May 25, 2006
Hoover, Ala. – Vanderbilt starting pitcher David Price pitched a complete game and limited 23rd ranked South Carolina to just six hits as the Commodores defeated the Gamecocks 11-1 in seven innings on the second day of the SEC Baseball Tournament. Pedro Alvarez and Dominic de la Osa each homered in the win for the Commodores. Vanderbilt is now 35-23 on the year while the loss drops the Gamecocks to 37-21.
Price is now 9-4 on the season. He struck out eight batters in picking up the victory. Carolina starting pitcher Jeff Jeffords lasted only 2.1 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits to suffer the loss. He is 0-1 on the year.
Things started off on a positive note for Carolina as Mark Stanley got the Gamecocks rolling in the third inning with a one-out triple off Price and scoring the first run of the game on a wild pitch. The triple for Stanley was his first of the career.
Vanderbilt responded though with six runs in the bottom half of the third including a pair of homers off Jeffords. The Commodores first tied the game at 1-1 as David Macias collected a one-out RBI base hit scoring Alex Feinberg. That was followed by a two-run homer from Pedro Alvarez, his 18th of the year. Alvarez has three homers this season against Carolina. Vandy would continue the hit parade with Ryan Flaherty doubling to left field and Brian Hernandez reaching base on an infield single. Dominic de la Osa then sent a three-run homer over the left field wall to increase the Commodore lead to five runs. Vandy sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning.
USC reliever Chase Tucker settled things down in a season-high three innings of work and allowed just two runs on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts. The Commodores however would put five more runs across in the sixth inning to increase the lead to 11-1 as Shea Robin scored on a wild pitch by reliever Andy Lambert and a two-out RBI singles by Ryan Flaherty and Brian Hernandez scored two runs apiece.
The Commodores outhit Carolina 12-6 in the seven-inning game. Dominic de la Osa was 3-for-4 with three RBI with Flaherty and Hernandez each collecting two hits. Carolina second baseman James Darnell has two hits to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. The 10-run lead rule was in effect after the seventh inning, which allowed the game to end.
South Carolina will now meet Georgia on Friday afternoon at 3 pm CT in an elimination game. The game will be televised live on FSN South/SEC-TV with Dave Neal and Larry Conley calling the game. It is also available on the Gamecock Radio Network as Mike Morgan and Tom Price call the action. The Gamecocks are likely to start sophomore RHP Harris Honeycutt while the Bulldogs will counter with freshman LHP Nathan Moreau.
