June 4, 2004

Box Score

Columbia, SC - Steve Pearce and Mark Stanley both blasted three-run homers, while Ryan Mahoney also connected for a two-run home run to lead the number two national seed South Carolina over The Citadel 12-4 Friday night in front of 5,227 fans at Sarge Frye Field.

The Citadel (38-27), who is the four seed in the Columbia Regional, got out to an early lead with one run in the second as senior first baseman Chip Cannon scampered home from second on a South Carolina throwing error. Cannon, who earlier in the day was named to the Louisville Slugger All-American team, led off the inning with a single up the middle and then moved into scoring position on a sac bunt off the bat of junior second baseman Jon Aughey. With two outs, senior outfielder Andy Phillips forced a bad throw at first allowing Cannon to sprint home for a 1-0 Bulldog lead. South Carolina (46-15) tied the score at 1-1 with a RBI-double by Michael Campbell in their half of the second. With Kevin Melillo on second after reaching on a base on balls, Campbell ripped a 1-1 pitch down the leftfield line driving home Melillo.

The Gamecocks jumped ahead 2-1 in the third thanks to a run-scoring double to left by Bryan Triplett. After leading off the inning with a walk, Davy Gregg raced home from first to give USC a one-run lead on Triplett's 22nd double of the year.

The Bulldogs knotted the game at two runs apiece on an Aughey RBI-single to left that plated Cannon. Cannon, who doubled down the right field line to start the inning, tied the score with his second run of the game. The Citadel loaded the bases on an infield single by junior catcher Will Coker, but sophomore centerfielder Matt Covington flew out to deep center to end the inning with the game all square at 2-2.

Ryan Mahoney gave South Carolina a 4-2 lead on a two-run homer to right field. Mahoney, who lined the ball over the right field fence for his second homer of the season, picked up two RBI as Melillo scored on the long ball.

USC blew the game open 12-2 in the sixth and seventh with two three-run blasts to left-center by Steve Pearce and Mark Stanley. With runners on first and second, Pearce connected for his 17th home run of the year and gave the Gamecocks a five-run lead in the sixth, while Stanley ripped his first career dinger with two runners on in the seventh.

Junior right fielder Josh Stackley and sophomore designated hitter Mark Egleton connected for solo homers in the top of eighth to cut the South Carolina lead to 12-4.

The Gamecocks' Aaron Rawl improved to 12-4 with the victory. He allowed three runs, two earned, on nine hits in seven-plus innings. Rawl did not allow a base on balls, while fanning eight.

Citadel starter Ken Egleton fell to 8-3 on the year with the loss. Egleton allowed seven runs on six hits and three base on balls in five-plus innings of work. Sophomore Ryan Owens surrendered three runs in an inning, while junior Griff Beckham gave up

The Bulldogs will face the third-seed Coastal Carolina in the losers' bracket Saturday morning at 11 am, while South Carolina will advance to the winners' bracket game versus North Carolina at 3 pm. The winner of the Coastal Carolina-Citadel match-up will play the loser of the UNC-USC game at 7 pm tomorrow night.