March 6, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore right-handed pitcher Sam Dyson did not allow an earned run in seven innings of work and was backed by a Gamecock offense that tallied 19 hits including home runs from DeAngelo Mack and Nick Ebert as 18th ranked Carolina defeated Long Beach State 15-8 on Friday evening at Carolina Stadium. South Carolina improves to 7-0 with the loss dropping Long Beach State to 2-6 on the year.
Dyson worked a season-high seven innings and limited the Dirtbags to one unearned run on three hits with two walks allowed while striking out six. He is now 2-0 on the year with a 0.49 ERA in 18.1 innings pitched. The loss went to Long Beach State’s sophomore right-hander Jake Thompson. He is now 0-2 this season. Thompson lasted only 4.1 innings and allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits. He struck out three and walked three.
South Carolina’s 19-hit total was led by Ebert, who finished 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and four runs scored. Ebert was one short of the cycle as he singled, doubled and homered. Freshman Jackie Bradley, Jr. also finished with three hits and scored a pair of runs. 10 different Gamecocks drove in runs on the evening. Ebert and Mack led the RBI total with two apiece. The 19 hits for Carolina were the most by the Gamecocks since Mar. 18, 2008 when Carolina tallied 19 at College of Charleston.
Long Beach State went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning scoring an unearned run off of Dyson. Derek Legg reached base with a one-out single to left field. On the play, Carolina left fielder DeAngelo Mack was not able to field the ball cleanly allowing Legg to reach second base. Legg would then score as he stole third base and reached home on a throwing error by catcher Justin Dalles. The Gamecocks attempted to pick off Dalles, but his throw to second baseman Scott Wingo was low and went into the outfield allowing Legg to score.
South Carolina answered in the bottom of the first to score two runs to grab a 2-1 lead. Jackie Bradley, Jr. reached base with a one-out single and advanced to third on a two-out base hit from Nick Ebert. With runners on the corners, Gamecock catcher Justin Dalles knocked a sharp grounder to Long Beach State shortstop Devin Lohman. On the play, Lohman could not come up with the ball and it went into the outfield to score the Gamecocks’ first run. South Carolina would then get a one-run lead with Andrew Crisp driving in Nick Ebert with a RBI single up the middle.
That lead extended to 5-1 in the second inning as Carolina went back-to-back with home runs. With Whit Merrifield on base and two outs, DeAngelo Mack launched a two-run homer to right field for his fourth round tripper of the season. That was followed by a blast by Nick Ebert, who launched a solo shot to right center for his second home run of the year. It marked the first time this year Carolina has hit consecutive home runs. The last time it happened was on April 16 when Justin Hopper and Scott Wingo went back-to-back in a win at Clemson.
Carolina put two more across in the fifth inning with Jeffery Jones tallying a RBI base hit and Scott Wingo driving in a run with a sacrifice fly. Carolina then stretched the lead to 10-1 in the sixth as Ebert tallied a sacrifice fly Dalles driving in a run with a double. After a Long Beach State run in the top of the eighth, the Gamecocks scored their final five runs of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Bobby Haney, Michael Roth, Adam Matthews and Jackie Bradley, Jr. all had RBI hits in the frame. Matthews RBI hit was a triple, the first of his career. Long Beach State fought in the ninth inning and put a six spot on the board with Derek Legg’s grand slam home run the highlight of the ninth for the Dirtbags. Legg was 3-for-5 with four RBI to lead Long Beach State. Jordan Casas also had two hits with a RBI for LBSU.
The series continues on Saturday afternoon with first pitch at Carolina Stadium set for 4 p.m. Live video broadcast is available at GamecocksOnline.com
