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Sports k J $ THE GAMECOCK Monday, April 18,1988 Rouiitre (ianiccock leftficlder Adrian Adkins had I USC's Beats* B> JIM STUCKKY B Assistant sports editor p In baseball, a relief pitcher is ai usually known as a "fireman." A pood relief pitcher has to come s; out ol ihe dugout during the late inn- c; ings ol a close game while the other team is playing well. The reliever has tl !o stifle opposing batters under tense si eircumstances until the last out is c< In othet words, the fireman needs la to ho able to put out the fire in the h other team. si When a reliever conies into a game ir with his team ahead and stops the opposition from winning, he earns n <i sa\e. cj I S( reliever Brian Beatson, by H earning nine saves this season, has o: . M'\i die distinction of" being the i.-mccocks designated fireman. si Beatson seems to be well on his pi ss.1 \ to breaking a USC season record li'-'d In former pitcher Jeff Twitty. I. 1 \stt\ had 10 saves in the 1979 A M'-Oil. R . h ? ?.i^nhninnrp fmm VI :mnirtn rl i . . .1 bicvik another record as well. . . L a career record is 15 saves by y< f jnagaB^^Ste VwTflTjB: :' 1 e, Game - _L eh^B Four RBIs Sunday and extended his hitting on douses oj obby Kish. Kish got his record after she laying in 53 games in the 1979, 1980 sui iid 1981 seasons. slo All Beatson needs is seven more ives to put his name into the USC Be. weer record books. wit "I was just able to come in and do le job I'm supposed to do," Beat- rig in said. "And the record is just tin sming with it." gli Beatson didn't put out many fires so ist season. He won one game, but rel ad a 6.14 earned run average and :ven walks in only 14 and two-thirds sin mings. sut In addition to his impressive ( umber of saves this season, Beatson mc in tell a different story this season. wh lc has the best earned run average fas n the team at 1.88. Gamecock head coach June Raines ed iid lie is pleased with Beatson's scl rogress. ter "Last year, our top save man was ed ee What ley, who had seven saves. ,nd we thought he did a great job," te? aines said. "He (Beatson) is a great fa< loser," Raines said. The fireman is having his best year te< et after having surgery on his right fir A 3 stao jinacj f 'Che American Hx virtually anywhere or a leather a bookstore c andafte v la. College " ~ ' " ' HI ') 'l( ' ;:''y to m k jcocks r He c 1 ( r d 8 1 C c I 'iJiuMwwwjwwiiBil c BHlAh $AiiL3>/The Gamtx-ock streak to 14 consecutive games. iposition julder this past year. He said the gery on his pitching arm isn't wing him down at all. 'I've come back a lot better," atson said. "The trainer worked :h me over the summer." rhe 5-foot-9-inch, 180-pound hthander may not look like an inlidating relief pitcher at first ince. He said even friends metimes tease him because ievers are usually a lot taller. "A lot of people crack on me, as all as I am," he said. "It's kind of prising." Dpposing batters arc probably >re surprised than anyone else ien Beatson throws his trademark itball. Beatson said his fastball was clock- i at 87 mph when he was still in high 100I. He isn't sure that it has got\ any faster than that since he jointhe Gamecocks. But this season, Beatson is iching the opposition a baseball :t of life. When a came Rets too hot. cverv im needs someone to put out the e. I m it x >wd press* Card gets an outstanding welcome you shop, whether it's for a leather jacket -bound classic. Whether you're bound for )r a beach in Bermuda. So during college r, it's the perfect way to pay for just about everything you'll want. How to get the Card now. Ls the first sign of success. And because we ,'ve in your potential, we've made it easier get the American Kxpress Card right now. \Y/lmtlmr o rnn ap /ir minim j\ju it, a iivoiiiuaii, xiiiui ui ,rad student, look