The Times and Democrat from Orangeburg, South Carolina • 7

Orangeburg. Sunday. October 2. 1977. Page 7A Gttje Stmts unb Settroorat amecocks Past ECU, 19-1i 31TIS Sports i tus urr JLp igers Win Third Straight, Dump Gobblers Sweet Victory For Ex-VPI Assistant Pell Job.

vs A JV 1 ft FOOT HOLD Clemson quarterback Steve Fuller (4) steps away from Virginia Tech's Danny Hill and goes for nine yards in the first half of a game played in a driving rain. Clemson dumped the Gobblers, 31-13. (AP Wirephoto) HAULING HIM DOWN Woodrow Stevenson of East Carolina hauls down Spencer Clark (35) of the University of South Carolina during game action at Williams-Brice Stadium. (AP Wirephoto) 13 IN A ROW FOR SCSC Rout A tslldogs BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -Quarterback Steve Fuller ignored a game-long downpour Saturday, passing for two first half touchdowns and scoring a third in leading Clemson to a 31-13 thrashing of Virginia Tech.

Clemson's third straight win was a sweet one for rookie coach Charlie Pell, who was an assistant coach at Virginia Tech two years ago. It was the first time in 20 years that the Tigers of the Atlantic Coast Conference had won three consecutive road games. With Fuller handling the ball as if the weather was perfect, Clemson rolled up a 21-0 lead before Tech could make a first down. The first two Clemson touchdowns were set up on long punt returns by Willie Jordan. He returned George Roberts' initial kick 22 yards and Clemson got 15 more from a personal foul to take the ball to the Tech 39.

Clemson shrugged off two penalties and scored in eight plays, with Fuller sneaking the final yard. Fuller completed two passes to split end Jerry Butler on the drive. Jordan's second punt return was good for 54 yards to the Tech 22, where the saving tackle was made by punter Roberts. Five plays later. Fuller hit flanker Rick Weddington with a nine-yard scoring pass that made if 14-0 midway in the opening quarter.

(See TIGERS, Page 12A) Clemson .14 14 0 J-31 Virginia Tech 0 7 0 813 1 run (Arid kick) CIJiM Weddington 9 pass from Fuller (Artri kick) CliSM-Ratchford 68 run (Ariri kick) VPI-Scott 1 run (Engle kick) C1JCM Clark 29 pass from Fuller (Ariri kick) CLEM-PO Ariri 36 VPI-Coles 3 run (pass failed) Clemson VPI First Downs Rushes-yards Passing Yards Return Yards Passes Punts Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards 18 12 56-278 96 09 8-184 6-39 2-1 M5 49-111 88 6 6-18-3 8-46 7-0 4-28 "We knocked them out and they turn around and knock us out but it's been a helluva race," said Boston coach Johnny Pesky, an old hand in tight races. "We battled right down to the wire. This game shows how much we need pitching." Boston Captain Carl Yastr-zemski said: "We gave it out best shot and came up short. The Yankees just refused to fold. You (See BALTIMORE, Page 12A) ball since the All-Star break.

We won 99 games." After clinching a tie for the division title Wednesday night they lost two straight to Cleveland and Detroit, delaying the finish of the race. New Yorit USC 13-Point Surge Sparks Late Rally By BOB GILLESPIE Sports Editor COLUMBIA, S. C. South Carolina's Britt Parrish, almost the goat after missing two field goals in the third quarter, instead became the hero by booting a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers, including a 43-yarder with 1:26 remaining, to lift the Gamecocks to a thrilling 19-16 comeback win over East Carolina Saturday. Parrish, whose four field goals in the contest set a new USC single-game record, and quarterback Ron Bass formed a rags-to-riches duo in leading South Carolina past the previously unbeaten Pirates in a "battle of Southern independent football powers.

It was the Gamecocks' fourth victory of the season against one loss, while ECU'S record fell to an identical 4-1. The hardfought battle, played before 52,813 onlookers and an ABC-TV regional audience, was a television director's dream. The Gamecocks, given up for dead after three quarters, roared back for 13 final-period points to pull out the decision. Bass and the USC offense, largely ineffective through the first three periods, blasted their way for scoring drives of 62, 58 and 40 yards in the final stanza. Trailing 13-6 at halftime and 16-6 after three quarters, Bass directed the Gamecocks to a one-yard touchdown by freshman back George Rogers and Parrish's 41-yard and 43-yard field goals.

South Carolina's only touchdown drive began at USC's 38 yard line following an ECU punt late in the third quarter. Powered by the straight-ahead running of Spencer Clark and Rogers, the Gamecocks marched 62 yards in 13 plays for the score that pulled USC within three, 16-13, with 11:26 left in the final quarter. The Gamecock defense, unsung heroes of the USC comeback who held East (See PARRISH FGs, Page 12A) East Carolina 3 10 3 016 South Carolina 3 3 0 1319 ECU-FG Creech 19 USC-FG Parrish 36 USC FG Parrish 32 ECU-FG Creech 40 ECU Hicks 28 run fake field goal (Creech kick ECU FG Creech 48 USC-Rogere 1 run (Parrish kick) USC FG Parrish 41 USC FG Parrish 43 STATS East Carolina South Carolina First Downs 13 19 59-225 92 19-9-1 3 4-2 3-20 Rushes-Yards Passing Yards 52-159 82 14-7-0 16 2-1 6-73 Return Yards Punts-Avg. Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards film I co ir lead and was never in serious trouble from that point on. Alcorn, going down to its fourth defeat in five outings, did manage to close the gap to 10-7 with just over seven minutes left in the half on a one-yard run by Lennis Lightfoot, but that turned out to be the Braves' only score of the day.

