March 7, 2008
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Columbia, S.C. – Third ranked South Carolina tallied 16 hits with each starter recording at least one base hit and starting pitcher Mike Cisco pitched seven innings as the Gamecocks defeated Duquesne 15-4 on Friday evening in the first of a three-game series. Carolina improves to 6-2 on the year with Duquesne now 0-8 this season. Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 4 pm with live video broadcast available at gamecocksonline.com and live broadcast on 107.5 FM “The Game.”
Cisco is now 3-0 on the year following the stint. He worked seven innings and allowed four runs on six hits. He finished with a season-high six strikeouts. Lexington, S.C. natives, Justin Hopper and Craig Thomas each pitched scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth innings to complete the game for the Gamecocks. Duquesne starting pitcher Ryan Juran suffered the loss and is 0-3 this year. He allowed nine runs on 10 hits in five innings of work.
The Gamecocks broke out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Reese Havens opened off the frame with a triple to right field, his second career triple that extended his hitting streak to eight games. After a walk to Scott Wingo, the Gamecocks went ahead by two runs on a RBI double from James Darnell. Darnell would score on Harley Lail’s two-out RBI double.
The Dukes put two runs on the board in the fourth inning using three hits off Cisco. Derek Mechling started it off with a double and scored on Eric Morrison’s RBI single. After a stolen base, Morrison would score on a RBI base hit from Aaron Janusey.
Carolina came back in the bottom half of the fourth though with five runs against Juran. South Carolina loaded the bases with singles from Kyle Enders, DeAngelo Mack and Whit Merrifield. Havens would drive in the first run on a ground out. James Darnell added a sacrifice fly RBI with a two-run double from Justin Smoak and RBI base hit from Phil Disher.
South Carolina increased the lead to 9-2 with a run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Merrifield walked on four pitches, as did Havens, setting the stage for Wingo who drilled a single to the right side to score Merrifield. Duquesne would add two runs in the sixth inning on a two-run hit from Mark Tracy.
Carolina scored twice more in the seventh inning on RBIs from Havens and Smoak. The Gamecocks would complete the scoring in the eighth inning with a four spot. Kyle Enders connected with a two-run homer, his second of the season with a third run coming on a throwing error by shortstop Andrew Heck and the fourth run on a passed ball.
DeAngelo Mack tallied three hits to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. Havens, Enders and Merrifield also tallied two hits apiece. Justin Smoak’s RBI double in the fourth extended his hitting streak to eight games. Darnell and Smoak drove in three runs apiece with Mack and Merrifield scoring three runs each as well. Carolina infielder Scott Wingo tied a school record as he became the fifth Gamecock player in Carolina history to be hit by a pitch, three times, in one game. The last player to record the feat was Rob Streicher vs. Ole Miss on March 16, 1996.
Eric Morrison went 3-for-4 to lead the Dukes at the plate with Aaron Janusey finishing with two hits.
