Spring Break
Diamond Dogs fall to South Carolina in Game 2
Issue date: 5/15/09 Section: Sports
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina scored all seven runs in the first four innings and held on for a 7-4 win over No. 15 Georgia Friday at Carolina Stadium.
Nolan Belcher (4-3) limited the Bulldogs to one run on three hits in 6.1 innings with 11 strikeouts. The Bulldogs (35-19, 15-14 SEC) struck out a total of 15 times and have struck out 28 times in the series with 11 hits.
Colby May had a pair of doubles and two RBI for the Bulldogs while Rich Poythress drove in a run and is now one shy of Gordon Beckham's school record 77 RBI last year.
Georgia will be the No. 6 seed in next week's SEC Tournament with a win on Saturday or an Ole Miss win over Arkansas.
"We aren't focused enough," Georgia coach David Perno said. "Rich is still fighting it and he just can't get over the hump. He's closer but he's still missing too many pitches. We have to get (Alex) McRee going. It was disappointing and he has to make some adjustments. Tomorrow's game is a big game for us. I really like how we finished. We hung in there tonight and battled. The bottom line is we have to get Rich going with people on base."
Nick Ebert hit a two-run home run in the first inining, his third blast of the weekend, to give South Carolina a 2-0 lead. Then in the second inning, a two-out infield single by Whit Merrifield scored Parker Bangs to give the Gamecocks a three-run lead.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 3-1 on a sacrifice fly by Poythress in the third, but South Carolina came back in the bottom half with a three-run home run by Justin Dalles to strech the lead to 6-1. The Gamecocks (36-19, 16-13 SEC) went ahead 7-1 in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Jackie Bradley.
Georgia scored two runs in the eighth on a two-out double by May and had two runners on but Alex Farotto struck out Michael Demperio to end the inning.
Georgia scored a run in the ninth and again had the tying run on deck when Joey Lewis grounded out to end the game.
Alex McRee (4-3) suffered his third straight loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in three innings. Will Harvil and Cecil Tanner combined to throw five scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits.
Georgia and South Carolina will play the regular season finale Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
- Georgia Sports Communications
Nolan Belcher (4-3) limited the Bulldogs to one run on three hits in 6.1 innings with 11 strikeouts. The Bulldogs (35-19, 15-14 SEC) struck out a total of 15 times and have struck out 28 times in the series with 11 hits.
Colby May had a pair of doubles and two RBI for the Bulldogs while Rich Poythress drove in a run and is now one shy of Gordon Beckham's school record 77 RBI last year.
Georgia will be the No. 6 seed in next week's SEC Tournament with a win on Saturday or an Ole Miss win over Arkansas.
"We aren't focused enough," Georgia coach David Perno said. "Rich is still fighting it and he just can't get over the hump. He's closer but he's still missing too many pitches. We have to get (Alex) McRee going. It was disappointing and he has to make some adjustments. Tomorrow's game is a big game for us. I really like how we finished. We hung in there tonight and battled. The bottom line is we have to get Rich going with people on base."
Nick Ebert hit a two-run home run in the first inining, his third blast of the weekend, to give South Carolina a 2-0 lead. Then in the second inning, a two-out infield single by Whit Merrifield scored Parker Bangs to give the Gamecocks a three-run lead.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 3-1 on a sacrifice fly by Poythress in the third, but South Carolina came back in the bottom half with a three-run home run by Justin Dalles to strech the lead to 6-1. The Gamecocks (36-19, 16-13 SEC) went ahead 7-1 in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Jackie Bradley.
Georgia scored two runs in the eighth on a two-out double by May and had two runners on but Alex Farotto struck out Michael Demperio to end the inning.
Georgia scored a run in the ninth and again had the tying run on deck when Joey Lewis grounded out to end the game.
Alex McRee (4-3) suffered his third straight loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in three innings. Will Harvil and Cecil Tanner combined to throw five scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits.
Georgia and South Carolina will play the regular season finale Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
- Georgia Sports Communications
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