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-sports "Gamecocks o\ By Kevin Sullivan The best time to be behind by five runs is in the first inning ? because there are nine chances to strike back. USC's baseball team needed only three of those chances to overtake Rnnticf PollAnA r?f nmriaoiAn ?* o . ? * ? v/viivgv v#* v/iiai ivoiuii i 1 iuaj iiigui m out # Frye Field. After a five-run first inning led by Buccaneer Robbie Bessinger's triple and Larry Coleman's home run, the Gamecocks came back in the third inning to take an 8-6 lead. USC cruised to a 19-7 rout. CAROLINA CATCHER Chris Boyle set a USC record by hitting three homers in one game. The York, Pa., native struck in the first, fifth and sixth innings. Left fielder Harvey Heise blasted a Chip Hall pitch over the center field trees, and Scott Mackie tagged a homer in the fifth inning. # "I was really pleased to come out of that first inning and win the game," USC Head Coach June Raines said. "After that first inning, we had 27 outs to go." The Gamecocks got two runs back in the bottom of the- first and exploded in the third inning with six runs. HEISE'S HOMER brought in John Sullivan. A series of passed balls and errors by Baptist and a two-run double by Mackie added to the streak. Kent Anderson finished the third-inning rally by crossing the plate on Art Finley's sacrifice. Raines replaced starting pitcher Larry Price in the fourth frame with winning pitcher Mike Werner. ? "Werner has come through for us all year," Raines said. "He's got a good curve ball and he's hard to hit. "CASEY REED (who finished the game) was a little jittery, but he kept control and did well." Werner, who entered the game with a 1.27 earned run average, improved his record to 5-0. The Gamecocks shelled four Buccaneer pitchers for 20 hits. Boyle led the offensive surge with four hits. Heise, Mackie and Keith Killian had three hits each. Killian ended his consecutive hitting streak at eight when he struck out in the fourth inning. JIM ST. LAURENT, Sullivan and Anderson added two hits each. In the third and fifth innings, Carolina batted around the order. ? "We've got some tough games coming up on the road." Raines said, "and I like to see the bats working well. I think the week off (because of rainouts) made us a little lazy, but the rain can happen to anybody." The Gamecocks lost to Georgia Southern 7-5 in Statesboro, ^j''-^w?P^^yWiii11 WfffclTiTiiijWIT^"^ v JBh^^ . ' ..^MMMSb I ; iMMjlMw- WtnBM8is j 'gl I _ _ ^ww* fi'wmmM H I Photo by Michael Becker A special jump **' A Darticioant in the broad iump competes in the Special Olympics held Friday at Weems Baskin track. More than 750 special education students competed ' irf the event. rarpower Bucc ? . ^UftBBiEl& 1K. JBsL^mBEF **' fi?^v gMffl^f' * Ga., Saturday, falling to 24-7 heading into yesterday's game against the Eagles. USC took an early lead in the first inning on Boyle's single. Boyle had three of Carolina's 11 hits. THE GAMECOCKS scored two more runs in the second frame, before Georgia Southern tied the game with three unearned runs in the third. Larry Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to give Carolina a 5-3 lead, but the Eagles tied it in their half of the inning. Play Spartanburg ton Columbia Mets lo From Staff Reports The Columbia Mets continue their ! home stand today and tomorrow when j they face Spartanburg. | >iiv mvio ivji iiivu nv/iiiv u^ciici niday to Greenwood 6-2 in the South Atlantic League contest before 2,217 spectators. The game marked the return of professional baseball to ColColumbia had a 3-5 record heading ojjoilauuuig. | IN FRIDAY'S game, the Pirates I \\ j broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth inning. Mets outfielder Paul Hollins, a . ^ former USC standout, is second in team batting with a .333 average behind Lou Thornton (.357). Rollins, who played for the Gamecocks 1978-81, had eight hits in 24 at bats with two runs scored and tw?,run/.batted4i?- , mm JHi uic iunuer /\ii-/\inericaii was oil the USC team that advanced to the |l|f Jp 1981 College World Scries and finished jM the year with a 46-15 record. W3 l* ^ HOLLINS HIT .400 during his f t senior year with 14 home runs and 65 RBI. As an outfielder, he had a .965 fielding average. Hollins signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates after he graduated, but was cut ?nr) HiH nnt nlnv last vpar Hollins' and Thornton's batting averages are ahead of the other Columbia players. Ken Harris is third in batting with a .250 average, and the team batting average is .190. Columbia Met TVia aflif Unonrl In ? ? . - nib mna, iwnnviiy uastu in jiiwujr, of f ret in hnn3W N.C., begin a three-game stand against a 11,511,1 rMUdy the Charleston Royals Wednesday. Following the I umbia takes to th< Capital City Park play a three-gair 'onpprc 1CL7 'VAi i v/ v# I \J lv/ f >v- ' slides safely into home in r:" }} a recent aame at Sarae // Frye Field. The k // ,JHH| Gamecocks blitzed Bap// tist College 19-7 Friday, I /> but lost on the road | Saturday at Georgia Southern. ^ mm Georgia Southern took the lead for good in the fifth inning when Gary Botti hit a two-run shot that proved to be the game winner. Senior right-hander Mark Calvert took the loss for Carolina, as he allowed all seven Eagle hits. Calvert fell to 4-4 for the year. Georgia Southern improved to 25-14. The Gamecocks travel to Rock Hill today to meet Winthrop. The Eagles are ranked fourth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics baseball poll. Game time today is 3 p.m. inht I *211 * se home opener Photo bv Jim Fl*ld*r s first baseman Andy Lawrence holds a Greenwood player night's home opener. The Mets lost 6-2 to the Pirates. loyals* series, Col- Gastonia Cardinals. : road, returning to The Mets play the Anderson Braves May 2 when they May 5-7. e series with the All night games begin at 7:30 p.m.