The 2nd ranked South Carolina Gamecocks beat the 15th ranked Clemson Tigers 9-6 on Saturday before a crowd of 8,242 at Carolina Stadium in Columbia. Adam Matthews hit a 3-run homer to lead an 11 hit attack for South Carolina. The Gamecocks clinched the three game series after winning the first two games which included a 3-2 victory in 11 innings on Friday in Charleston.
South Carolina trailed 2-0 heading to the bottom of the second. But the Gamecocks rallied to tie the game on an L.B. Dantzler solo homer and a Dante Rosenberg RBI ground out. Former St. James star Tanner English was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home the go-ahead run and cap a three run frame.
Matthews homered in the third inning to put South Carolina on top 6-2. Clemson cut the lead to 6-4 but the Gamecocks scored three more times to extend the lead. English, who went 2-for-4, led off the eighth inning with a bunt single. He stole second and scored on a Christian Walker double. Walker later scored to put South Carolina ahead 9-4.
Gamecocks freshman Evan Beal got his first collegiate victory in relief after setting down nine in a row. Beal allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts in four innings on the hill.
South Carolina has beaten Clemson in 16 of the last 22 meetings dating back to 2007. The final game of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium at Clemson. The Gamecocks improved to 9-0 while Clemson dropped to 4-4 on the season.
