McNeill played at East Carolina in the late 70’s and he also served as an assistant coach there. He has been the at Texas Tech since 2000. He worked under Mike Leach and has been the Red Raiders defensive coordinator since 2007.  He also coached the team to a bowl win after Leach was fired last month.

Former Auburn coach Tommy Tubberville relieved McNeill of his duties when he was hired at Texas Tech earlier this month.

Former Clemson and USC assistant and current Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Stockstill was offered the Pirates job earlier this week, but he decided to turn it down and remain with the Blue Raiders.

Complete Story

The Gamecocks go the scoring stated in the second inning with a Whit Merrifield two out RBI single.  That scored Bobby Haney to give Carolina a 1-0 lead.

Carolina added five more in the third.  That included at two run homer by light hitting Scott Wingo.  The Pirates pulled starter Patrick Somers that inning. They turned to Chris Heston next but had to go to the bullpen again before the inning was over.  Bailey Daniels closed out the inning on the mound but the Gamecocks were ahead 6-0.

AUDIO: USC post East Carolina (9:34) 

(Ray Tanner, Whit Merrifield and DeAngelo Mack at the podium)

The Pirates got things going in the 5^th inning with a two run homer by second baseman Ryan Wood.  One batter later Gamecock starter Jay Brown was lifted for in favor of Parker Bangs.  Bangs managed to get the Carolina out of the inning without any further damage but the momentum had clearly started to change.

ECU picked up where it left off in the 5^th inning, scoring two more in the sixth and another pair of runs in the 7^th to cut the Gamecock lead to one at 7-6.  Parker Bangs didn’t make it out of the 7^th inning.  After giving up a leadoff single he was replaced by Alex Farroto.

The Gamecocks gave themselves some breathing room in the top of the 8^th inning.  Whit Merrifield led off with a single and Jackie Bradley Jr. followed that with a two-run blast over the right field wall.

But that wouldn’t be enough.  The Gamecocks missed a chance to pad the lead in the top of the 9^th leaving the bases loaded and ECU made them pay in the bottom of the inning.  After a leadoff walk, Curtis Johnson replaced Alex Farroto on the mound.  He walked the next hitter and then gave up a three run homer Devin Harris to tie the game at 9-9.

Justin Dalles reached on an error to lead off the top of the tenth inning for the Gamecocks.  He was sacrificed over to second by Brady Thomas but Andrew Crisp popped out to the shortstop and Bobby Haney grounded out to second to end the inning.

In the bottom of the tenth inning the Pirates got a one out double and put a runner on first after an intentional walk by the Gamecocks.  Johnson got one more out before Sam Dyson was brought in the face Harris.  Harris hit a 0-1 pitch into center field to drive home the winning run for the Pirates.

Harris drove in four runs in his final two at-bats to lead the Pirates to the comeback win.

Curtis Johnson took the loss for USC (2-1). Mike Wright earned the win for the Pirates.

USC finishes the season at 40-23. It is the second straight year they failed to advance to a Super Regional.

ECU got to Gamecock starter Nolan Belcher early.  A three-run shot in the first inning by DH Kyle Roller got the scoring started.  A solo home run by Dustin Harrington in the fourth and a grand slam in the 7^th by first baseman Brandon Henderson gave the Pirates an 8-0 lead and enough of a working margin to carry them the rest of the way.

The Gamecocks made it interesting in the ninth.  With one out and trailing 8-2, Justin Dalles hit a two run homer to cut the lead to 8-4.  Carolina managed to load the bases and Brady Thomas, inserted to pinch hit,  doubled in two more to cut the score to 8-6. That left runners on second and third with just one out.

But with Whit Merrifield popped out to first and Jeffery Jones flew out to center to end the ball game.

AUDIO: USC vs East Carolina post game (7:12)

(Gamecock coach Ray Tanner, outfielder Whit Merrifield, third baseman Andrew Crisp and pitcher Nolan Belcher at the podium)

The two teams will meet again Monday at 6:00 in a winner take all game.  Early indications are the Gamecocks plan to start right hander Jay Brown against the Pirates.

We’ll be here again on Monday and have complete coverage on SportsTalk and more  post game audio here on the site.

Blake Cooper went the distance on the mound and Justin Dalles and Adam Matthews provided the offensive fireworks to lead the Gamecocks to within one win of a Super Regional.

Cooper didn’t allow a run until the 8^th inning when East Carolina hit a two run homer.  He scattered 14 hits in his nine innings of work and managed to get out of several jams.  The Pirates left 12 runners on base.  Cooper struck out six and walked two.  It was his third complete game of the season.

Dalles had a monster night at the plate.  He went four for five with two home runs and seven RBI’s.  One of those home runs was a grand slam in the seventh inning the busted the game wide open.  The Gamecocks scored six runs that inning to take a 12-0 lead.

Matthews had his best day as a Gamecock.  Getting the start in the DH spot he went four for five with two home runs.  He  also scored three times.

The Gamecocks improve to 40-21 this season.  It is the tenth straight year the team has won 40 or more games.

East Carolina and Binghampton will play at 2:00 Sunday.  The winner will have to beat USC twice to advance.   Ray Tanner plans to start freshman lefty Nolan Belcher tomorrow.

Box Score

AUDIO: USC post East Carolina presser (9:30)

(USC baseball coach Ray Tanner along with starting pitcher Blake Cooper, catcher Justin Dalles and D.H. Adam Matthews)

East Carolina and Binghampton are scheduled to play at 10:00 this morning.  The loser will play George Mason at 2:00.  The winner of the East Carolina-Binghampton game will play USC at 6:00 tonight. 

Of course these times are tentative.  You can bet that things will run behind even if the weather is good (the forecast is better for Saturday but other than the 10:00 game all bets are off).

This is a tough break for East Carolina.  The Pirates should be able to handle outmanned Binghampton, but now they will  likely have to play two games Saturday.  The Gamecocks may have caught a break because they get to rest until the final game today.  Regardless of who wins the first game, Carolina is guaranteed to face a team playing its second game of the day.  

Rain or shine we will be here  to keep you up to date on all the action.

The Gamecocks will pitch sophomore right hander Sam Dyson (8-4, 5.31 ERA) this afternoon.  He will face George Mason ace and Louisville Slugger All-American Mike Modica (11-1, 4.17).

AUDIO: Sam Dyson on his start

Carolina comes into the game with a 38-21 record.  If they can muster two wins this weekend it will mark the tenth straight year that they’ve won 40 or more games.  George Mason is 42-12.  They won the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title this season.

The winner of today’s game will face the winner of East Carolina and Binghampton at 6:00 tomorrow.  The two losers today will play an elimination game at 2:00 Saturday. 

On Sunday, the winner of the elimination game will play the loser of the winners bracket game (the loser of the 6:00 game Saturday) at 2:00.  That will be an elimination game.  The winner of that game will have to beat the team that is 2-0 twice.   The first game will be Sunday at 6:00.  If necessary the second game will be Monday at six.

If you didn’t follow you can take a look at the bracket.  It is a pretty simple double elimination format.  A few years ago these all wrapped up on Sunday but in an effort to keep teams from having to play two games on two straight games they’ve extended them to Monday.

We will have complete postgame coverage on SportsTalk tonight.  We will also have postgame audio for you here on the site.