# 5 SOUTH CAROLINA HOLDS OFF FURMAN 7-4
Columbia, S.C. - Steve Pearce hit a three run first inning home run and Chad Blackwell choked off an eighth inning Furman rally Wednesday night as fifth ranked South Carolina downed the Paladins 7-4 for the 10th consecutive Gamecock win.
Jason Fletcher, 2-0, allowed two hits and no runs in the first four innings.
He received credit for the win without working the required five innings because
Coach Ray Tanner specified he would use at least three pitchers. Fletcher struck
out three, walked none and left with a 5-0 lead.
Steven Tolleson and Bryan Triplett led off the Gamecock first inning with base
hits and Pearce followed with his seventh home run in 10 games. The three run
shot raised his runs batted in total to 22.
South Carolina added single runs in the second, third and fifth inning, the
final tally unearned, before Furman rallied with four runs, three earned, in
the top of the eighth inning to cut the Gamecock lead to 6-4.
South Carolina added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Furman starter
Case Cassedy, 0-2, was charged with the loss as the Paladin record dropped to
2-7.
The first three of six South Carolina pitchers worked a two hit shutout through
seven innings. Matthew Betswell singled to lead off the eighth, A. J. Davidiuk
walked and pinch hitter Will Stembridge singled to load the bases. Andrew Greene
reached on an error, scoring Betsill. Craig Caudill beat out a bunt, scoring
Davidiuk.
Heath Rollins replaced Zac McCamie but he gave up a hit to Derek Norman, scoring
Stembridge and Blackwell replaced Rollins with three runs in, the bases still
loaded and no one out. Dominic Franchini hit into a double play with Greene
scoring the fourth Furman run and Blackwell retired Sam McClain on a ground
ball to end the threat.
Blackwell retired three consecutive Paladins in the ninth inning to earn his
fourth save.
Furman returns to action on Friday when the Paladins face Ball State in Conway, S.C. Game time is set for noon. South Carolina meets in-state rival Clemson this weekend, at 1:30 p.m., Saturday at Sarge Frye Field and at 2 p.m., Sunday at Clemsons Doug Kingsmore Stadium.