March 12, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – Ian Paxton and Neil Giesler had three hits apiece Sunday and Paxton, Justin Smoak and Drew Martin hit home runs as South Carolina defeated Quinnipiac 9-2 to sweep a three game college baseball series.
The ninth ranked Gamecocks improved to 13-2 on the season as Quinnipiac fell to 0-3. South Carolina’s next action is Tuesday night at home vs. Davidson followed by a Wednesday night home game against Yale. The Gamecocks open the Southeastern Conference schedule over the weekend at Auburn.
Junior left-hander Forrest Beverly pitched the first six innings for South Carolina to earn the win and improve his season record to 4-0. He allowed three hits including a second inning home run by Quinnipiac catcher Kevin Macilvane, the second homer of the series for Macilvane. Freshman right-hander Ryan Walfield, making his first collegiate start, was the losing pitcher.
The other run by the Bobcats came on three consecutive two out singles in the seventh inning off South Carolina relief pitcher Andy Lambert. Wilson Matos scored on a hit by Jeff Mainetti.
After South Carolina scored a first inning run the Macilvane homer tied the score until the Gamecocks tallied two runs each in the third and fourth innings, three in the sixth and added one in the eighth on Martin’s pinch hit home run, his first of the season.
Michael Campbell broke the 1-1 tie with a two run bases loaded double in the third inning. Paxton hit a solo home run, his second of the year, in the fourth inning. He also singled in the second and fifth innings.
Smoak’s two run homer, the second of the season for the freshman first baseman, occurred in the sixth inning. Designated hitter Robbie Grinestaff also had an RBI in the inning on a fielder’s choice and drove in another run in the fourth on a ground out.
Giesler had singles in the first, fourth and eight innings. He drove in South Carolina’s first inning run and improved his season batting average to .510. He has an eight game hitting streak and has at least one hit in 12 of the 13 games he has played. Paxton improved his season average to .412.
South Carolina used four pitchers in the game and they allowed seven hits and struck out six, five of the strikeouts by Beverly. Gamecock pitchers did not walk a batter.
