USC-Duquesne Game Blog - Game 1
posted by Scott Hood, Friday, March 07, 2008
9:38 - Darnell K's for the third out. WE GO TO THE NINTH WITH USC AHEAD, 15-4. Craig Thomas now pitching for USC. Back-to-back Lexington High graduates on the mound for the Gamecocks.
9:32 - Richard Royal gets a pinch hit single. That's the first hit of his career. Havens flies out and Mack tried to advance to third. The ball goes into the Duquesne dugout. Mack scores. It's 14-4 USC. Wingo gets hit by a pitch for the third time inthe same game. He ties the school record. The last time it happened was in 1996. There's a passed ball. Royal scores. 15-4 USC. The bottom of the 8th has been ugly for the Dukes.
9:30 - Kyle Enders HR to LF makes it 13-4 here in the bottom of the 8th. That's his second HR of the seaon.
9:20 - Hopper faces 4 batters in the 8th. He gave up 2 hits but one runner was thown out trying to steal. We go to the bottom of the 8th with USC leading, 11-4.
9:15 - Smaok SF to RF. But Wingo was thrown out at 2B trying to move up a base. The run counted, though. It's 11-4 USC. Justin Hopper now pitching for USC. This is his first appearance of the season on the mound. He was a very good pitcher for Lexington High School.
9:05 - Wingo gets hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and sixth time on the season. He's like a magnet. Bases loaded for Darnell. He has a 2-run double and SF tonight. Darnell whiffs. That's 1 out. Smoak up.
9:00 - Mack, Merrifield and Havens due in the bottom of the 7th. Another hit for Mack! That's 3 for him tonight. There's a bunt by Merrifield towards third. He beats the throw. Single. Runners on the corners for Havens. Base hit to RF. RBI. That's 2 RBI for Havens tonight. He's got 17 in 8 games. It's 10-4 USC and still nobody out in the bottom of the 7th. Pitching change for Duquesne.
8:55 - Cisco gets out of the 7th with no damage after Dusquesne had a runner at 2B. We head to the bottom of the 7th with USC leading, 9-4.
8:45 - Nothing for USC inthe bottom of the 6th. We go to the 7th with USC ahead, 9-4. Cisco returns for the 7th. He's allowed five hits with 4 strikeouts and no walks. There's a check swing single into LF. Bad luck there.
8:40 - Cisco gave up a 2-run double to a PH in the top of the 6th. Duquesne scored 2 runs to cut the lead to 9-4. Smoak, Disher, Lail due for USC.
8:25 - Darnell dribbler to the mound for the third out in the 5th. He's had two good AB's and two poor AB's. But he does have 3 RBI. We go to the 6th with USC up, 9-2.
8:15 - USC has 2 outs in the 5th. Merrifield walks. There's that dreaded 2-out walk. Now the pitcher gets to face Havens with a runner on. Stolen base. Wild pitch. Merrifield is on third. Walk to Havens. Second straight 2-out BB. He pays the price. Wingo base hit to RF. Run scores. It's 9-2 USC.
8:10 - Easy top of the 5th for Cisco. 1-2-3. We go to the bottom of the 5th with USC up, 8-2. Enders, Mack, Merrifield due.
8:05 - Smoak lines a rope into RCF. It falls and rolls to the wall. Merrifield and Wingo score. Clutch hit for JS. It's 7-2 USC here in the bottom of the 4th. Disher up. He's been struggling. Base hit to CF! Smoak scores. Good for Disher. It's 8-2 USC. Sliding catch by the RF for the third out. Big inning for the Gamecocks. 5 runs. We go to the 5th.
8:00 - USC has a rally going here in the bottom of the 4th. USC loaded the bases on three singles. Havens RBI on 3-1 groundout. Wingo HBP to reload the bases for Darnell. He jerks one just foul to left. Would have been a grand slam. There's a liner to LF. Caught. But Mack scores the second run of the inning. It's 5-2 USC.
7:50 - Cisco is have problems here in the top of the 4th. Duquesne has scored 2 runs on three hits and now trails, 3-2. Calvi just made a visit to the mound. Strikeout. 2outs. 4-3 on soft grounder. This one is closer than a lot of people thought. WE go to the bottomof the 4th with USC ahead by just 1 run, 3-2.
7:40 - Not much for USC in the bottom of the 3rd. We go to the 4th with USC up, 3-0.
:35 - 9 up, 9 down for Cisco through 3 Inn. F-7, K and 5-3 inthe 3rd. We go to the bottom of the 3rd with USC ahead, 3-0.
7:30 - USC out in the bottom of the 2nd without scoring. We go to the 3rd with USC leading, 3-0. Dusquesne hasn't touched Cisco yet.
7:25 - Mack leads off the bottom of thr second with a line drive single into RF. That's his second hit of the season. He came in batting .143, so that's good to see him swinging the bat strongly and making solid contact. Merrifield sacrifices 1-3. Runner on 2nd, 1 out. Havens F-7. 2 outs.
