#4 Gamecocks Score Late to Edge #4 Tigers 5-4 at Fluor Field Tuesday

March 8, 2011

Greenville, SC –

Jake Williams hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh inning and #4 South Carolina withstood a ninth-inning rally by the Tigers to edge #4 Clemson 5-4 in front of 7,125 fans at Fluor Field on Tuesday night. The Gamecocks, who won the series 2-1, improved to 9-1 on the season. Clemson fell to 7-3 in 2011, as its three losses have been by a combined five runs.

Forrest Koumas (1-0), the third of five Gamecock pitchers, earned the win despite allowing three hits, three runs, and one walk with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched. Matt Price pitched the final 1.0 innings to record his fourth save of the season.

Alex Frederick (0-1), the second of four Tiger hurlers, suffered the loss, as he yielded three runs on two hits in 0.1 innings pitched. Clemson starter David Haselden pitched a career-long 6.0 innings, allowing just three hits, no runs, and one walk with five strikeouts.

Richie Shaffer gave Clemson the first lead of the game in the fourth inning when he blasted a solo homer to left-center, his second long ball of the season and second at Fluor Field in 2011.

In the sixth inning, Scott Wingo led off with a walk on five pitches and moved to second on Evan Marzilli’s sacrifice bunt. Wingo became the first Gamecock to reach second base in the game. However, Haselden retired the next two Gamecocks to keep the Tigers ahead 1-0.

In the seventh inning, Christian Walker led off with a walk on a 3-2 pitch that just missed the strikezone. After Walker moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Brady Thomas, Adrian Morales lined a 1-2 pitch to left field for a single to advance Walker to third base. Peter Mooney then bounced an infield single off the glove of Shaffer at first to score Walker. Williams then came of the bench to belt a three-run homer to left field, his first long ball as a Gamecock, to give South Carolina a 4-1 lead.

The Gamecocks added a crucial insurance run in the eighth inning. Jackie Bradley, Jr. hit a one-out hustle double through the right side and scored on Walker’s single up the middle, which extended Walker’s hitting streak to 15 games.

In the ninth inning, Brad Miller led off with a single to left and Jeff Schaus followed with a single to center. After Shaffer walked to load the bases, John Hinson laced a single to left field to plate Miller. Will Lamb then hit a two-out triple down the right-field line to score Shaffer. With the potential tying run on third base, Price struck out pinch-hitter Jon McGibbon to end the game.

Bradley, Morales, and Mooney had two hits apiece for the Gamecocks. Williams’ three-run homer was a big reason he received the Tom Price Award as South Carolina’s MVP of the three-game series against Clemson. Williams was 3-for-6 with a homer, double, three RBIs, and two runs in the series.

Miller, Hinson, and Lamb had two hits apiece to lead Clemson, who outhit South Carolina 9-8. But South Carolina turned three key double plays and only allowed four of Clemson’s 13 baserunners to score in the game.

Kieboom received the Bob Bradley Award as Clemson’s MVP of the three-game series against South Carolina. He went 4-for-10 with an RBI, a run, and two walks in the series.

Clemson will travel to Cullowhee, NC to face Western Carolina on Wednesday at 4:00 PM.