May 13, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – Three run sixth inning homers by Kelly Edmundson and Tony Delmonico plus a solo ninth inning shot by J. P. Arencibia Saturday led Tennessee to an 8-7 win over South Carolina and a 2-0 advantage in a Southeastern Conference baseball series before 3,635 fans at Sarge Frye Field.
The final game of the series is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., EDT Sunday with freshman left-hander Will Atwood, 3-1, the South Carolina scheduled starter against freshman right-hander Josh Lindblom, 4-5, of the Vols. It is Senior Day at Sarge Frye Field with the Gamecocks honoring eight seniors before the contest.
James Adkins pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and five earned runs to receive credit for the win that improved his record to 8-5. Sean Watson worked the final 2 1/3 innings to earn his second save in as many days and 11th of the season. Freshman Mike Cisco was charged with the loss, dropping his record to 5-3. Tennessee improved to 30-20 overall, 11-14 in the SEC. South Carolina dropped to 33-18 and evened its conference record at 13-13.
Tennessee took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a double by Ryan Jones that scored Arencibia who had singled. South Carolina gained its only lead of the game with two runs in the fifth on a hit batter, a walk, a single by Reese Havens and a two RBI double by Michael Campbell.
However, Tennessee struck for six runs in the sixth inning on the two three run homers by Edmundson and Delmonico. It was the second homer of the series for Edmundson. He had four runs batted in Saturday on the homer and his fourth inning double.
Jon Willard hit his sixth home run with the bases empty in the bottom of the sixth and the Gamecocks narrowed the Tennessee lead to one run, 7-6, with two in the seventh and one in the eighth. Justin Smoak doubled home two runs in the seventh and three singles and a sacrifice fly plated one in the eighth. Pinch hitters Trent Kline and Robbie Grinestaff singled in that rally.
Tennessee registered an insurance run on Arencibia’s top of the ninth homer to lead 8-6. Smoak led off the bottom of the ninth with his 13th home run to cut the margin to 8-7, and Neil Giesler reached on a one out single.. However, pinch hitter Drew Martin hit into a double play to end the game.
Tennessee had 12 hits to 10 for South Carolina with five Vols — Julio Borbon, Arencibia, Ryan Jones, Edmundson and Michael Rivera — each having two. Edmundson had four RBI and Delmonico had three. Chris Brown and Smoak had two hits for South Carolina. Smoak and Campbell each had three RBI.
Andrew Crisp was hitless in four official at bats for South Carolina, ending his hitting streak at 19 games. Smoak’s 13th homer extended his school record for a freshman.
South Carolina outfielder Michael Campbell tied the games played record at South Carolina as he competed in his 251st game tying the record set by Landon Powell (2001-04).
