May 5, 2006
Athens, Ga. – Jonathan Wyatt hit a two-run homer and was 3-for-5 with a career-high four RBI as Georgia defeated 10th ranked South Carolina 8-4 on Friday evening in front of 2,549 fans at Foley Field in the first of a three-game SEC baseball series. Georgia improves to 29-16 and 11-11 in the SEC while the loss drops Carolina to 32-14 and 13-9 in the conference.
Georgia starting pitcher Mickey Westphal earned the win to improve his record to 5-0. He lasted 6.1 innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits. Carolina starting pitcher Wynn Pelzer worked 7.2 inning and suffered the loss. He is 4-2 on the year. Pelzer allowed seven runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Six of the eight runs scored by Georgia were with two outs. The seven runs allowed by Pelzer were the most he has allowed in a game this season.
Bobby Felmy put the Bulldogs on top in the first inning delivering a two-run double with two outs off Pelzer. Following a single by Joey Side and a walk to Gordon Beckham, Felmy was able to get a hold of a 3-0 pitch from Pelzer to knock a two base hit into the gap in left center.
That lead would increase to 4-0 in the second inning as Matthew Dunn drew a two-out walk that was followed up by a two-run homer by Jonathan Wyatt to right field. The homer was Wyatt’s second of the season and his fourth of his career.
South Carolina would cut the deficit to three runs in the third inning as a two-out RBI single from Jon Willard scored Andrew Crisp. Crisp reached base on a single earlier in the frame that extended his hitting streak to 15 games. Willard also owns a seven-game hitting streak.
Carolina would inch closer with another run in the fourth inning as Robbie Grinestaff knocked a two-out solo homer to right center. The home run was Grinestaff’s 13th of the season and his first since April 19 vs. The Citadel. Georgia would extend it back to three runs in the bottom half of the fourth though as Wyatt collected his third RBI of the night on a single to right field scoring Ryan Peisel.
The Gamecocks would cut into the Bulldog lead again with two runs in the seventh inning on another home run, this one courtesy of Chris Brown. The senior second baseman crushed a 1-2 pitch from Westphal over the left field wall for a two-run homer. Carolina looked to score more following Brown’s homer as Michael Campbell and Willard each singled to give the Gamecocks two runners on base with one out. Georgia reliever Rip Warren would stop the bleeding though as he struck out Justin Smoak and coaxed Neil Gielser into a groundout to end the inning.
The Bulldogs gained some cushion in the eighth inning scoring three times in the eighth inning. With one out and a runner on first base, Matt Olson reached base on a sharply hit ball to the right side, on the play, first baseman Justin Smoak threw to third base to try and nab Bobby Felmy, but the ball sailed past third baseman Neil Giesler and scored Felmy. Wyatt would add a RBI base hit as would Side to put Georgia on top by four runs.
Both teams finished with 12 hits on the evening. Brown and Willard had three hits apiece to lead the Gamecocks while Wyatt and Side tallied three apiece for the Bulldogs.
The series will continue on Saturday as South Carolina and Georgia play the SEC Game of the Week on FSN South/SEC-TV. Dave Neal and Larry Conley call the action. First pitch is set for 4 pm with USC sending freshman RHP Mike Cisco (5-1, 3.47 ERA) to the hill while Georgia will counter with junior RHP Brooks Brown (4-3, 3.84 ERA).
