lead to 11 runs against the Gamecocks in the sixth inning. The Volunteers would load the bases with no outs as Jeffords hit the first two batters and issued a walk to Josh Alley. With one out, Carolina reliever Cliff Donald would walk J.P. Arencebia to plate home a run for Tennessee. Chase Headley added a two-run double, and the Volunteers would collect two-out RBI singles from Edmundson and Alex Suarez to take a 11-0 lead.
Carolina would get on the scoreboard in the eighth inning with three runs. Chris Brown and Neil Giesler led off the frame with singles with Brown scoring on a RBI double from Ryan Mahoney and Giesler advancing to third base. Pinch hitter Phil Disher would keep the scoring going with a RBI single to score Giesler and Steven Tolleson would add RBI sacrifice fly as the Gamecocks cut the Tennessee lead to 11-3. South Carolina completed the scoring in the ninth inning as Brendan Winn hit a two-run homer, his 12th of the season.
Arencibia and Borbon had three hits to lead Tennessee with Headley, Edmundson and Suarez adding two hits apiece. Brown went 3-for-4 at the plate for Carolina. Tennessee’s sweep was the first time Carolina has been swept since 2003, when the Volunteers also swept a three-game series with the Gamecocks in Knoxville.
Live audio broadcast for Tuesday night’s game vs. Wofford as well as gametracker stats will be available at uscsports.com. The Gamecocks return to conference action next weekend with a three-game series at Ole Miss.
