Gamecocks tame Tigers on diamond

CLEMSON, S.C. - Brendan Winn thought he'd hit a harmless fly to left center. Instead, he gave South Carolina the jump in its yearly rivalry with Clemson.

Winn's drive cleared the fence at Doug Kingsmore Stadium near the 370-foot sign to break a 2-all tie and send the Gamecocks (14-1) to a 6-3 victory over the Tigers on Saturday.

"I didn't know it was going to be gone at all," Winn said of his eighth homer of the year. "I took off hoping to get a double out of it. But the wind helped out."

It was the second straight year the Gamecocks struck first in the four-game series on their rival's home field. The teams play again Sunday at South Carolina's Sarge Frye Field. They meet twice more this year, April 13th and April 20th, to conclude the series, first played in 1899.

Winn also had a sharp single up the middle in the third inning that caromed off second base and skipped into right that scored Michael Campbell, who led off with a double.

Winn missed South Carolina's 1-0 victory over Charleston Southern on Wednesday night with a lower back strain. He took X-rays Thursday, which came up negative, and was back at batting practice Friday in preparation to face the Tigers (5-6).

Winn called his back "good enough" to play when asked. It's hard to imagine the senior begging out of these games, which are some of the most highly charged and anticipated of the season.

South Carolina coach Ray Tanner was mindful of not using too many players who had no feel for facing Clemson. At his pregame meeting with pitching coach Mark Calvi, Tanner kept thinking as players were mentioned, "He hasn't been here before, he's a young guy who hasn't been a part of this rivalry."

"Clemson always has a great program and they've been very successful at Death Valley," Tanner said. "So you try and put the percentages in your favor a little bit."

With Aaron Rawl on the mound against Clemson, things usually go South Carolina's way.

Rawl (4-1), a senior, won his third career game against the Tigers, allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 2-3 innings.

Rawl thinks he's left his mark on this series. "It's good to come out with a win against them," he said. "We'll see what we can do at home."

Rawl worked out of his trickiest situation in the fifth inning. After allowing a game-tying double to Clemson's Taylor Harbin and walking Travis Storrer to load the bases, Rawl got powerful Kris Harvey on a swinging strikeout to end the threat.

Rawl needed some help from righty Jason Fletcher the next inning to make the victory stand up. Rawl gave up two-out walks to Stan Widmann and pinch-hitter John Ingram, which brought on Fletcher.

Pinch-hitter Jesse Ferguson hit a fly ball between outfielders that center fielder Michael Campbell grabbed on his knees for the third out.

Fletcher went the rest of the way for his first save of the season.

Cribb (1-1), perhaps best known for not allowing a run during his senior season at Lake View High, took the loss.

He says the Tigers won't press too much Sunday to rebound from the South Carolina defeat. After all, Clemson was swept by the Gamecocks in this home-and-home weekend series but won the final two contests to split things with South Carolina.

"You can't just put too much pressure on one game more than any other game," Cribb said. "We've just got to come out and play like we're capable of playing and get the job done."

The Gamecocks added their final two runs in the seventh on Campbell's RBI double off Clemson's 1958 College World Series sign in left and a bases-loaded walk to Corey Vanderhook.

All Clemson could muster down the stretch was a solo homer by Storrer, his second of the season.

South Carolina will start Zac McCamie, a perfect 4-0 this season, on Sunday. Clemson counters with Harvey (2-1), the son of former major leaguer Bryan Harvey.