into our new automatic approval offers. For details, pick up an application on campus. Or call l-K(X) THK-CARI) and ask for a student application. The American Kxpress Card. Don't teave School Without It8" TRA&/EL RELATED SERVICES now do tv U'AVNF WASII!IMnTn\ Iports editor Pitcher Brian Rountrcc did his awnmower impersonation, and the 3amecocks collected 12 hits as USC ompleted a scries sweep of Virginia rech Sunday with a 10-1 rout. The victory improved the Metro Conference-leading Gamecocks' ecord to 28-12 overall. Rountrce systematically mowed lown the Hokies, pitching the entire ;ame and striking out eight Virginia rech players. The 6-foot-4-inch junior gave the jamccocks their second consecutive omplete game. Gamecock relief pitcher Brian Jeatson picked up his ninth save Saturday as USC won the first game >f the scries 10-6. Joe Cardwcll pitchid a complete game, allowing only wo hits while striking out 10 Hokics n helping the Gamecocks win the se:ond game, 7-0. Rountree was nearly Cardwell's 711 ? ?**? ?* nn> "i* 11 II i * ** flu IjfljLjBfj^Bfl^RflHLufk Gamecock pitcher Brian Rountree ov< PJrnffir MAY ! If you have (NDSL)/PERKINJ SIONS STUDEN be leaving at the an EXIT INTERVI for the loan(s) b< ] transcript. I For your conve INTERVIEWS ir BUILDING, I Please brina v< ? J to complete a Li FAILURE TO AT TERVIEWS will academic record your diploma I wn VP! match Sunday. He set the pace early, striking out the first two batters he faced. But then the Hokies drew blood when Alan El-Amin doubled to right center. Trey McCoy walked, and Casey Waller brought in El-Amin with a single to right to make the score 1-0. The Hokic celebration was brief, as was their show of offensive punch. In the next inning with Hardin Brown on first base, Gamecock fans did their chicken routine, chanting "balk, balk." The umpire complied, calling a balk that advanced Brown to second. After first baseman Brian Williams popped out. Gamecock left fielder Adrian Ad kins nailed a line drive home run to left field, his 11th of the season. Not to be outdone, Garrett Carter, who also came into the game with 10 homers, nailed a Virginia Tech pitch erpowered Virginia Tech with eight sti GRf?DU< and/or iFER STC! received a NA1 3, NURSING OR H T* LOAN while enroll end of this semest EW to set up the Re afore you can recei snience, we will con i the WILLIAMS Room 127, THURSDAY, APR TIMES 2:30 PM, 4:i FRIDAY, APRIL 2 TIMES: 2:00 PM ? )ur address book as DAN INTERVIEW c TEND ONE OF THI allow us to place Is which will prevent ana win aeiay tl ients should call 77 that you will be lea I, 10-1 to the same spot, making the score Adkins has a 14-game hitting r streak, and Carter has hit a home run ^ in three consecutive games. Rountree continued to get the Hokies to ground out, pop out and, of course, strike out. In the third inning, Rountree walked Mike Contc and gave up a single to El-Amin, putting men on first and third base with no outs. After getting McCoy to fly out. Rountrec struck out tne next iwo oaitcrs to close out the inning. USC head baseball coach June Raines was pleased with Rountrce's overpowering performance. "After a shaky first inning, he settled down and pitched a great ball game," he said. "You never figure to ^ shut down a good ballclub like this." The Gamecocks, who sport a 11-3 conference reeoru, travel 10 runuaii to take on the Paladins. Jr hP vV'-' ,W;Vf rv hKlAN SALil.S/The Gamecock rikeouts Sunday at Sarge Frye Field. y \ FiTES DENTS o "IONAL DIRECT IEALTH PROFESed at USC and will er, you must have payment Schedule % i /*\ r\ rJ i I /n m ^ vt; d uipiuiMd ui d I duct GROUP EXIT I BRICE NURSING I as follows: ;| IL 21 I 00 PM and 5:30 PM I ind 3:30 PM | you will be required luestionnaire form. E GROUP EXIT INa HOLD on your you from receiving j Jture registration. ! 7-R140 hpfnrp Anril A