:20 - Dukes go out 1-2-3 in the 2nd. 6 up, 6 down by Cisco. Nice play by Enders jumping out to grab a bunt and throw the runner at first. Nice scoop by Smoak for the third out. USC throwing the leather around so far. It's 3-0 going to the bottom of the 2nd.
7:15 - Whoops, hold that thought about this one getting ugly. Smoak flies to left and Disker K's. But there's a 2B by Lail to LF. Run scores. It's 3-0 USC. Enders 5-3 for the final out. We go to the 2nd with USC ahead, 3-0.
7:10 - Havens triples to lead off the bottom of the 1st. The ball fell in front of the RF and skidded past him. It's really wet out there. Wingo walks. Runners onthe corners, no outs. The fans are already chanting, "Throw it In The Dirt." Darnell rips a hit into RF. 2 runs score! It's 2-0 USC. This one may get ugly early.
7:05 - Lail makes a sliding catch for the second out. He got a little wet there! 6-3 for the third out. We go to the bottom of the 1st, 0-0.
7:00 - We're underway at Sarge Frye Field. First pitch at exactly 7 p.m. L-5 for the first out. We're playing baseball!
6:45 - Final preparations are being made to the field right now. We're almost ready for baseball. There's a small crowd (by USC's standards) here tonight. It might be a late arriving crowd because a lot of people believe the game is off.
6:20 - USC is still taking infield practice. Duquesne has arrived at the ballpark after taking batting practice at the Indoor Facility. Here is USC's starting lineup:
Havens - 6
Wingo - 4
Darnell - 5
Smoak - 3
Disher - DH
Lail - 9
Enders - 2
Mack - 7
Merrifield - 8
Mike Cisco - P
The only major change is Mack playing tonight in place of Hopper in LF. Merrifieldis back but he's been dropped from No. 2 to No. 9. Wingo's OBP (.571) is much higher than Merrifield's OBP (.276).
6:00 - We're here at Sarge Frye Field for tonight's USC-Duquesne baseball game. It's overcast and it's been raining most of the day in Columbia, but it's not right now. The tarp has been taken off the field. The teams are taking batting practice at the Indoor Facility across the street from Sarge Frye Field. USC is warming up in the right field area. USC is wearing all-white uniforms with garnet caps. We should have the lineups shortly.
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9:45 - Duquesne had a runner at second with 2 outs in the top of the 9th. Thoams still pitching for USC. Strikeout. Game over. USC WINS 15-4.
9:38 - Darnell K's for the third out. WE GO TO THE NINTH WITH USC AHEAD, 15-4. Craig Thomas now pitching for USC. Back-to-back Lexington High graduates on the mound for the Gamecocks.
9:32 - Richard Royal gets a pinch hit single. That's the first hit of his career. Havens flies out and Mack tried to advance to third. The ball goes into the Duquesne dugout. Mack scores. It's 14-4 USC. Wingo gets hit by a pitch for the third time inthe same game. He ties the school record. The last time it happened was in 1996. There's a passed ball. Royal scores. 15-4 USC. The bottom of the 8th has been ugly for the Dukes.
9:30 - Kyle Enders HR to LF makes it 13-4 here in the bottom of the 8th. That's his second HR of the seaon.
9:20 - Hopper faces 4 batters in the 8th. He gave up 2 hits but one runner was thown out trying to steal. We go to the bottom of the 8th with USC leading, 11-4.
9:15 - Smaok SF to RF. But Wingo was thrown out at 2B trying to move up a base. The run counted, though. It's 11-4 USC. Justin Hopper now pitching for USC. This is his first appearance of the season on the mound. He was a very good pitcher for Lexington High School.
9:05 - Wingo gets hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and sixth time on the season. He's like a magnet. Bases loaded for Darnell. He has a 2-run double and SF tonight. Darnell whiffs. That's 1 out. Smoak up.
9:00 - Mack, Merrifield and Havens due in the bottom of the 7th. Another hit for Mack! That's 3 for him tonight. There's a bunt by Merrifield towards third. He beats the throw. Single. Runners on the corners for Havens. Base hit to RF. RBI. That's 2 RBI for Havens tonight. He's got 17 in 8 games. It's 10-4 USC and still nobody out in the bottom of the 7th. Pitching change for Duquesne.
8:55 - Cisco gets out of the 7th with no damage after Dusquesne had a runner at 2B. We head to the bottom of the 7th with USC leading, 9-4.
8:45 - Nothing for USC inthe bottom of the 6th. We go to the 7th with USC ahead, 9-4. Cisco returns for the 7th. He's allowed five hits with 4 strikeouts and no walks. There's a check swing single into LF. Bad luck there.
8:40 - Cisco gave up a 2-run double to a PH in the top of the 6th. Duquesne scored 2 runs to cut the lead to 9-4. Smoak, Disher, Lail due for USC.
