March 20, 2011

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Four South Carolina relievers combined to limit Georgia to just one run on three hits in eight innings of work and six different Gamecocks tallied at least one RBI as South Carolina defeated Georgia 8-3 winning the rubber game of three-game SEC baseball series on Sunday afternoon in front of 8,012 fans at Carolina Stadium. Carolina is 14-4 and 2-1 in the SEC while the loss drops Georgia to 9-11 and 1-2 in league play.

Gamecock freshman right-hander Forrest Koumas allowed just one run on two hits in 3.1 innings of work to earn the win. He is now 2-0 on the year. Senior right-hander John Taylor worked 2.1 hitless innings and tallied a strikeout, junior left-hander Bryan Harper struck out the lone batter he faced and sophomore closer Matt Price worked two scoreless innings with four strikeouts to pick up his fifth save of the year. The four relievers along with Gamecock starter Adam Westmoreland combined for 14 strikeouts, a season-high in a game for the Gamecock pitching staff. Georgia reliever John Herman suffered the loss and is now 1-2 on the year. He allowed one run on two walks in 0.1 innings.

Georgia broke ahead 2-0 in the top of the second inning. Brett DeLoach was hit by pitch, followed by walks to Kyle Farmer and Jonathan Hester to load the bases. With reliever Forrest Koumas entering the game, Georgia scored its first run on Joey Delmonico’s RBI sacrifice fly to right field. Curt Powell would add a two-out RBI single to score Farmer and give the Bulldogs a two-run cushion.

South Carolina answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half to tie the game at 2-2. With runners on the corners and one out, Scott Wingo drilled a RBI single to right field scoring Robert Beary. With runner still on the corners and two outs, Adam Matthews lifted a RBI base hit to right field that scored Peter Mooney. Carolina took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Jake Williams drew a walk, as did Brady Thomas. That set the stage for Robert Beary, who ripped a RBI single up the middle to score Williams. Georgia tied it at 3-3 in the top of the fourth inning on a balk.

With the score deadlocked, Carolina answered right back with a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Wingo and Jackie Bradley Jr. each walked and after a sacrifice bunt by Adam Matthews, Wingo would score on Christian Walker’s RBI ground out. Carolina extended the lead in the sixth inning as Matthews led off with an infield single and advanced to third on Walker’s first hit of the day. Matthews scored the Gamecocks’ fifth run on a RBI ground out courtesy of Adrian Morales.

The Gamecocks broke open the game in the bottom of the eighth inning scoring three more runs on the Bulldogs’ bullpen. Matthews singled to open the frame advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a fielder’s choice when Georgia shortstop Kyle Farmer threw wide of third base in an attempt to nab Matthews. With two outs and runners on second and third base, Evan Marzilli ripped a double into the gap in left-center giving the Gamecocks an 8-3 lead.

South Carolina had 10 hits to just four on the afternoon for Georgia. Matthews was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI. His three hits were a season-high. Wingo also went 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored. Curt Powell was 2-for-5 to lead Georgia.

Carolina returns to action on Tuesday evening hosting College of Charleston. First pitch is 7 p.m. with the game televised live on SportSouth and also available on the Gamecock Radio Network.