Feb. 26, 2006
Box Score
Columbia, S.C. - South Carolina showed why it's Baseball America's number 13 program in the nation, beating visiting Duquesne 12-4 Sunday afternoon at Sarge Frye Field to sweep the Dukes in the Red and Blue's opening three-game series.
Sophomore catcher Derek Mechling (Homer City, PA / Homer Center) drove in two runs with a triple and junior Joe Berletic (Jefferson Hills, PA / Thomas Jefferson) went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Senior Steve Maiolo (Pittsburgh, PA / Mt. Lebanon) scored two runs for the 0-3 Dukes.
As in game one, the Gamecocks (8-1) rushed out to an early lead, this time 5-0 after three innings. The Dukes got back into the game with three runs in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Eric Morrison (Pittsburgh, PA / Bethel Park) opened the frame with a double and scored on Berletic's single to left. Maiolo followed with a single to right advancing Berletic to third. Both runners scored on Mechling's triple putting the score at 5-3 with no outs in the inning. Starting and winning pitcher Forrest Beverly struck out the next three batters to end the Duquesne threat.
South Carolina returned the lead to five runs as they scored three in the bottom of the fourth. two coming from Justin Smoak's two-run homer.
Duquesne added one more run in the top of the sixth as Maiolo walked, moved to second on a balk, took third on a wild pitch and scored on sophomore Aaron Janusey's (Venetia, PA / Peters Township) ground out to first.
USC added three in the bottom of the frame and one in the eighth for the 12-4 victory. Smoak was involved in all five of South Carolina's scoring efforts. The freshman first baseman was 3-for-3, with 5 RBI, 2 walks and 4 runs scored.
Beverly (3-0) picked up the win while DU's sophomore hurler Jeremy Gerger (Madison, OH / Madison) was charged with the loss. Junior Travis Rife (York, PA / Dallastown) and sophomore Joe Kaye (Pittsburgh, PA / Penn Hills) each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
Senior pitcher Scott Chisholm (Pittsburgh, PA / North Hills) had the best pitching effort for the Dukes this weekend, tossing four scoreless innings and holding a 1-0 lead, the only time DU was in front, in the part of game 2 played Saturday before rain halted play.
The three players who led DU's offense in this game also put up DU's best numbers in the trio of contests. Berletic had three hits, Maiolo scored twice and Mechling's two RBI led DU's offense in this challenging 2006 opener against the perennially powerful Gamecocks.
Duquesne heads south to Bradenton, Fla. for their annual spring session in warmer climes with eight collegiate games between Saturday, March 4th and Sunday March 12th. The Dukes open against Mount St. Mary's (2-0) at 7:00 p.m. next Saturday and will play an exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. While in Bradenton, the spring training home of the Buccos, Duquesne will also face Bowling Green (2-0), Holy Cross (0-0), Villanova (2-4), Toledo (2-0), Connecticut (2-1), Central Michigan (2-3) and Fairfield (0-3).
