HOOVER, ALA - David Marchbanks dodged trouble for 8 1/3 innings and South Carolina scored two runs on a throwing error in the eighth to beat Vanderbilt 3-2 on Friday in an elimination game of the Southeastern Conference tournament. <br>
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The second-seeded Gamecocks (39-19), who lost to Alabama in the opener, face the Auburn-Alabama loser on Saturday. Vanderbilt (27-28) made the tournament with a series sweep at Tennessee on the final weekend but went home with two straight losses. <br>
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South Carolina had runners on second and third with the game tied at 1-1 and one out in the eighth when a throwing error by shortstop Ryan Klosterman allowed two runs to score. <br>
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Vanderbilt chased Marchbanks (13-2) with one out in the ninth on John Kaye's RBI single as three straight batters reached. Aaron Rawl got the next two batters out on pop flies for his sixth save. <br>
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All three South Carolina runs were unearned. <br>
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Marchbanks, the league's pitcher of the year, struck out nine batters and scattered 11 hits while walking two. <br>
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Vandy's Robert Ransom allowed just two hits and an unearned run in seven innings and Ryan Mullins (3-8) took the loss thanks to the throwing error.
