Sweep! Bulldogs nip USC

COLUMBIA — Regardless of what this Citadel baseball team does from here on out, it has made history in 2009.

With an extra-inning victory at Carolina Stadium on Wednesday night, the Bulldogs became the first Citadel team since 1961 to beat South Carolina twice in a season.

"It's good for our ballplayers," Citadel coach Fred Jordan said. "Every now and then, the underdog jumps up and does something. We're just glad to be part of it."

The Citadel plated two in the 11th to pull the 5-3 upset with the winning run coming in on a Sonny Meade single to center, which was mishandled by USC's Whit Merrifield.

The hit and error plated Bryan Altman, the No. 2 hitter who was 4-for-6 on the night.

"Altman must be hitting .800 against us in his career," South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said.

The Bulldogs beat the Gamecocks, 12-5, on March 31 at Riley Park.

The series sweep had the looks of a meant-to-be event.

South Carolina had the bases loaded with one out in the 10th and the bases full with none out in the 11th — and The Citadel escaped both times.

In the 10th, USC cleanup hitter Jackie Bradley grounded into a double play. In the 11th, reliever Raymond Copenhaver got pinch hitter Brady Thomas to line out to first, pinch-hitter Michael Roth to pop out behind second and Merrifield to ground out to second.

"It blows my mind," Bradley said of the final two innings for USC. "Everyone's not going to come through every time. We've got to accept it and move on."

USC (24-13) hosts Auburn this weekend in a vital SEC series. The Citadel travels to UNC Greensboro.

It's already been a weird week for the Bulldogs (21-14), who lost Tuesday night to Savannah State.

Beyond the dramatic finish, The Citadel also might have found another arm it can lean on. The Bulldogs were only looking for three or four innings out of freshman starter T.J. Clarkson, who had only pitched in four games and made three starts coming in. Those starts, although successful, were against Quinnipiac, Air Force and Charleston Southern.

So, clearly, South Carolina provided a step up for the South Floridian.

But he responded. Oddly enough, he found his curve and hit his stride after a fifth inning in which he was almost pulled.

Clarkson retired nine consecutive Gamecocks from the sixth to eighth innings, striking out three batters. He struck out seven, a new high for the rookie right-hander.

Clarkson left a 3-3 game after an arm-numbing 134 pitches, laboring to put The Citadel in position for the victory.

It was only the third time in 23 games this year, and second time by a non-conference team, that the Gamecocks have been held without a homer at their new home park.

"They're good," Tanner said of the Bulldogs. "They're always better against us."

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the South Carolina blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/gamecocks.