March 31, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – Third ranked Vanderbilt scored 10 runs in the first three innings on its way to a 12-1 victory over top ranked South Carolina on Saturday in game two of a three-game SEC baseball series. Vanderbilt is 26-3 and 5-3 in the SEC while the loss drops Carolian to 22-6 and 4-4 in conference play. The series finale is scheduled for 1:30 pm on Sunday with the game available on the Gamecock Radio Network and on-line at uscsports.com. Fans can also access live video and live gametracker stats.
Vanderbilt’s early lead gave starting pitcher Mike Minor some room to work. Minor allowed just one run on five hits in seven innings of work and struck out nine batters while walking just two on the afternoon. He is now 4-0 on the year. Gamecock starter Mike Cisco lasted only 2.1 innings and allowed 10 runs, eight earned, on 10 hits to suffer the loss. He is now 2-2 this season.
Vanderbilt picked up where it left off from the night before, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning against Cisco. The Commodores tallied four hits including RBI singles by Shea Robin and Jonathan White along with a sacrifice fly from Ryan Davis. Carolina came back with one run in the bottom half of the inning. The Gamecocks loaded the bases against Minor that was followed up by a sacrifice fly RBI from James Darnell.
Vanderbilt increased its lead to 6-1 in the second inning as Alvarez drove in a pair of runs on a RBI double and Flaherty added a sacrifice fly RBI. The Commodores would score four more in the third inning. With the bases loaded, de la Osa hit a RBI single to left field. On the play, Carolina left fielder Robbie Grinestaff threw wide of home plate to allow two more runs to score. Alvarez would then drive in the fourth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. Vanderbilt would score twice more in the fifth inning.
Carolina used three relievers following Cisco including sophomore left-hander Craig Thomas, who worked 3.2 innings and allowed two hits on two runs, both unearned while striking out four batters. Forrest Beverly worked two scoreless innings and Sean Wideberg pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Gamecocks.
The Commodores finished with 12 hits on the afternoon. Dominic de la Osa led the way with a 3-for-3 performance and three runs scored with Jonathan White and Alex Feinberg also tallying two hits. Pedro Alvarez and Ryan Flaherty each drove in three runs for Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks finished with just seven hits on the afternoon with James Darnell and Phil Disher each picking up two base hits. Justin Smoak had one hit to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
