May 31, 2003
Atlanta, Ga. (courtesy of stetson.edu) – Stetson scored seven runs in the first two innings and held on for a 9-4 victory over East Carolina in the NCAA Atlanta Regional Saturday evening at Russ Chandler Stadium.
With the victory, Stetson (41-23) advances to Sunday’s 1 p.m. Regional Championship game against South Carolina. The Hatters, who lost to the Gamecocks 7-2 in the winner’s bracket game Saturday afternoon, must defeat South Carolina twice to reach the NCAA Super Regionals.
“To come back and stay alive like we did is very gratifying,” Hatters head coach Pete Dunn said. “The guys did a great job tonight. South Carolina has got their entire pitching staff ready to go. It’s going to be an uphill battle for us, but we will find a way to piece it together.”
The Pirates (34-27-1), who upset top-seed Georgia Tech 10-3 earlier in the day, were eliminated from the tournament.
The Hatters thumped East Carolina starter Jason Tourangeau (2-2) for five runs in just 1.1 innings. Andy Wilson doubled home Brandon Paritz in the top of the first to give Stetson an early 1-0. The Hatters then put a six-spot on the board in the second to knock Tourangeau from the game. Rusty Beale, John DeStefano, Pete Rasmusen and Paritz each collected RBI singles, and Wilson doubled home two more runs as the Hatters led 7-0.
The Pirates came back with single runs in the second and third innings, and added another pair on Darryl Lawhorn’s two-run single in the fifth.
Stetson managed just one hit from the third through the sixth innings, but DeStefano led off the seventh with a line drive home run over the right field wall to give Stetson an 8-4 lead. The Hatters sophomore drove in his third run of the game in the ninth to cap off the scoring.
Adam Townsend (4-3) allowed no runs and just one hit in 3.1 innings of relief of Cameron Abel, who worked the first 4.2 innings. Roger Lincoln nailed down the victory in the ninth.
DeStefano and Wilson had three hits and three RBI to lead the Hatter offense.
It is the third time in the last four years that Stetson has reached the Regional Championship game.
Earlier in the day, Landon Powell went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a home run and David Marchbanks pitched a complete game as South Carolina advanced to the Regional Championship with a 7-2 victory over Stetson.
The Hatters scored two runs in the bottom of the first, but Marchbanks (14-2), the SEC Pitcher of the Year, kept Stetson scoreless the rest of the way, despite allowing 11 hits.
The Gamecocks, meanwhile, scored seven runs on 16 hits. South Carolina scored once in the second, and then took the lead with two runs in the fourth. Cy McCuen (9-5) surrendered four runs in four innings, while Mike Wiley pitched five innings of relief.
Bryan Triplett and Michael Campbell added three hits apiece for South Carolina. Rusty Beale had three hits for Stetson.
In the first game of the day, Darryl Lawhorn hit a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh as East Carolina eliminated top-seed Georgia Tech 10-3.
