Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

GAME i i??b?BBB?w?aiwwi k Series Continues Tonight At Miami Hurric. By MIKE LOUGH Sports Writer As he headed into his office to face the press, USC Head Baseball Coach June Raines was not smiling. As a matter of fact, he seemed slightly confused. There was a reason to be. His 16th ranked baseball team was just bombed by the University of Miami^ 11-3, Wednesday night. "We got crushed Raines deadpanned. "It was one of those nights." It was one of those nights, and Raines can't help but pray that is was the last disaster of the season. Joe Kucharski started on the mound for the Gamecocks and sat down the Hurricanes' first three batters. Not until the eighth inning with Larry Price on the mound would Miami be disposed of with such ease. Larry Hernandez began what soon showed signs of being a successful outing for USC by lining a double to right center in the Gamecocks' half of the first inning. Jeff Swindell walked and Greg Morhardt's fielder's choice grounder forced Swindell while putting Hernandez on third. Catcher Chris Boyle then rocketed a fastball under the legs of Miami Ditcher Sam Sorce to srnrp Hpmandp? Aftoi- o Harvey Heise pop fly, designated hitter Neil Fox blooped an RBI single to right. USC led 2-0 after one, and the overflow crowd of 4,600 reeked of overconfidence. That was soon shattered. Sorce opened Miami's second inning with a single to center and Orlando Artiles grounder put him on second. Sorce took third on a Kucharski wild pitch and scored on Javier Valezquez'fly to center. USC scored again in the second when centerfielder Phillip Wilson jumped on Sorce's first delivery of the inning and planted it over the left field fence. Miami came back with one in the third on a Calvin James CinOlo fn onntnr 1 111,T ' 1 * , J.LU1UU uasu, anu an hbi single oy iirst baseman Steve Lusby. -I BL : I ' ~ '' BwliirtJSB^BBHMBBsSg y y :;>^^ft^^v :: :jX/::':^:^ my 1 !3 !f:' ' C:: PNfS.? .** wis.** . .? -,r-.. Stair Photobyt,At/ftA Wli.UNO _ Gamecock outfielder Philip Wilson is pntlfTrn ifllln ^ o<1 afl/kt* c/tA*?]nrf J~ * ' 1 ? vvm^i d^uiaKvu aiwi BVUI H15 III VVCUIieSQdy night's crushing defeat by Miami. USC continues the series tonight. cock m 7:30 p.m. anes Abuse Gai The joy was dampened for the Gamecocks and the crowd in . the fifth inning and was completely taken away in the sixth. \A7lfVl AnA Allf in flff ^ To*V?/\r? ??i rv*%/\/4 TT 1VI Jl U&1U UUL in llic 111 til, UdlllCd I 1|J[A^U <X U 1JJ1C IV Ilgllk center then scored when Lusby's infield chopper was mishandled by Kucharski. Sorce proceeded to send a Kucharski pitch over the right-centerfield fence for his seventh home run of the year. Now Miami was on top, 6-3. After the sixth inning ended, there was a mass exodus for the exits. Catcher Nelson Sanovenia greeted USC reliever Jeb Babel with a single to right and Valezquez pushed him to second with a blooper to right. A walk to Phil Lane loaded the bases and another free pass to Bill Wrona made it 7-3. Un to the nlatp stpnnpH .lamPQ Tho ennhnmnrn nn _ r A 11V ?JV|/lIVlllV/i V, VY IIV/ counted for eight Miami runs by the time it was over, sent the second offering of new reliever Mark Werner out of the park for a grand slam and the game. It was the fifth homer of the year for James, who, as Raines put it, "just killed us." Miami plated another run in the eighth on a single by reserve Doug Shields, who moved to third before a fly by, who else but, Calvin James, scored him. "When he gets hot, he's very tough," commented UM coach Ron Fraser. "Tonight, fortunately, he was hot." USC had a chance to rally in the sixth when it loaded the bases with one but failed to score. James finished the day three-for-five with five RBI, while Source, who got relief help from Dan Smith in the ninth, was three-for-four with two runs and two RBI. On the mound, source surrendered eight hits, three earned runs and three walks while fanning one. Lusby had three hits in five trips with two RBI. "Sorce is just a fine athlete," Raines commented. "He's a good pitcher nd a good hitter, he was doing what he had to do? throw strikes. "You've