March 10, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina exploded for nine runs in the first three innings with home runs from Nick Ebert, Justin Dalles and Andrew Crisp as the 17th ranked Gamecocks earned a 13-3 win over Old Dominion on Tuesday night at Carolina Stadium. The win improves Carolina to 10-1 on the year while the loss drops ODU to 3-9 for the season. South Carolina concludes its homestand on Wednesday night vs. Wofford with first pitch at 7 p.m.
After allowing three runs in the top of the first inning, South Carolina scored 13 unanswered runs on its way to the victory. Carolina had 10 hits on the afternoon with DeAngelo Mack going 3-for-6 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. Dalles and Crisp also were 2-for-4. Ebert reached base four times, with the home run and three walks. Old Dominion’s leading hitters were Donnie Corsner and Brett Harris who went 2-for-4 apiece for the Monarchs.
The Gamecocks spotted ODU a 3-0 lead before getting a chance to bat but that lead would not last as South Carolina sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning. Whit Merrifield walked to open the frame, DeAngelo Mack singled and Nick Ebert launched a three-run homer to right center tying the game at 3-3. The Gamecocks then went back-to-back as Justin Dalles knocked his third homer of the year to give USC a 4-3 lead. Carolina would add a RBI from Bobby Haney to go ahead 5-3 followed by Merrifield’s second at-bat of the inning, in which he hit a sacrifice fly to score Andrew Crisp. Carolina then finished the scoring for the inning with Mack’s second hit of the inning a RBI base hit to plate home Haney giving Carolina the 7-3 lead.
South Carolina added single runs in both the second and third innings to increase the lead to 9-3. Crisp hit a solo home run in the second for his second round tripper of the year. Mack tallied his third hit of the game with a RBI base hit giving the Gamecocks a six-run edge.
Carolina batted around for the second time of the game in the fifth inning scoring four times to push the advantage to 13-3. Dalles had a two-run double followed by a pinch-hit RBI double off the bat of Jeffery Jones. Scott Wingo also would drive in a run on a bases loaded walk that Carolina the 10-run cushion.
Carolina freshman left-hander Adam Westmoreland pitched four innings in a predetermined split. He allowed three runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts. He earned the win and is now 2-0 on the year. Freshman right-hander Matt Price pitched three scoreless innings allowing just three hits and freshman left-hander Brandon Miller closed the game out with two scoreless innings of relief as well to seal a Gamecock win. Old Dominion starter Cory Toth lasted only 2.1 innings and suffered the loss. He is 1-3 on the year. He allowed nine runs, seven earned, on seven hits with five walks and one strikeout.
Live video broadcast for Wednesday’s game vs. Wofford will be available at GamecocksOnline.com. Fans can also hear the game on the Gamecock Radio Network including flagship station 107.5 FM “The Game.”
