No. 14 Gamecocks Outlast Eagles in 13 Innings
3/24/2010 5:19:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern pushed nationally-ranked South Carolina into extra-innings before dropping an 8-5 decision on Tuesday (March 23) at J.I. Clements Stadium. Brady Thomas had a three-run double with one out in the top of the 13th to snap a 5-5 tie and give the Gamecocks their 11th consecutive victory.
Trailing 5-4, the Eagles (11-11) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth to pull even with South Carolina (17-4), a squad ranked No. 14 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll.
With the score still tied, Georgia Southern had runners on first and second with nobody out in the 12th, but Gamecock reliever John Taylor escaped the jam to set the stage for Thomas' game-winning hit.
A crowd of 2,022 watched the four hour and 45 minute game, which featured four ties. Both teams went to their bullpens early and often, using a total of 15 pitchers. The Eagles collected 10 hits and drew eight walks from nine South Carolina pitchers. They left 14 men on base.
Meanwhile, the Gamecocks collected 14 hits and drew 12 walks from six Georgia Southern pitchers. They stranded 15 baserunners.
South Carolina took the early lead on an RBI single by Jackie Bradley Jr. in the top of the third. The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the inning off A.J. Wirnsberger's (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) seventh home run of the season.
The Gamecocks went up 2-1 on Bobby Haney's RBI groundout in the top of the fourth, but Georgia Southern tied it up again when Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning.
Thomas had a solo homer and Haney followed with an RBI single as South Carolina scored twice in the top of the sixth for a 4-2 advantage. The Eagles answered in their half of the inning, this time with an RBI groundout by Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.) and an RBI double by Wirnsberger to knot the score 4-4.
After Haney scored on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth to put the Gamecocks up by a run, Georgia Southern rallied in the bottom of the ninth. Wirnsberger was hit by a pitch and replaced by Al Williams (Detroit, Mich), who advanced to second on Steve Cochrane's (Mooresville, N.C.) sacrifice bunt and then scored when South Carolina's third baseman committed a throwing error on Eric Phillips' (Carrollton, Ga.) grounder.
Phillips wound up on second base with one out, but Gamecock reliever Parker Bangs got a strikeout and a groundball to the second baseman to prevent further damage and force extra innings.
In the bottom of the 12th, Phillips led off with a single and Bryce Dial (Columbus, Ga.) was hit by a pitch, but Taylor entered the game and used two strikeouts and a groundball to the third baseman to get out of the inning.
South Carolina's Scott Wingo led off the top of the 13th with a walk and Bradley followed with a single. Nick Ebert's sacrifice bunt moved the runners over to second and third before Christian Walker drew a walk that loaded the bases. Thomas followed with his decisive three-run double.
Taylor (1-1) set Georgia Southern down in order in the bottom of the 13th for the win. He pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Colin Snow (0-1) was charged with the loss. The Eagles' fifth pitcher of the game, he allowed three runs (all earned) on three hits in 4.2 innings with two strikeouts and four walks.
Phillips was 3-for-6 and Wirnsberger was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Bradley was 3-for-5, Thomas was 3-for-7 with four RBIs, and Haney was 3-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs.
Georgia Southern will remain at home and resume its Southern Conference schedule this weekend against UNC Greensboro. The three-game series will begin with a single contest on Friday (March 26) at 7 p.m.
Trailing 5-4, the Eagles (11-11) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth to pull even with South Carolina (17-4), a squad ranked No. 14 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll.
With the score still tied, Georgia Southern had runners on first and second with nobody out in the 12th, but Gamecock reliever John Taylor escaped the jam to set the stage for Thomas' game-winning hit.
A crowd of 2,022 watched the four hour and 45 minute game, which featured four ties. Both teams went to their bullpens early and often, using a total of 15 pitchers. The Eagles collected 10 hits and drew eight walks from nine South Carolina pitchers. They left 14 men on base.
Meanwhile, the Gamecocks collected 14 hits and drew 12 walks from six Georgia Southern pitchers. They stranded 15 baserunners.
South Carolina took the early lead on an RBI single by Jackie Bradley Jr. in the top of the third. The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the inning off A.J. Wirnsberger's (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) seventh home run of the season.
The Gamecocks went up 2-1 on Bobby Haney's RBI groundout in the top of the fourth, but Georgia Southern tied it up again when Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning.
Thomas had a solo homer and Haney followed with an RBI single as South Carolina scored twice in the top of the sixth for a 4-2 advantage. The Eagles answered in their half of the inning, this time with an RBI groundout by Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.) and an RBI double by Wirnsberger to knot the score 4-4.
After Haney scored on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth to put the Gamecocks up by a run, Georgia Southern rallied in the bottom of the ninth. Wirnsberger was hit by a pitch and replaced by Al Williams (Detroit, Mich), who advanced to second on Steve Cochrane's (Mooresville, N.C.) sacrifice bunt and then scored when South Carolina's third baseman committed a throwing error on Eric Phillips' (Carrollton, Ga.) grounder.
Phillips wound up on second base with one out, but Gamecock reliever Parker Bangs got a strikeout and a groundball to the second baseman to prevent further damage and force extra innings.
In the bottom of the 12th, Phillips led off with a single and Bryce Dial (Columbus, Ga.) was hit by a pitch, but Taylor entered the game and used two strikeouts and a groundball to the third baseman to get out of the inning.
South Carolina's Scott Wingo led off the top of the 13th with a walk and Bradley followed with a single. Nick Ebert's sacrifice bunt moved the runners over to second and third before Christian Walker drew a walk that loaded the bases. Thomas followed with his decisive three-run double.
Taylor (1-1) set Georgia Southern down in order in the bottom of the 13th for the win. He pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Colin Snow (0-1) was charged with the loss. The Eagles' fifth pitcher of the game, he allowed three runs (all earned) on three hits in 4.2 innings with two strikeouts and four walks.
Phillips was 3-for-6 and Wirnsberger was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Bradley was 3-for-5, Thomas was 3-for-7 with four RBIs, and Haney was 3-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs.
Georgia Southern will remain at home and resume its Southern Conference schedule this weekend against UNC Greensboro. The three-game series will begin with a single contest on Friday (March 26) at 7 p.m.
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