April 17, 2011
Columbia, S.C. – Third-ranked South Carolina rallied for four runs in the seventh inning and held on to beat top-ranked Vanderbilt 5-3 Sunday afternoon at a sold-out Carolina Stadium.
The Gamecocks sent 10 men to the plate using three hits, two walks and two hit batters to score four runs in the seventh and erase a two-run deficit. Scott Wingo’s RBI-groundout scored the go-ahead run and Brady Thomas’ sacrifice fly added an insurance run. South Carolina closer Matt Price, who entered the game in the seventh inning, worked three innings to finish off the win and clinch the series for the Gamecocks. Vanderbilt mounted a rally in the ninth getting runners to second and third before Price finished the game with his seventh strikeout of the day to earn the win.
All three Vanderbilt runs came via the home run Sunday with Jason Esposito hitting two solo home runs and Aaron Westlake adding his sixth round tripper of the year. The duo hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth to put VU up 3-1. Esposito and Curt Casali each had three hits to lead the Dores. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Peter Mooney paced the Gamecocks with two hits each.
The Commodores return to action Friday night when LSU visits Hawkins Field. Friday night’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Saturday’s game will be televised on FSN and Sunday’s on ESPN2.
