North Carolina State University Athletics
Havens' 9th-inning Blast Leads USC over JMU, 7-5
6/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Reese Havens hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give South Carolina a 7-5 victory over James Madison in a elimination game in the NCAA Raleigh Regional at Doak Field at Dail Park.
The Gamecocks went into the ninth with a 5-3 lead, but James Madison reserve Chris Johnson hit a pinch-hit double in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 5-5, opening the door for Havens to hit the game-winning home run.
"This game wasn't much different than what I expected," said South Carolina coach Ray Tanner. "I knew it would be a dogfight. James Madison came back from an eight-run deficit yesterday and Iknew when we jumped out, it wasn't going to be good enough. They came storming back and we were one pitch away from closing it out, and their guy hit a great pitch down in the strike zone for a double to tie it up.
"But we got Scott Wingo on and Reese was able to get one up. So we survived to play another game."
South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak hit two homers and drove in three runs earlier in the game, allowing the Gamecocks to build a 5-3 lead in front of 2,298 spectators in the day's opening game.
Smoak now has 23 home runs on the year, which is second most single-season total in South Carolina baseball history.
The Gamecocks (40-22) will now play NC State (40-20) at 6 p.m. If the Wolfpack wins, it will advance to next weekend's Super Regional round. If the Gamecocks win, the two teams will again tomorrow at 1 p.m. James Madison ends its season with a 39-19.
The Gamecocks went into the ninth with a 5-3 lead, but James Madison reserve Chris Johnson hit a pinch-hit double in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 5-5, opening the door for Havens to hit the game-winning home run.
| Raleigh, N.C., Regional | |
| Friday, May 30 | |
| Game 1: | |
| Game 2: NC State 6, James Madison 2 | |
| Saturday, May 31 | |
| Game 3: James Madison 13, | |
| Game 4: NC State 5, South Carolina 4 | |
| Sunday, June 1 | |
| Game 5: South Carolina 7, James Madison 5 | 1 p.m. |
| Game 6: NC State vs. South Carolina | 6 p.m. |
| Monday, June 2 (if necessary) | |
| Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser | 1 p.m. |
