Feb. 23, 2002
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Yaron Peters and Garris Gonce both homered to lead ninth-ranked South Carolina (8-0) to a 8-3 victory over eighth-ranked Georgia Tech (7-1) in the second day of the Baseball at the Beach tournament at Coastal Federal Field in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The loss snapped the Yellow Jackets’ seven game winning streak to open the 2002 season.
USC starter David Marchbanks improved to 3-0 with the victory. He allowed three runs on five hits in six innings, walking three batters and striking out four.
Blake Taylor held the Yellow Jackets scoreless over the final three innings to earn his second save of the season.
The Gamecocks took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, in part thanks to some shaky defense by the Yellow Jackets. South Carolina loaded the bases with no outs before Yaron Peters drove in Jon Coutlangus with the first run on an infield single, and Drew Meyer scored on an error when Tech first baseman Clifton Remole could not handle the throw. Justin Harris scored the third run of the inning when Matt Murton made a catch in fair territory and then dropped the ball in foul grounds.
USC made the score 4-0 in the top of the second inning when Landon Powell and Brian Buschler hit back-to-back doubles.
Tech mounted a rally in the bottom of the second. Tyler Parker led off the frame with a walk, took second base on a wild pitch, stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly from Brandon Boggs. A walk to Mike Nickeas and a single from Eric Patterson put runners on first and second with two outs, but Nickeas was thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning after Matthew Boggs singled.
After working out of the second inning jam, Marchbanks settled down to retire the next 11 Tech batters from the third through the sixth innings.
USC pushed the lead to 6-1 with a solo homer from Peters, his second of the season, in the third inning and a solo shot from Gonce, his fourth, in the top of the sixth. Peters finished 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while Gonce and Harris each had two hits in the game.
The Yellow Jackets scored twice in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, cutting the lead to 6-3. Jason Perry drew a two-out walk and then scored on Parker’s triple off the right field wall. An infield single from Brandon Boggs drove in Parker with the second run of the inning.
South Carolina added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Meyer tripled and scored on Harris’ RBI single to center field, while Harris scored on a sacrifice fly from Trey Dyson after stealing both second and third bases.
Tech mounted yet another rally in the bottom of the ninth after loading the bases with no outs. But Taylor worked out of the jam by inducing a pop up from Jeremy Slayden and a double play ground ball from Eric Patterson.
Tech starter Jeff Watchko (2-1) took the loss, surrendering five runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
Georgia Tech will face Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday at 10 a.m. in the Baseball at the Beach tournament. South Carolina and Coastal Carolina will play at 3 p.m. in the final game of the event.
