University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
South Carolina
Vols Drop 5-3 Decision at South Carolina
May 12, 2002 | Baseball
May 12, 2002
Columbia, S.C. -- Walter Sevilla grounded out with the bases loaded as Tennessee's ninth inning rally came up short as the Volunteers dropped the series finale to the No. 4 South Carolina Gamecocks, 5-3, before a crowd of 3878 at Sarge Frye Field.
Matt Sternberg started the rally by singling to left center to start the frame. Following a ground out and a fly out, Jordan Czarniecki drew a walk while Nick Crowe reached on an infield single as the Vols loaded the bases. Blake Taylor, who worked the final three innings for his nation's leading 16th save, got Sevilla to ground out to third on the first pitch to end the threat.
Dennis Gomez (0-1), making his first start of the season and just his fourth appearance, struck out a career-high five over 4 2/3 innings in taking the loss for Tennessee (25-27, 10-17 SEC). He worked three no-hit innings to start the game, retiring the first seven hitters he faced.
He was lifted in the fifth following Brian Buscher's two-run single that capped a three-run fifth for the Gamecocks took a 5-1 lead. An unearned run in the third and another tally in the fourth on a double play gave South Carolina a 2-0 lead.
Beau Massey then came on and kept the Gamecocks in check over the final 3 1/3 innings, no-hitting South Carolina while issuing four walks and striking out two.
Likewise Steven Bondurant (6-3) also came out strong for South Carolina (39-11, 18-8 SEC) in picking up the victory. He shut out the Vols on two hits over the first four innings before yielding a run in the fifth on a Jordan Czarniecki single that plated Matt Sternberg to cut the lead to 2-1. Sternberg led off the frame with a seeing-eye single through the left side to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.
He was lifted with one out in the sixth following a two-run home run by Brandon Hopkins that pulled the Vols to within 5-3.
Tennessee winds up the regular-season with a three-game home series against Vanderbilt at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, May 17-19.
