May 7, 2008
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina scored eight runs in the first three innings on its way to a 10-5 victory over Wofford on Wednesday evening at Russell C. King Field. All nine starters tallied at least one with Whit Merrifield and DeAngelo Mack each tying season-highs with three hits apiece. Carolina improves to 34-15 on the year while the loss drops Wofford to 21-29 on the year.
The Gamecocks pounded out 16 hits in the game led by Merrifield and Mack. Reese Havens, Justin Smoak and Phil Disher also had two hits apiece. Havens, Mack, James Darnell and Harley Lail drove in two runs apiece as well. Smoak’s two hits moved him up to a tie for eighth on the USC All-Time list as he now has 231 in his career in the Garnet & Black.
Carolina starting pitcher Sam Dyson earned the victory and is now 6-0 on the year. Dyson worked five-plus innings and allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Wofford starting pitcher Jordan Mickleberry lasted only three innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits as well as four walks allowed to suffer the loss. He is 3-3 this season.
Carolina broke ahead 5-0 in the first inning batting around the lineup and sending 10 batters to the plate against the Terriers. Havens led off the game with a single, followed by a single from Merrifield and a walk to Smoak that loaded the bases with no outs. James Darnell would drive in the first two runs of the game as he stroked a 2-2 pitch for a single to left field that got by third baseman Shane Kirkley. Harley Lail would add a RBI fielder’s choice and Mack connected with a two-out two run single as the Gamecocks raced out to a five run-lead.
The lead increased to 6-0 in the second inning with Merrifield recording his second hit, a double and scoring on a one-out single from Phil Disher. The Gamecocks pushed across two more in the third inning to go up 8-0 as Havens and Smoak tallied RBIs. Havens hit his 11th double of the year and Smoak singled to score with Mack and Havens scoring the Carolina runs.
Wofford would score its first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning benefiting from three walks against the Gamecocks. Dyson would walk both Kyle Behrendt and Michael Gilmartin to lead off the inning. The two walks ended the day for Dyson and the Gamecocks went to the bullpen for left-hander Alex Farotto. Farotto would strike out Shane Kirkley for the first out of the inning before walking Jake Williams to load the bases for the Terriers. Behrendt scored on a RBI sacrifice fly to left field from Keith Munns. Farotto would then get out of the jam with a strikeout against Mo Seay to end the frame.
Carolina got the run back in the top of the eighth inning as Harley Lail connected with a two-out solo homer to right center. The home run was Lail’s fifth of the season and gave Carolina the 9-1 lead.
Wofford added three runs in the eighth inning with Williams tallying a RBI and Mo Seay recording a two-run double. South Carolina scored its final run of the game in the ninth inning with DeAngelo Mack reaching base on his third hit, stealing second base and advancing to third on a throwing error by the catcher. He scored on a RBI groundout from Havens. Wofford’s final run scored in the ninth inning.
South Carolina returns to SEC action beginning on Friday night with a three-game series at Arkansas. First pitch for the series opener is set for 7:30 pm ET and can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network and also on the internet at gamecocksonline.com.
