USC-East Carolina Game 1 Blog
posted by Scott Hood on Saturday, February 23, 2008
4:25 - ECU intentionally walked Smoak in the bottom of the 8th. Parker Bangs is pinch-hitting for USC. He fans.
4:20 - We're in the bottom of the 8th with USC ahead 20-3. ECU added a run in the right off Keegan Linza. Justin Hopper is pinch-hitting. There's a double to left-center. 2 runs score. First career hit for Hopper. It's 22-3 USC.
3:45 - ECU scores a run off Linza. It's 20-2 as we go to the bottom of the 6th.
3:40 - We go to the top of the 6th with USC ahead 20-1. Keegan Linza now pitching for USC. He's a tall kid, about 6-foot-5.
3:30 - ECU snapped the shutout with a run in the top of the 5th. But Reese Havens just hit a two-run HR to left for USC. It's 20-1. It's the third highest scoring season opener in school history. Havens has tied a career high with 5 hits.
3:15 - We're at the end of the 4th. USC leads 18-0. I'm sure Cisco will go 5 or 6 inn. and then Tanner will go to the bullpen.
3:10 - There's a solo HR for Smoak as he joins the long ball parade. Smoak has 40 career HR. He's eight behind career leader Hank Smalls. It's 17-0 USC. Disher is up. There it goes! Second HR for him. It's 18-0. I have to say this is somewhat of a shock considering ECU is No. 24 in one of the polls.
2:50 - USC has scored 2 more runs in the 3rd on a HBP and walk with the bases loaded. Both runs scored with 2 outs. It's 14-0 USC. So, if you predicted the Gamecocks would win by two touchdowns, you're looking pretty good right now. There's a popup by Havens. It falls in! 2 runs score. It's 16-0. I think this one is over.
2:40 - Cisco gave up a couple of singles in the top of the 3rd but no runs. USC still leads 12-0. We go to the bottom of the 3rd.
2:30 - Another hit for Havens! He's 3-for-3. Mack scores fro third. It's 12-0 USC. There's a 4-3 groundout by Merrifield. Inning is finally over, 8 runs by USC, including two homers.
2:25 - The new pitcher for ECU is greeted with a double off the LF wall by Mack. That's his second career hit. Wingo is up. 4-3 for the second out.
2:20 - There's another homer by Enders! It's 11-0 for USC! This pitcher is getting pounded. Here comes the ECU manager. Pitching change. Finally! Tough start for him to the season. He was supposed to be pretty good. Tanner was talking him up on Thursday.
2:17 - Double by Smoak down the RF line! 2 runs score. The ECU is out to argue the call. It's 7-0 USC. The ECU coach loses the argument. Disher up. There's a long drive by Disher! WAY OVER THE CF WALL! What a blast! USC leads 10-0!! What a start to the season! This is incredible!.
2:15 - USC has the bases loaded in the bott. of the 2nd with NO outs. Could be another big inning. Darnell is up. USC could break it wide open here. Infield single. Run scores. USC 5-0.
2:08 - Ciosco sets down ECU 1-2-3 in the 2nd. USC 4-0.
2:00 - USC scored 4 inthe bottom of the 1st. Hail had a DF for the final run. USC leads 4-0 after 1 Inn.of play. Now it's up to Cisco to protect the lead.
1:50 - That didn't take long. USC has taken a 1-0 lead on a RBI double to RCF by Darnell to score Havens, who had singled. Smoak is up, He's hit by a pitch. Runners on 1 and 2 with Disher up. Single to LF! Wait, the ball gets past the LF! Darnell and Smoak both score! It's 3-0 USC. Disher ends up on third. Great start for the Gamecocks!
1:45 - No harm, no foul for USC. Cisco gets out of it with no runs in the top of the 1st. We're scoreless as we go to the bottom of the first.
1:35 - We have the first controversy of the season. Kyle Enders was just called for catcher's interference on the first batter of the game. It would have been a fly out to center.
1:30 - Kip Bouknight has thrown out the first pitch. We're almost ready to go. They had a moment of silence for Tom Price. Hopefully, the first game will go at a fast pace since I know a lot of the fans here want to get over to the CC for the hoops game as well, then back to SFF for the 7 p.m. game. Here we go!
1:10 - Both teams have finished batting practice and infield practice. They're putting the finishing touches onthe field right now. We're about 20 mins from baseball.
12:45 - We're about 45 minutes from the first pitch. There are a lot of ECU fans here at SFF. I would estimate there might be 500 here today. I'm not surprised considering they have a pretty rabid fan base. Here is USC's starting lineup:
Havens - 6
Merrifield - 8
Darnell - 5
Smoak - 3
Disher - DH
Lail - 9
Enders - 2
Mack - 7
Wingo - 4
Cisco - P
This will be the first career starts for Mack and Enders. Mack is a redshirt sophomore from Airport High School in West Columbia, SC. He has hit the ball well in pre-season, so I'm glad he's going to get a chance to play. Enders played at Riverside High School and was part of the dynasty there.
