COLUMBIA (WACH) -- South Carolina scored five runs in its final two at-bats and held off a furious Clemson rally in the ninth to earn a 5-4 victory Tuesday night in Greenville.With the win, South Carolina (9-1) earns a victory in the season series against the Tigers, getting a 6-3 win on Friday night in Columbia and falling by a 10-5 count on Sunday at Clemson (7-3). The Gamecocks have won four out of five against the Tigers and 14 of the last 20 in the series.
Clemson jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 4th thanks to a solo home run from Richie Shaffer.
The Gamecocks got four runs in the seventh, with the big blow a three-run home run by Jake Williams, and added one in the eighth to take a 5-1 lead.
Clemson would not go quietly in the ninth. Brad Miller and Jeff Schaus led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and a walk to Richie Shaffer loaded the bases with no out, leading to a call to the bullpen for Friday starter Michael Roth. However, Roth would give up a single to the only batter he faced as John Hinson drove in Miller to make it 5-2. Closer Matt Price would then relieve Roth, inducing a 4-6-3 double play that scored Schaus from third to make it 5-3 with two out. Clemson center fielder Will Lamb then laced one into the right field corner for an RBI triple, cutting the deficit to 5-4 and putting the tying run 90 feet away. But Price would bear down and catch pinch-hitter Jon McGibbon looking at strike three to end the ballgame.
USC returns to action Wednesday night (7pm, Carolina Stadium) against Davidson. Clemson is at Western Carolina Wednesday for a 4pm first pitch.
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