March 17, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – LSU starting pitcher Jared Bradford went 8.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits and Sean Ochinko was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a homer as the Tigers defeated South Carolina 6-5 on Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-game SEC baseball series. The rubber game of the series is set for 12:03 pm with the game televised on the Jumbo Sports Network and CSS-TV. Mike Morgan and Ronnie Rantz are calling the action. The game also can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network with Tommy Moody and Trey Dyson on the mic.
Bradford was in control for most of the afternoon as he kept the Gamecocks off the scoreboard until the seventh inning. He struck out six batters with the win and improved his record to 4-1 on the year. Carolina starting pitcher Mike Cisco suffered the loss and is 2-1 on the year. Cisco went six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.
LSU went ahead 1-0 in the first inning as a one-out double by Jared Mitchell was followed up by Ochinko’s two-out RBI single. Ochinko would deliver again for the Tigers in the fourth inning on a solo home run to left field. LSU went ahead 3-0 in the fifth inning then as J.T. Wise tripled and scored on a RBI groundout by Buzzy Haydel. LSU chased Cisco in the seventh inning with a pair of runs on a two-run single by Chris McGhee, to give the Tigers a five-run cushion.
South Carolina fought back in the bottom of the seventh inning and cut the deficit to two runs with a little help from the bench. After a walk to James Darnell and a hit by pitch against Travis Jones, the Gamecocks sent up pinch hitter Jon Willard, who delivered with a three-run homer to left field off of Bradford. LSU extended the lead back to three runs in the ninth inning.
Down three runs with two outs, Carolina mounted a rally again with Steven Reinhold walking with two outs and another pinch hitter, Robbie Grinestaff, delivering with a two-run opposite field homer to left field to bring the Gamecocks within a run. LSU reliever Louis Coleman settled in then and was able to get Harley Lail to foul out down the right field line on a diving grab by right fielder Steven Waguespack.
Ochinko and Wise each had two hits to lead the Tigers on the afternoon. James Darnell and Trent Kline each had two hits apiece for the Gamecocks. The loss snapped Carolina’s eight-game winning streak against the Tigers. It also snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Gamecocks at Sarge Frye Field.
Live audio broadcast, video and gametracker stats for tomorrow’s game will be available at uscsports.com.
