Tarheels Dealt First Loss of Tourney

But that doesn't count the six runs the Gamecocks picked up in the top of the first inning to give them the 9-6 win.

USC lit up UNC starting pitcher Daniel Moore for five runs on four hits and he could not record a single out.

It got ugly before the 5,727 fans settled in under the scorching sun at Sarge Frye Field. USC's Drew Meyer singled to right on Moore's first pitch. Steve Thomas doubled to left, scoring Meyer, and then Yaron Peters crushed a two-run home run to left-center to give the Gamecocks an early 3-0 lead.

After allowing two more batters to reach base, Moore's day was over.

He threw seven pitches.

UNC coach Mike Fox called on Carter Harrell to extinguish the flames. Harrell retired the first two batters he faced. Landon Powell then belted a three-run homer to right field to extend the Gamecock lead 6-0.

"That was a big inning for us," said USC coach Ray Tanner. "(UNC was) going to come storming back... There were a lot of frames left."

Tanner was right - sort of. North Carolina (41-20) was able to score two runs in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by Sean Farrell and an RBI single by Jeremy Cleveland.

South Carolina's bats cooled down following Peters' solo home run in the top of the second. His two home runs on the day gave him 24 on the year, a new single-season Gamecock record.

"It's just an unbelievable honor," Peters said. "I didn't even know I'd broke the record."

Trailing 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth, the Tar Heels started their rally. A bases-loaded sacrifice fly, a wild pitch, and Russ Adams' two-run single brought North Carolina to within one, 7-6.

But no more Tar Heels would cross home plate. With Gamecocks on second and third and two outs in the top of the eighth, UNC coach Mike Fox called for an intentional walk on USC designated hitter Trey Dyson, a .278 hitter who was 0-2 on the day, to load the bases.

Center fielder Justin Harris made Fox pay by hitting a two-run double, giving the Gamecocks a 9-6 lead.

"(We were) just playing percentages," Fox said. "We really just wanted to go right-right. He got a good swing on it and hit it hard enough through the hole."

Harris admitted he had extra incentive to get a hit following the intentional walk.

"Yeah, not to mention I'd struck out twice before that," Harris said. "I've been struggling a little offensively all year, and I just wanted to make a contribution to the team."

USC's Blake Taylor relieved John Wesley, who'd thrown three innings of no-hit ball, with two on and two out in the ninth, and closed out the game to record his nation-leading 20th save of the season.

"I'm just ecstatic to be where we are," Tanner said. "I knew this was going to be a great game, a hard-fought game and we were able to do enough to win."

With the loss, the Tar Heels were forced to play another game Saturday night. They beat James Madison 9-7, forcing a rematch with South Carolina Sunday afternoon.

In order to advance to the NCAA Super Regional, the Tar Heels had to beat South Carolina twice. They won the first game 8-4, but fell in the elimination game 3-1 to close out the 2002 season at 43-21.

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.