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5:00 - USC wins the opener, 22-5. Game 2 starts at 7 p.m.
4:25 - ECU intentionally walked Smoak in the bottom of the 8th. Parker Bangs is pinch-hitting for USC. He fans.
4:20 - We're in the bottom of the 8th with USC ahead 20-3. ECU added a run in the right off Keegan Linza. Justin Hopper is pinch-hitting. There's a double to left-center. 2 runs score. First career hit for Hopper. It's 22-3 USC.
3:45 - ECU scores a run off Linza. It's 20-2 as we go to the bottom of the 6th.
3:40 - We go to the top of the 6th with USC ahead 20-1. Keegan Linza now pitching for USC. He's a tall kid, about 6-foot-5.
3:30 - ECU snapped the shutout with a run in the top of the 5th. But Reese Havens just hit a two-run HR to left for USC. It's 20-1. It's the third highest scoring season opener in school history. Havens has tied a career high with 5 hits.
3:15 - We're at the end of the 4th. USC leads 18-0. I'm sure Cisco will go 5 or 6 inn. and then Tanner will go to the bullpen.
3:10 - There's a solo HR for Smoak as he joins the long ball parade. Smoak has 40 career HR. He's eight behind career leader Hank Smalls. It's 17-0 USC. Disher is up. There it goes! Second HR for him. It's 18-0. I have to say this is somewhat of a shock considering ECU is No. 24 in one of the polls.
2:50 - USC has scored 2 more runs in the 3rd on a HBP and walk with the bases loaded. Both runs scored with 2 outs. It's 14-0 USC. So, if you predicted the Gamecocks would win by two touchdowns, you're looking pretty good right now. There's a popup by Havens. It falls in! 2 runs score. It's 16-0. I think this one is over.
2:40 - Cisco gave up a couple of singles in the top of the 3rd but no runs. USC still leads 12-0. We go to the bottom of the 3rd.
2:30 - Another hit for Havens! He's 3-for-3. Mack scores fro third. It's 12-0 USC. There's a 4-3 groundout by Merrifield. Inning is finally over, 8 runs by USC, including two homers.
2:25 - The new pitcher for ECU is greeted with a double off the LF wall by Mack. That's his second career hit. Wingo is up. 4-3 for the second out.
2:20 - There's another homer by Enders! It's 11-0 for USC! This pitcher is getting pounded. Here comes the ECU manager. Pitching change. Finally! Tough start for him to the season. He was supposed to be pretty good. Tanner was talking him up on Thursday.
2:17 - Double by Smoak down the RF line! 2 runs score. The ECU is out to argue the call. It's 7-0 USC. The ECU coach loses the argument. Disher up. There's a long drive by Disher! WAY OVER THE CF WALL! What a blast! USC leads 10-0!! What a start to the season! This is incredible!.
2:15 - USC has the bases loaded in the bott. of the 2nd with NO outs. Could be another big inning. Darnell is up. USC could break it wide open here. Infield single. Run scores. USC 5-0.
2:08 - Ciosco sets down ECU 1-2-3 in the 2nd. USC 4-0.
2:00 - USC scored 4 inthe bottom of the 1st. Hail had a DF for the final run. USC leads 4-0 after 1 Inn.of play. Now it's up to Cisco to protect the lead.
1:50 - That didn't take long. USC has taken a 1-0 lead on a RBI double to RCF by Darnell to score Havens, who had singled. Smoak is up, He's hit by a pitch. Runners on 1 and 2 with Disher up. Single to LF! Wait, the ball gets past the LF! Darnell and Smoak both score! It's 3-0 USC. Disher ends up on third. Great start for the Gamecocks!
1:45 - No harm, no foul for USC. Cisco gets out of it with no runs in the top of the 1st. We're scoreless as we go to the bottom of the first.
1:35 - We have the first controversy of the season. Kyle Enders was just called for catcher's interference on the first batter of the game. It would have been a fly out to center.
1:30 - Kip Bouknight has thrown out the first pitch. We're almost ready to go. They had a moment of silence for Tom Price. Hopefully, the first game will go at a fast pace since I know a lot of the fans here want to get over to the CC for the hoops game as well, then back to SFF for the 7 p.m. game. Here we go!
1:10 - Both teams have finished batting practice and infield practice. They're putting the finishing touches onthe field right now. We're about 20 mins from baseball.
12:45 - We're about 45 minutes from the first pitch. There are a lot of ECU fans here at SFF. I would estimate there might be 500 here today. I'm not surprised considering they have a pretty rabid fan base. Here is USC's starting lineup:
Havens - 6
Merrifield - 8
Darnell - 5
Smoak - 3
Disher - DH
Lail - 9
Enders - 2
Mack - 7
Wingo - 4
Cisco - P
This will be the first career starts for Mack and Enders. Mack is a redshirt sophomore from Airport High School in West Columbia, SC. He has hit the ball well in pre-season, so I'm glad he's going to get a chance to play. Enders played at Riverside High School and was part of the dynasty there.
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.