March 13, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina tallied a season-high 20 hits that included nine extra base hits, one of which was a grand slam home run from Justin Smoak, as the Gamecocks defeated Appalachian State 13-5 on Tuesday evening in the first of a two-game college baseball series at Sarge Frye Field. Wednesday’s finale is also set for 7 pm ET with live audio, video and gametracker stats available at uscsports.com.
The Gamecocks’ 20-hit total included a 4-for-5 performance from Reese Havens, setting a career-high for the sophomore shortstop. Havens had a double and three singles to go along with two RBI. Smoak also had three hits and three runs scored with Trent Kline also batting 3-for-3 with three RBI and Andrew Crisp, Harley Lail and Cheyne Hurst adding two hits apiece. The 20-hit total was the most by the Gamecocks since they had 20 last season in a 21-4 win over Florida in March of 2006.
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the Gamecocks rallied for seven runs against the Mountaineers. The inning opened with three consecutive singles from Reese Havens, Harley Lail and Cheyne Hurst loaded the bases and set the stage for Smoak. On Jonathan Reeder’s 1-0 pitch, Smoak drilled a shot to deep right field for his sixth homer of the year and his second career grand slam. Smoak’s grand slam was also the fourth of the season for the Gamecocks, and the second straight game for Carolina. Drew Martin hit grand slam in Sunday’s win over Brown. Carolina would increase the lead to 7-2 then with another homer, this time a two-run shot courtesy of Trent Kline, his second of the season. South Carolina scored its seventh run of the inning on a RBI double from Havens, his second hit of the inning and third of the game.
A four-run eighth inning would also help the Gamecocks as Kline and James Darnell connected with back-to-back RBI doubles along with a RBI single from Reese Havens.
South Carolina’s Blake Cooper earned the victory, despite facing just one batter in the fifth inning. He is 2-0 on the year. Gamecock starting pitcher Lonnie Chisenhall was effective in 4.2 innings of work allowing two runs on four hits but striking out two batters. He did not walk a batter until the fifth inning. ASU starter Jonathan Reeder suffered the loss and is 0-1 on the year. He lasted only four innings and allowed six runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and a walk.
Appalachian State went ahead 1-0 in the top of the third inning on a solo home run from Chris Baker. Baker lined a 1-0 pitch from Chisenhall just off the foul pole in left field to give the Mountaineers a one-run cushion. The Gamecocks tied it at one apiece in the bottom half though as Andrew Crisp led off the frame with a solo homer to left centerfield. Crisp’s homer was his first of the year and also his first extra base hit of the season. The Mountaineers regained the lead in the fifth inning with another run off Chisenhall as Jason Altenhof knocked a two-out RBI single to right center scoring David Towarnicky, who led off the inning with a walk, the first of the game issued by Chisenhall.
