Homers Propel USC To 2nd Game Victory Over LSU

Home runs by Michael Campbell and Kevin Melillo paced a four-run fourth inning and David Marchbanks worked seven and 2/3 innings to record his sixth win of the season, as No. 20 USC defeated No. 10 LSU 8-5 in the second game of a SEC baseball series. SC improves to 20-11 on the year and 5-6 in the SEC while the loss drops LSU to 20-10-1 and 8-2-1 in the conference. The rubber game of the three-game series is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the Louisiana Sports Network ...

Fresh off his first career complete game in last Sunday's win vs. Vanderbilt, Marchbanks was effective striking out six batters while walking none and allowing just three runs scattering 10 hits. The junior left-hander is now 6-2 on the season for Carolina. LSU starter Bo Pettit took the loss for the Tigers, his first of the season, and is now 5-1 on the year. Pettit worked five innings and allowed six runs on six hits while striking out six batters and walking five.

Tied 1-1 entering the fourth inning, Carolina used the long ball to score four runs off Pettit and take a 5-1 lead. Carolina led of the inning with a walk to Trey McDaniel and a single by Justin Harris setting the table for Michael Campbell. The freshman from Winchester, Va. drove the first pitch from Pettit over the left center field wall for his fourth home run of the year putting the Gamecocks on top 4-1. Carolina increased the lead to 5-1 with two outs as sophomore Kevin Melillo launched his third home run of the year over the right center wall.

USC used a RBI double from McDaniel in the fifth and a RBI single by Landon Powell to increase the Gamecock lead to 7-1. Aaron Hill hit his third home run of the year off Marchbanks in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 7-2. Tim Seaton's sacrifice fly in the seventh brought the Gamecock lead back to six runs at 8-2 before a RBI single from LSU in the eighth cut the Carolina lead to 8-3. LSU got two more runs in the ninth inning off reliever Chris Hernandez. LSU outhit the Gamecocks 13-10 despite the outcome. Melillo, Harris and Brian Buscher each had two hits to lead the Gamecocks while Aaron Hill finished the game 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle with three RBI to lead the Bayou Bengals.

South Carolina wasted no time getting out the scoreboard taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. After walks to Jon Coutlangus and Melillo, Buscher doubled to left field to score Coutlangus. LSU tied the game 1-1 in the bottom half of the third inning. With one out LSU had back-to-back doubles from J.C. Holt and Aaron Hill to knot the game at one apiece.

Kevin Melillo finished the game with nine assists, a new school record for assists in a game by a Carolina second baseman.