May 15, 2008
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Columbia, S.C. – Tennessee pounded out 13 hits including four home runs and behind a three-hit complete game from Nick Hernandez defeated South Carolina 13-2 in game one of a three-game SEC baseball series. Tennessee improves to 27-27 and 12-16 in the SEC while the loss drops Carolina to 35-19 and 13-5 in the conference. The series continues on Friday evening with first pitch at Sarge Frye Field set for 7 pm. Live video broadcast is available at gamecocksonline.com with the game also on the Gamecock Radio Network and 107.5 FM “The Game.” There will also be a fireworks display after Friday night’s contest at Sarge Frye Field.
Hernandez was effective the entire night for the Volunteers and did not yield a run until two outs in the ninth inning. He struck out eight and just walked one and allowed just three hits on the evening. He is 2-5 on the year. Carolina starting pitcher Will Atwood suffered the loss and is 5-3 on the year. He worked 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts, three walks and two hit by pitches.
Kentrail Davis gave Tennessee a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning with an inside the park home run. On a 1-1 pitch, Davis drilled a ball to center field that was out of the reach of center fielder Whit Merrifield, who jumped to try to catch the ball. Davis scooted around the bases and beat the relay to put the Vols up by a run. It was the first inside park of the home run against the Gamecocks since April 20, 2005 when Tyler Colvin hit one for Clemson.
Tennessee would knock Atwood from the game in the fourth inning with three more runs to increase its lead to 4-0. Davis drew a leadoff walk and Cody Brown doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. Jeff Lockwood delivered then with a RBI base hit to score Davis. With the bases loaded, Tennessee scored its second run of the inning on a ground ball double play that brought Brown home. Danny Lima then tallied a two-out RBI single to score Lockwood and give the Vols a four-run cushion.
That lead was extended to 9-0 in the fifth inning as Tennessee scored five runs against Gamecock reliever Craig Thomas on a pair of homers. Brown hit a two-run homer, his ninth of the season and P.J. Polk tallied his fifth of the season, a three-run shot to give the Volunteers a commanding lead.
Tennessee scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Brown doubled in the sixth inning and Yan Gomes was able to score all the way from first base on a fielding error by right fielder Harley Lail. A throwing error by reliever Sean Wideberg in the seventh inning led to another run for the Vols with Josh Liles tallying a RBI fielder’s choice later in the frame. Tennessee scored its final two runs in the eighth inning on the fourth homer of the game, a two-run shot from Jeff Lockwood off Carolina left-hander Will Casey.
South Carolina broke the shutout against Hernandez in the ninth inning on a two-out two run homer by James Darnell, his 17th of the year.
Tennessee out-hit Carolina 13-3 in the game. Brown led Tennessee as he went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI. Jeff Lockwood was also 2-for-3 with three RBI and Danny Lima also had three hits in the game. Darnell had a 2-for-4 game to lead the Gamecocks. The three-hit total by Carolina was the lowest of the season by USC.
