May 1, 2011

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Second ranked South Carolina tallied 12 base hits and scored in six innings on the way to a 7-3 victory over Auburn to sweep a three-game SEC baseball series. The Gamecocks have won all 11 series this year and are 35-8 and 17-4 in the SEC while Auburn drops to 23-21 and 9-12 in league play. South Carolina is in a three-way tie for first place in the SEC with Florida and Vanderbilt.

South Carolina freshman right-hander Forrest Koumas earned the win and is now 5-0 on the year. He allowed two runs on four hits in five innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Gamecock sophomore right-hander Matt Price hurled two scoreless innings to earn his 13th save of the season. Auburn junior left-hander Cory Luckie suffered the loss and is 1-2 for the season. He allowed three runs on three hits with five walks.

South Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Scott Wingo drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on Christian Walker’s single and scored on a RBI ground out from Brady Thomas. Auburn tied it at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. Kevin Patterson walked on four pitches and advanced to third on Tony Caldwell’s single to right-enter. Patterson would score Auburn’s first run on a sacrifice fly by Wes Gilmer.

Carolina regained the lead in the second inning with a pair of runs to go ahead 3-1 on the Tigers. Adrian Morales singled followed by walks to Evan Marzilli and Robert Beary that loaded the bases. Morales would score on a 6-4-3 double play that saw Gamecock right fielder DeSean Anderson limping down the first base line after straining his right hamstring. With two outs, Carolina scored the team’s third run of the game on Peter Mooney’s two-out RBI single to right field. Auburn crept to within a run in the third inning. Justin Fradejas was hit by a pitch with one out, Cullen Wacker followed with a walk and Fradejas would score on Casey McElroy’s RBI single up the middle cutting Carolina’s lead to 3-2.

Carolina scored two more though in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to three runs. Beary led off with a hit by pitch and Steven Neff singled to give the Gamecocks a pair of runners. After a one-out walk to Scott Wingo loaded the bases, Christian Walker drove in Beary with a RBI single. Brady Thomas followed with a RBI base hit scoring Neff as Carolina went ahead 5-2. That lead extended to 6-2 in the fifth inning as Peter Mooney drove in Marzilli with a RBI sacrifice fly.

Auburn scored a single run in the sixth inning as Casey McElroy doubled and scored on Wes Gilmer’s one-out RBI base hit. The Gamecocks went ahead four runs again in the eighth inning as Adrian Morales tallied a RBI single. Auburn loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning but Price worked out of the jam as Cullen Wacker lined into a 4-6 double play to end the game and preserve Carolina’s victory.

All 12 South Carolina hits were singles. Morales led the way with a 3-for-5 day at the plate with a RBI and run scored. Mooney was 2-for-2 with two RBI, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Walker tallied two hits and has reached base 29 straight games. Robert Beary was 2-for-2 with a run scored as well. Auburn’s eight-hit day at the plate featured two hits from Justin Fradejas and Casey McElroy apiece.

South Carolina goes on the road with a non-conference tilt at Wofford on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network.