April 1, 2008
Charleston, S.C. – Phil Disher’s two-run single in the top of the eighth inning capped a four-run inning as South Carolina rallied to defeat The Citadel 7-4 on Tuesday evening at Joe Riley Park. The Gamecocks are now 19-7 with the Bulldogs dropping to 16-11 on the year. Gamecock reliever Parker Bangs hurled 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts to pick up the win and improve to 2-0 on the year. Carolina returns to action on Wednesday night at Sarge Frye Field to face Davidson. First pitch is set for 7 pm.
Down 4-2 entering the top of the eighth inning, the Gamecocks mounted a comeback against the Bulldogs. Pinch hitter DeAngelo Mack started things off for Carolina with an 11-pitch at-bat that turned into a walk against reliever Raymond Copenhaver. Reese Havens would also draw a bases on ball to give South Carolina a pair of runners. With one out and runners on first and second base, infielder James Darnell drilled a double to left field to score Mack and cut the deficit to a run. An intentional walk to Justin Smoak loaded the bases for Carolina designated hitter Phil Disher. On a 2-2 pitch, Copenhaver let one slip allowing Havens to score on a wild pitch to tie the game at four apiece. With runners still in scoring position, Disher knocked a two-run single to right field to score both Darnell and Smoak and give the Gamecocks a two-run lead. Darnell gave the Gamecocks an insurance run in the ninth inning with a RBI single, his fourth hit of the game to put Carolina on top 7-4 vs. the Bulldogs.
Darnell had four of the nine Gamecock hits in the evening including two doubles, the first time in his career that he accomplished the feat. He also led the way with three RBI with Disher also tallying two in the game. Bryan Altman led The Citadel with three hits. Copenhaver suffered the loss for The Citadel and is 1-2 on the year. He allowed four runs on two hits and three walks in two innings of work.
Carolina jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Bulldogs starter Matt Talley. Whit Merrifield singled with one out and scored all the way from first base on Darnell’s RBI double to left center. Merrifield just beat the throw on the relay from Bulldogs shortstop Kyle Jordan to give the Gamecocks the first run of the game.
That lead increased to 2-0 in the fourth inning with the Gamecocks taking advantage of an error by The Citadel to score an unearned run. Smoak reached base with one out on a throwing error by Jordan. After a walk to Phil Disher, Smoak would score on a RBI base hit courtesy of Andrew Crisp. The single extended Crisp’s hitting streak to 19 games, tying his career-high that he set two years ago in the 2006 season as a freshman.
The Citadel got to Carolina starting pitcher Nick Godwin in the sixth inning with a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Bryan Altman would reach base on an infield single to the hole near shortstop and would reach third on a double from Sonny Meade. After Chris McGuiness was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Bulldogs catcher Richard Jones laced a double down the right field line that scored two runs and timed the game at 2-2. Godwin would then get out of the inning with a pop up by Matt Reifsnider to Reese Havens at shortstop to end the inning.
Both starting pitchers went six innings for each team. Godwin allowed two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts, a total tying his career-high he set a week ago vs. Furman. Talley allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
The Citadel broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pair of runs to take a 4-2 lead. Leadoff hitter Matt Arnold singled to left field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Kyle Jordan. After reliever Sam Dyson issued a wild pitch to advance Arnold to third base, The Citadel would score the go ahead run on a single from Brad Felder to left field, just his third RBI of the year. The Bulldogs added to the lead against Gamecock reliever Craig Thomas with another run as Chris Swauger was walked followed by a RBI base hit from Bryan Altman to score Felder. Bangs then came on in relief and kept the Bulldogs at bay to keep the Gamecocks within two runs.
Wednesday night’s game is available at gamecocksonline.com with live video broadcast and live gametracker stats. The game can also be heard on 107.5 FM with Tommy Moody and Derek Scott on the call.
