BATON ROUGE — No. 5 South Carolina completed a sweep of 15th-ranked LSU on Sunday, outlasting the Tigers in a pitchers’ duel by a score of 2-1 at Alex Box Stadium.
LSU (20-10, 2-7) dropped its seventh straight decision to the Gamecocks, dating back to the 2004 College World Series. The Gamecocks (26-3, 8-1) won their ninth game in a row and maintained their lead in the SEC Eastern Division.
LSU hosts Southern at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Alex Box Stadium. Right-hander Michael Bonura (1-0, 3.94) is slated to start on the mound.
After being outscored 30-6 in the first two games of the series, the Tigers remained in striking distance Sunday behind a superb outing from right-hander Derik Olvey.
“We were more competitive today because of our pitching,” said head coach Smoke Laval. “He really threw a gem, but they were opportunistic with their four hits today. They got hits when they needed hits and that’s the bottom line.”
Olvey (5-1) fired his first career complete game, limiting USC to four hits and two runs (one earned) while recording a career-high 11 strikeouts.
The unearned run in the top of the seventh proved to be the difference as Olvey suffered his first loss of the season.
The Gamecocks held the Tigers to six hits and a run. Third baseman Will Harris went 2-for-2, but LSU stranded a season-high 13 base runners.
USC’s Wynn Pelzer (2-0) earned the win with 4.1 scoreless innings of relief. Pelzer has not allowed a run in his last 11 innings.
Starter Forrest Beverly allowed the Tigers’ only run on a one-out sacrifice fly by J.T. Wise in the fifth. Wise drove in second baseman Nick Pontiff, who doubled to start the frame.
Olvey retired 10 straight from the end of the second into the top of the sixth before issuing a leadoff walk to right fielder Cheyne Hurst. He then induced what looked to be a double-play groundball from centerfielder Michael Campbell but shortstop Michael Hollander misplayed it for an error.
Hurst took third and USC put runners at the corners with one out. However, Olvey was able to retire Hurst at home with a fielder’s choice groundout from third baseman Neil Giesler.
The Gamecocks tied the game at 1-1 on left fielder Robbie Grinestaff’s grounder to first, enabling Campbell to touch home with the unearned run.
Second baseman Andrew Crisp provided the game-winning single in the seventh with an RBI hit through the middle off of Olvey.
The Tigers had chances to tie and take the lead but could not manufacture a timely hit when they needed it most.
First baseman Jordan Mayer struck out with two runners on in the seventh. Left fielder Bruce Sprowl was part of a strikeout and a caught stealing in the eighth in which pinch runner Chris McGhee was thrown out at second.
Pelzer overcame two walks and a bases-loaded situation in the ninth to preserve the victory. He induced a fly ball from Mayer to end the game, stranding the tying and winning runs at second and third.
South Carolina 2, LSU 1 (Apr 02, 2006 at Baton Rouge, La.)
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South Carolina…… 000 001 100 – 2 4 0 (26-3, 8-1 SEC)
LSU………………… 000 010 000 – 1 6 1 (20-10, 2-7 SEC)
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Pitchers: South Carolina – Beverly; Pelzer(5). LSU – Olvey.
Win-Pelzer(2-0) Loss-Olvey(5-1) T-2:37 A-7205