South Carolina’s Bondurant
Shuts Out Vanderbilt, 2-0 3/28/03
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior left-hander
Steven Bondurant (3-1) pitched a complete game five-hitter
and Kevin Melillo and Jon Coutlangus each posted RBI
singles as the Gamecocks defeated Vanderbilt, 2-0, Friday,
March 28 at Sarge Frye Field.
The win pulled the Gamecocks even with the Commodores
for third place in the Southeastern Conference Eastern
Division. South Carolina improves to 17-9 overall, 2-5
in the league. Vanderbilt drops its third consecutive
conference game by three runs or less to fall to 13-11
overall and 2-5 in league play.
Vanderbilt starter Jeremy Sowers (0-4) suffered another
tough defeat. The sophomore left-hander pitched the
entire game for the Commodores, scattering nine hits
(all singles), two runs (one earned) and two walks to
go along with eight strikeouts in eight innings.
Bondurant scattered five hits and struck out seven
without a walk.
Single runs in the second and fourth innings proved
to be enough for the Gamecocks. South Carolina took
an early 1-0 lead in the second frame when Melillo’s
hit to right field dropped underneath a diving Ryan
Godfrey, scoring Justin Harris from second base. The
Gamecocks added a second run in the fourth inning. With
two outs and runners on first and third base, Coutlangus
legged out a single that hit sharply off the leg of
Sowers on the mound to score Michael Campbell.
Vanderbilt recorded only five hits on the night and
placed two runners in scoring position. Cesar Nicolas
singled with one out in the fourth inning. One out later
Warner Jones singled through the right side of the infield
to put runners on first and second. But after a wild
pitch by Bondurant moved Nicolas to third base, Tony
Mansolino struck out looking to end the Vanderbilt threat.
Three innings later in the seventh, Jones doubled
down the third-base line with one out. But Mansolino
flied out to left field and Mickey Kropf filed out to
right field to end the inning.
Jones posted three of Vanderbilt’s five hits
on the night. Coutlangus led South Carolina hitters
with a 2-for-3 night at the plate.
The series continues with game two, Saturday at 4
p.m. It concludes Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
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