March 7, 2001
NORMAN THREE HITS PACE FURMAN TO 5-4 UPSET WIN OVER SOUTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA, SC Derek Norman had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in two runs Wednesday night to lead Furman to a 5-4 upset over fifth ranked South Carolina.
The Paladins improved to 12-6, marking the best start in school history, while South Carolina dropped its second consecutive decision after opening the season with a 13 game winning streak.Tom Mastny(2-2), the second of Furman's four pitchers, was the winner while freshman lefthander David Marchbanks, 1-1, took the loss. Rob Purvis pitched the final two innings for Furman to earn his first save.
South Carolina jumped out to a 2-0 lead on back to back first inning home runs by Brennan Dees and Tim Whittaker but Furman batted around in the third inning to score three runs and drive Marchbanks from the mound. Danny Rueckel opened the inning with a single and with one out Adam Etherington singled. After a fielder's choice Norman delivered a two run double to tie the score. Norman scored the go ahead run on a Gamecock error. Furman stretched its lead to 5-2 with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. With one out in the fifth Norman doubled for the second time, move to third on an infield hit by Chris Valdes and scored on a wild pitch. Norman's third hit, a sacrifice and an RBI single by Dominic Frankey scored the final Paladin run.
Whittaker hit his second homer of the game and fifth of the season after Dees had beaten out an infield hit in the eighth inning. The first inning homer by Dees was his eighth of the season.Furman out hit South Carolina 9-7, paced by Norman's three hits and two by Danny Rueckel. Dees and Whittaker had two hits for the Gamecocks.
Furman returns to Greenville for a three-game Southern Conference series against ETSU. The first game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Friday.