Feb. 28, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – Steve Pearce drove in four runs with three hits, including his sixth home run Saturday as sixth ranked South Carolina shut out Radford 11-0 in the Gamecock Round Robin.
By agreement the 10 run rule was invoked and the game was shortened to seven innings as the Gamecocks improved their record to 8-0. Radford dropped to 0-5. The win was South Carolina’s second of the day. Earlier Saturday the Gamecocks defeated Duquesne 20-2.
Junior Aaron Rawl pitched the first five innings for South Carolina to win his third decision of the season. He allowed three hits and struck out five without walking a batter. Justin Tubb, 0-2, allowed nine hits and nine runs, eight earned, over the first four innings for Radford to take the loss.
South Carolina sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs in the first inning. It was the 11th time the Gamecocks had batted around in the first eight games. Pearce hit a three run homer in the first and also had an RBI single in the sixth inning. He singled and scored in the fourth. Pearce has driven in 19 runs in eight games.
Bryan Triplett and Tommy King also homered for the Gamecocks. It was the second of the season for both. Triplett and Landon Powell had two hits. Powell and Brendan Winn had doubles. Winn and Kevin Melillo each drove in two runs. Melillo also had 19 runs batted in this season.
The shutout was the fourth of the season for the South Carolina pitching staff. The staff earned run average is 1.41 in 70 innings. Gamecock pitchers have struck out 99 batters and walked only 12.
The Gamecock Round Robin concludes Sunday with Duquesne and Radford meeting at 12 noon and South Carolina vs. George Mason following at 3 p.m.