got to give their hitters credit," he continued. "We got the ball up and they hit it hard." Miami Coach Fraser concurred. "Sam is a very versatile athlete," Fraser said. "He can and does play all nine positions. He can catch, play outfield, and he can hit." Although disappointed with the loss, Raines remained ever optimistic. "We have to do better," he said firmly. "We've got to do well in this series and I know Miami feels the same way. We're both playoff contenders. Raines did see one bright spot? the pitching of freshman Larry Price The lefthander came on to open the seventh inning. Werner came on for Babel after the latter faced four batters in the sixth. Werner finished the inning. Price came on and struck out four while giving up just two hits. "Yes, I'd call that a bright spot and there weren't very many," Raines said, almost able to force a smile. "He pitched three excellent inninps of hasohall for no - *V? UO UIIU Will UC u good pitcher for us." And based on Miami's powerful lineup, they need good pitching. Softballers To Mt By JOIINNY BOGGS They're a good ballclub." Sports Editor Drake said the team is very excited because the use Softball Coach Terri Gamecocks have most of Drake takes her Lady their players back for the Gamecocks to Florence first time all year. Saturday to meet the "We're really glad to have Francis Marion College Debbie Rohr and Amy Lyons Lady Patriots in a back at the short-second doubleheader. combination," Drake "We were rained out in the praised. "They're Texas A & M Invitational tremendous." and we haven't played in a while, so we don't know how Cindi Wallace and Cindi we'll play," Drake com- Ward, posting records of 10-2 mented. and 9-1, respectively, will be "We know Francis Marion the starting pitchers for the is real competitive and Lady Gamecocks. always tough," Drake . continued. "We'll have to go Wallace, the only senior on after them real hard. the team, will be awarded necocks, 11-3 - ? Staff Photo by LAURA WILUNI) USC pitcher Joe Kucharski fires a pitch to Miami Hurricane Calvin James. James proved to be a catalyst in the 11-3 Miami rout. GAMECOCK-MIAMI NOTES: The loss was USC's second at home this year and the seven run difference was the second largest marein for losino fnr ncr- t.u_ u; * _ ? ? 0 uuv/ uiiij ^cdi. x nt; uiggesi was a 14-0 embarrassment at the hands of UNC-Wilmington . . . The USC rotation for the rest of the series, according to Haines will be: Don Gordon last night, Mark Calvert tonight and possibly Dennis Lubert in Saturday's 1 p.m. game. "It depends on how he (Lubert) feels," Raines said. Lubert has been botherd by back problems recently and didn't make the trip last weekend to Clemson . . . Chris Boyle was about the only offensive cog for USC, banging out two hits in four trips. He's the leading USC hitter at .367 . . . Miami went with Mike Kasnravak in l^ct nir?Mv j ... .uuv infill o game dim will probably go with freshman Rob Souza tonight against Calvert . . . The crowd of 4,600 was USC's highest home crowd this year. Similar crowds are expected for the rest of the series . . . Miami is now 36-11 while USC, 16th in the latest polls, falls to 25-8. ^et FMC Saturday mi the Outstanding Female Saturday. College Athlete award, During the tournament, Monday night in Newport, use will face such comVa. petitors as Michigan State, . . 4. . Indiana State, and Western . re oping to up their Michigan University, win-loss record, Drake sa'd. Then the Lady Gamecocks "We've been working hard face Winthrop April 27 at with our hitting," Drake . J in another added and said she is hoping doubleheader. that will give her On the first weekend in Gamecocks an edge in May, Carolina will face the 1 - ? omuruay sgame. national women's softball After the FMC contest, team, the Orlando Rebels, Carolina travels to national ASA fast pitch Bloomington, Ind. for the champions, in two sets of Indiana IJnivprsitv In- exhibition doubleheaders. vitational Tournament next Game times for the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday contest at Francis Marion are 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.