March 9, 2008
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Columbia, S.C. – Carolina starting pitcher Blake Cooper struck out six batters in six scoreless innings and Harley Lail hit a three-run homer as the third ranked Gamecocks defeated Duquesne 10-2 to sweep a three-game series. Carolina improves to 8-2 on the year while the Dukes drop to 0-10 this season. South Carolina returns to action on Monday night with a non-conference tilt vs. Presbyterian. First pitch at Sarge Frye Field is set for 7 pm with live video broadcast available at gamecocksonline.com.
For his second consecutive start, Cooper did not allow an earned run in six innings of work. He did not walk a batter and allowed just three hits to improve to 2-1 on the year. Duquesne starter Grant Gillespie suffered the loss and is 0-1 this season. He went 4.2 innings and allowed six runs, four earned, on four hits with five walks and a hit batter.
Carolina opened up a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Kyle Enders drew a leadoff walk followed by a single by James Darnell to give the Gamecocks a pair of runners with no outs. After a fielding error by Dukes third baseman Chris Happ loaded the bases, the Gamecocks would score their first run with a RBI walk by DeAngelo Mack. The second run of the inning would score on a RBI fielder’s choice courtesy of Whit Merrifield.
The game would remain 2-0 until the fifth inning when the Gamecocks tagged Gillespie with four more runs. Enders delivered with a RBI single and Lail connected for a three-run homer to left center to give the Gamecocks a 6-0 lead. It was Lail’s first home run of the season. He leads the Gamecocks after 10 games in extra base hits with eight on the year (six doubles, a triple and a home run).
Two more Gamecock runs would cross the plate in the sixth inning as Enders delivered with a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Scott Wingo and Justin Smoak. Carolina would add single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Gamecocks would take advantage of two errors in the seventh inning to score a run and James Darnell would come away with a sacrifice fly RBI to complete the scoring for Carolina.
Duquesne scored two runs in the eighth inning, both unearned off Carolina reliever Keegan Linza. With two outs and a pair of runners on base, Chris Happ and Eric Morrison would each drive in a run with singles to put the Dukes on the scoreboard.
Enders’ three hits led the Gamecocks at the plate. Reese Havens singled in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Scott Wingo walked three times, was hit by a pitch and scored two runs. His on-base percentage is .643 on the year to lead the team. Enders and Lail also scored twice for Carolina. Aaron Janusey was 2-for-4 to lead Duquesne at the plate.
The Gamecocks used five pitchers on the afternoon including freshman Heath Hembree, who made his first appearance in a Carolina uniform in the ninth inning. Will Casey and Alex Farotto also saw action out of the bullpen for the Gamecocks.
