FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
South Carolina 7 James Madison 5
Raleigh, N.C. – Reese Havens’ two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted South Carolina to a 7-5 win over James Madison in NCAA Regional action in Raleigh, N.C. on Sunday afternoon. The win eliminates JMU from the tournament and puts the Gamecocks in a game with NC State later this evening with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm at Doak Field. Carolina is now 40-22 on the year. The 40-win total marks the ninth straight season that the Gamecocks have recorded 40-plus victories, the only SEC school to accomplish the feat from 2000-08. James Madison’s season ends with a 39-19 record.
The ninth inning was full of dramatics before Havens’ home run as the Gamecocks entered the frame with a 5-3 lead. JMU would however tie the game in the ninth inning scoring both runs with two outs on a RBI double from Chris Johnson. The Dukes got a one-out single from Matt Browning and a single with two outs by Lee Bujakowski to set the stage for Johnson. Down to his final strike against Gamecock reliever Mike Cisco, Johnson knocked a double into right center that scored both Browning and Bujakowski and tied the game at five apiece. Cisco battled to get out of the inning though as he induced David Herbek into a line out to Havens at shortstop to preserve the tie and set up the heroic bottom of the ninth. Scott Wingo reached base to lead off with a single to left field. Havens worked JMU reliever Kyle Hoffman to a full count before launching the game-winning homer to right field and putting the Gamecocks into the next game.
South Carolina Recap
James Madison Recap
NC State 2 South Carolina 1
RALEIGH, N.C. – Five NC State pitchers held South Carolina’s powerful offense to just three hits Sunday night to beat the Gamecocks, 2-1, and win an NCAA regional championship for just the third time in school history.
Sophomore Sam Brown (4-1) got the victory and junior Alex Sogard pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings for his first career save, continuing stellar bullpen performances for the Wolfpack. Since blowing a two saves in the same game against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament, the Wolfpack bullpen has pitched 15 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.
The Wolfpack (41-20) got its offense from outfielder Jeremy Synan, who hit a home run in the fifth and an RBI-single by Matt Payne.
NC State Recap
South Carolina Recap