The touchdown came after Alcorn's Henry Bradley recovered a Jackie Reed fumble at the SCSC 48. A tenacious Bulldog defense, spearheaded by linebackers Baltimore Shades Bosox; Yanks Back Into Playoffs By BILL HAMILTON Special To The Times and Democrat LORMAN, MISS. South Carolina State recorded its 13th straight win with a 31-7 triumph over Alcorn State Saturday afternoon in an intersectional clash at Henderson Stadium. The Bulldogs made it look easy as they rolled up 372 yards on the ground in registering their fourth win of the season against no losses. Quarterbacks Nate Rivers and Jesse Prather, who alternated at the signal calling duties in the contest accounted for all four SCSC touchdowns.

Malcolm Montgomery added a 30-yard field goal and four PATs to the toal. Rivers, the big hero of the contest, rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries to lead the Bulldog charge. The Wardlaw Island junior gave the Bulldogs a 17-7 lead with an 18-yard run late in the second period and raced 76 yards for another score on the first plav of the final stanza. sf i3 37-7 Samuel Dunham, starting in place of an injured James Mc-Coly, and Michael Washington and defensive end Ervin Parker, who also got a starting nod because of injuries, forced seven Alcorn turnovers. The Braves were victims of four fumbles and had three passes picked off by the S.C.

State secondary. It was Dunham's interception at the Alcorn 30 which led to the first Bulldog score. The junior (See BULLDOGS, Page 12A) Yankees showed class as a winner, firing off identical telegrams to Zimmer and Manager Earl Weaver of the Orioles. "Congratulations," Martin's telegrams said. "It's been a great race.

Good luck." "Well, we both knocked each other off the same way," Weaver said. "It's a shame and yet it's not a shame. It just goes to show that everybody needs a little help from friends." NEW YORK (AP) The New York Yankees clinched their second straight American League East Division Championship Satruday while sitting in the dressing room waiting out a rain delay with a game against the Detroit Tigers. Yankee players watched intently as Boston was eliminated, dropping an 8-7 decision to the Baltimore Orioles. As the game ended there were shouts of celebration in the Yankee room.

Newsmen were not permitted in the dressing room because of a technicality. The Yankee-Tiger game, which was delayed two hours, still was in progess. Manager Billy Martin, looking vastly relieved, came out of the room to talk too writers. "I don't think we backed in," said Martin. "We played great S.Carolina St.

..10 14 0 7-31 Alcorn St. ..0 7 0 0-7 SCS-Prather 1 run (Montgomery kick) SCS-FG Montgomery 30 ASU-Lightfoot 1 run (Rosales kick) SCS-Rivers 19 run (Montgomery kick) SCS-Anderson 6 pass from Prather (Montgomery kick) SCS-Rivers 76 run (Montgomery kick) Car. First downs Rushes-yards Passing-yards Return yards St. Alcorn 12 16 50-347 46-73 30 178 IS 30 30 11-26-3 2-34 3-29 6-2 4-4 3-30 1047 Punts Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Prather, also a junior from Athens, got the Bulldogs' first score of the contest when he sneaked in from one yard with 11:17 left in the first period, culminating a 30-yard drive. Prather also connected with fullback Rickey Anderson from six yards out for another score with less than a minute left in the half.

S.C. State, number one ranked among black colleges and holding down the number two spot in the NCAA Division II poll, jumped out to a 10-0 first-period Ui if! St ft BOSTON (AP) Only a few tears were shed in the Boston clubhouse. The Red Sox went down with heads held high. For the second time in five years, the Red Sox were eliminated from the championship race on the next-to-last day of the regular season. The Baltimore Orioles, eliminated by Boston Friday night, returned the compliment Saturday by bombing the Red Sox 8-7 with a six-homer barrage, led by rookie Eddie Murray's pair of solo blasts.

The New York Yankees wrapped up the American League East championship while sitting in their clubhouse, trailing Detroit 4-1 in a game delayed by rain in the third inning. "I've seen teams that have backed into the pennant, but that's not the case with the Yankees," Boston Manager Don Zimmer said while fighting back tears. "Give them credit. They deserve it. They went out and just kept on winning.

"But I'm proud of my team. It went down to the last fly ball today. These guys have battled year. I can't think of any manager who wouldn't take 97 victories. That's what both Baltimore and we have.

The Yankees just won more." Manager Billy Martin of the was trailing Detroit 4-1 in the third inning Saturday when rain I interrupted the game. Baltimore was eliminated by the Red Sox Friday night and-i then in turn knocked Boston of the race. "I sent both Don Zimmer (manager of the Red Sox) and Earl Weaver (manager of the Orioles) wires, congratuating them on a great season," said Martin. The Yankees will open the American League playoffs at home against Kansas City, the West Division champions, on Wednesday. TRYING TO ESCAPE Presbyterian college quarterback Mike Gill scrambles for short yardage after a broken play during Saturday night's Citadel-Presbyterian football game at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

Coming up to make the tackle are Scott Wages (65) and Tony Starks (79). (AP Laserphoto).