USC v Clemson in Baseball

Well the big question is will they play the weekend series as the weather is wet today and tomorrow a chance of snow in columbia.

If they do play on Sunday, I will be attending the game and hope the USC can again sweep the series like they did in 2008. Carolina has won seven of the last eight games played between the two schools as well as a 21-15 edge in games played in the last nine years. Tanner is 23-20 all-time vs. Clemson.

South Carolina (3-0) and Clemson (4-0) renew one of college baseball’s greatest rivalries and it is always great play on the diamond. Clemson is ranked in top 25 and I feel USC is getting no love b/c of their youth. I feel Carolina has something to prove this weekend!

Game 1 Pitcher 09 Stats
SC Sam Dyson (RHP, So.) – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 2 BB, 6 K
CU Trey Delk (RHP, Sr.) – 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 5.1 IP, 1 BB, 5 K

Game 2 Pitcher 09 Stats
SC Nolan Belcher (LHP, Fr.) – 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 4.0 IP, 4 BB, 4 K
CU Chris Dwyer (LHP, Fr.) – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.2 IP, 1 BB, 9 K

Here are the starting lineups:
USC:
Bradley – 9
Merrifield – 8
Jones – 3
Bangs – DH
Mack – 7
Crisp – 5
Dalles – 2
Haney – 6
Wingo – 4

Clemson:
A. Johnson – 8
Freeman – 4
Paulsen – 3
Parker – 9
Boyd – 7
Schaus – DH
Miller – 6
Nester – 2
Sanders – 5

Carolina will need to continue their strong play with not only good pitching from Dyson but hot bats. I hope Whit Merrifield, Jackie Bradley, Jr., Justin Dalles and DeAngelo Mack come hungry. I would love to see a shut out but let’s just get those ‘Ws’!

update thread and feel free to post some comments—
-as of 2:40…it is a rain delay
-ok play began at 3:55pm on a soggy day
-USC winning 1-0 after 1 inning. Scored with a Merrifield triple to left-center and then Jones followed with a doubble over the LF’s head to push the runner home.
-SC still winning 1-0 after 3 innings. Dyson has forced CU to go 3 up 3 down in each of the 1st 3 innings. To the fourth.
-USC gets runners on 1st and 3rd but get nothing to show for it. still 1-0, btm 4th
-To the 5th, CU has gone 12 up 12 down
-Move now to the 6th, USC still winning 1-0
-Clemson’s Matt Sanders, the No. 9 hitter for Clemson, smacked a solo HR to LF to make it a 1-1 game
-We go to the B7 with the score tied at 1-1
-full count with 2 on, 1 out….ball 4 bases loaded for CU, tanner changes pitchers again, Tanner brings in Farotto, 3rd P of game for USC as we have seen Dyson then Belcher………5 4 3 double play!!!! Farotto is the man.
-1-1 and now its the T8
– 3 up 3 down for CU as USC bats have gone cold….to the B8
-T9 we enter with score still 1-1
-D MACK HITS HR !!!! His 3rd of the year!
Gamecocks now winning 2-1 with 1 out in the top of the 9th
Back 2 back singles, 2 on, 1 out in T9 with SC winning 2-1
Crisp scores on another single, 3-1 !
-We go now to the B9 with CU up and in need of a tiger rally. CAROLINA WINNING 3-1 and needs 3 outs
-USC P Farotto still pitching for the gamecocks, Kyle Parker gets a walk, passed ball as Dalles loses it…Parker to 2nd base, 1 out, tigers have tying run at plate….Wilson Boyd gets out, Parker to 3rd base, 2 down for CU as Shouse up, Farotto still in and needing 1 out to close out this game, first pitch breaking ball…hit to P……gunned out at 1st

Gamecocks win….3-1