8:25 - Darnell dribbler to the mound for the third out in the 5th. He's had two good AB's and two poor AB's. But he does have 3 RBI. We go to the 6th with USC up, 9-2.
8:15 - USC has 2 outs in the 5th. Merrifield walks. There's that dreaded 2-out walk. Now the pitcher gets to face Havens with a runner on. Stolen base. Wild pitch. Merrifield is on third. Walk to Havens. Second straight 2-out BB. He pays the price. Wingo base hit to RF. Run scores. It's 9-2 USC.
8:10 - Easy top of the 5th for Cisco. 1-2-3. We go to the bottom of the 5th with USC up, 8-2. Enders, Mack, Merrifield due.
8:05 - Smoak lines a rope into RCF. It falls and rolls to the wall. Merrifield and Wingo score. Clutch hit for JS. It's 7-2 USC here in the bottom of the 4th. Disher up. He's been struggling. Base hit to CF! Smoak scores. Good for Disher. It's 8-2 USC. Sliding catch by the RF for the third out. Big inning for the Gamecocks. 5 runs. We go to the 5th.
8:00 - USC has a rally going here in the bottom of the 4th. USC loaded the bases on three singles. Havens RBI on 3-1 groundout. Wingo HBP to reload the bases for Darnell. He jerks one just foul to left. Would have been a grand slam. There's a liner to LF. Caught. But Mack scores the second run of the inning. It's 5-2 USC.
7:50 - Cisco is have problems here in the top of the 4th. Duquesne has scored 2 runs on three hits and now trails, 3-2. Calvi just made a visit to the mound. Strikeout. 2outs. 4-3 on soft grounder. This one is closer than a lot of people thought. WE go to the bottomof the 4th with USC ahead by just 1 run, 3-2.
7:40 - Not much for USC in the bottom of the 3rd. We go to the 4th with USC up, 3-0.
:35 - 9 up, 9 down for Cisco through 3 Inn. F-7, K and 5-3 inthe 3rd. We go to the bottom of the 3rd with USC ahead, 3-0.
7:30 - USC out in the bottom of the 2nd without scoring. We go to the 3rd with USC leading, 3-0. Dusquesne hasn't touched Cisco yet.
7:25 - Mack leads off the bottom of thr second with a line drive single into RF. That's his second hit of the season. He came in batting .143, so that's good to see him swinging the bat strongly and making solid contact. Merrifield sacrifices 1-3. Runner on 2nd, 1 out. Havens F-7. 2 outs.
:20 - Dukes go out 1-2-3 in the 2nd. 6 up, 6 down by Cisco. Nice play by Enders jumping out to grab a bunt and throw the runner at first. Nice scoop by Smoak for the third out. USC throwing the leather around so far. It's 3-0 going to the bottom of the 2nd.
7:15 - Whoops, hold that thought about this one getting ugly. Smoak flies to left and Disker K's. But there's a 2B by Lail to LF. Run scores. It's 3-0 USC. Enders 5-3 for the final out. We go to the 2nd with USC ahead, 3-0.
7:10 - Havens triples to lead off the bottom of the 1st. The ball fell in front of the RF and skidded past him. It's really wet out there. Wingo walks. Runners onthe corners, no outs. The fans are already chanting, "Throw it In The Dirt." Darnell rips a hit into RF. 2 runs score! It's 2-0 USC. This one may get ugly early.
7:05 - Lail makes a sliding catch for the second out. He got a little wet there! 6-3 for the third out. We go to the bottom of the 1st, 0-0.
7:00 - We're underway at Sarge Frye Field. First pitch at exactly 7 p.m. L-5 for the first out. We're playing baseball!
6:45 - Final preparations are being made to the field right now. We're almost ready for baseball. There's a small crowd (by USC's standards) here tonight. It might be a late arriving crowd because a lot of people believe the game is off.
6:20 - USC is still taking infield practice. Duquesne has arrived at the ballpark after taking batting practice at the Indoor Facility. Here is USC's starting lineup:
Havens - 6
Wingo - 4
Darnell - 5
Smoak - 3
Disher - DH
Lail - 9
Enders - 2
Mack - 7
Merrifield - 8
Mike Cisco - P
The only major change is Mack playing tonight in place of Hopper in LF. Merrifieldis back but he's been dropped from No. 2 to No. 9. Wingo's OBP (.571) is much higher than Merrifield's OBP (.276).
6:00 - We're here at Sarge Frye Field for tonight's USC-Duquesne baseball game. It's overcast and it's been raining most of the day in Columbia, but it's not right now. The tarp has been taken off the field. The teams are taking batting practice at the Indoor Facility across the street from Sarge Frye Field. USC is warming up in the right field area. USC is wearing all-white uniforms with garnet caps. We should have the lineups shortly.
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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 @.