Florence Morning News from Florence, South Carolina • 11

In Game Two of the World Senes the two NL strikeout leaders meet David Cone had a comfortable lead on John Smoltz before being traded from the New York Mets to the Toronto Blue Jays More than a month later Smoltz beat Cone by a single strikeout in his final start Cone was trying to become the first player to lead the league in stakeouts for three straight years since Warren Spahnin 1949 51 Cone didn't mind the trade though Smoltz will pitch tonight slightly ahead of schedule so he would be well rested if the series goes seven games The matchup in Game Seven would be Smoltz against Juan Guzman After finishing just 1 4 with three no decisions in the final eight starts of the year Smoltz has turned it up a notch in the postseason He was named the MVP of the NLCS after winning two games and keeping things close in Game Seven 8 pm CBS MtMt October 18J992 A NIED: Rookie right hander David Nied was plaged on the Atlanta Braves World Senes roster Saturday night replacing injured reliever Kent Mercker Mercker suffered a rib injury during Wedneday celebration following the Braves 3 2 victory over Pittsburgh in Game 7 for the NL pennant WORKING OVERTIME: Kendall Reyes scored two overtime goals Saturday as rancis iviauun soccer team neat Averett College in Danville Va After losing their first eight matches the Patriots have now won two of the last four Their final Peach Belt Athletic Conference game will be i Thursday at USC Spartanburg MU jumped out to a 2 0 lead in the first half on a pair of goals by Chris Saunders Lynley Bridgewater had two assists with Scott Rodricme? and Saunders tallying one each Patriot goalkeeper Rick Clark had nine saves as MU outshot Averett 24 16 COKER ROLLS: Brian Cowles recorded six saves and five different players scored a goal as Coker College (6 5 1) defeated Limestone College on Saturday 5 0 in soccer Brian erguson Jason Taylor Jack Conoly Ronnie Lubinkand Sheldon Cipriani all scored for the Cobras who return to action at 7 pm Tuesday against Belmont Abbey RECOVERY SLOW: San rancisco 49ers receiver John Taylor who sustained a serious leg injury against the New York Jets has been placed on the injured reserve list the team announced Saturday Taylor had eight catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns before he broke his left fibula on Sept 20 The latest rays riday showed healing was taking longer than expected ANDREI II ON POLE: Michael Andretti did just what he had to do Saturday taking the pole position for Kodalux Processing 300 with one hot lap and making it tougher for Bobby Rahal to outrun him for the Indy car championship His seventh pole of the year and fourth in a row gave Andretti one more championship point and cut lead to 11 going into the season finale at Laguna Seca Raceway INTERESTED AN: Dennis Rodman make it to the start of the Detroit training camp but he made it to their first exhibition game Sort of Wearing a baseball hat sunglasses and a flannel shirt Rodman slipped into a seat behind the bench in the Crisler Arena on riday night to watch Detroit lose 115 87 to the New Jersey Nets But it may be a while before Rodman joins the team on the court Nets coach Chuck Daly said Daly who in May resigned after nine seasons with the Pistons After departure the 31 year old Rodman was so distraught that he threatened to skip training camp He later said he might retire so he could lead a more USC STAR ARRESTED: South Carolina wide receiver Asim Penny was arrested by university police on an outstanding assault warrant school officials said Penny was released on his own recognizance after a bond hearing riday sports information director Kerry Tharp said The alleged assault happend on campus Tuesday Tharp said Penny a sophomore from Clinton Md made the first touchdown in 21 6 victory over Mississippi State i Rodman SB 'RES! MATCHUP Blue Jays vs Braves lorence Morning News Sports mu College football 2B NL preview Scoreboard Golf! Tennis jp GJavine Berryhill give Braves lead The Associate Press reached second base Dave Win retired the first two batters but walked the next two He survived Toronto in its first World Se field led off the second with a sin ries plans to use former New gle and moved up on Pat York Met star David Cone in Sun two out hit Both were stranded Borders leadoff single in the eighth was only other hit and he was erased on Manuel double play grounder Glavine faced the minimum 15 batters in the last five innings and breezed through the ninth by get i shortstop Roberto Alomar to pop to second and Carter to fly to right In last World Series Morris pitched a 10 inning shut out in Game 7 as Minnesota beat Atlanta 1 0 to take the title The Braves also failed to score in the last three innings of his previous appearance The record for consecutive shutout innings in more than one Series is 33 by Whitey ord of the New York Yankees But on Saturday nipht Morris ting Devon White to ground to was plaguetfrby control problems' as ne matched his season high of five walks by striking out Ron Gant in the fourth and Jeff Blauser in the fifth But with one out in the sixth he walked David Justice for the second straight time with a full count Justice took second on Sid single and third when Bream was forced at second on grounder Gant then stole Berryhill who had never faced lUUlliuj ICll UCiUHU Uli L11C In both the fourth and fifth he 2 But he pounced on the next pitch right down the middle and drove it over the right field fence ATLANTA Atlanta won the opener of the first international World Series as Tom four hitter and Damon 'three run homer gave the Braves a 3 1 victory Saturday night oyer the Toronto Blue Jays leadoff homer had put Toronto ahead but sixth inning walk a single batter Besides Car shot ended Jack Series homer only one inner shutout string at 18 innings reached second base Dave Win Jeers turn to cheers day second game against I John Smoltz as the Braves go af ter their first championship since 1957 Glavine followed a terrible out ing eight runs in two innings in Game 6 of the NL playoffs against 1 wiui a iremenoous Joe Carter fourth inning one He struck out six and jail Jay Capers Staff By Benny Benton Morning News staff writer By Jeff Owens Morning News staff writer Brandon Bennett bulls for yardage Saturday afternoon in the upset win over Mississippi State Clemson sacks Duke for 21 6 win USC upsets Mississippi St for first victory said was a situation where last game took out of us emotionally and we played a team that played fired up and played an excellent Duke now 2 4 overall and 0 3 in the ACC had 10 more first downs and 10 more total yards than the Tigers but couldn't punch the ball in the endzone against defense After leading his team to consecutive 400 yard games and the biggest comeback win in Clemson history last week against Virginia the Tigers were hoping Clemson quarterback Louis Solomon could weave a little more freshman magic It didn't take the New Jersey native long One play after throwing an third down strike covering 10 yards to Terry Smith for a first down Solomon took an option keeper around right end for 55 yards to the Duke 21 Two plays later Solomon dropped back to pass then tucked the ball and scam pered up the middle 20 yards to the end zone completing a six play 89 yard march longest of the year Solomon rushed for 81 yards in the first half and 104 in the game before leaving with a knee injury in the fourth quarter Duke used a 22 yard pass play on third down to move into Clemson territory at the 49 on its first possession but linebacker Tim Jones sacked the quarterback The Clemson defense would come up with another big play on next pos session a fumble recovery by Brentson Buckner at the Duke 39 CLEMSON Two knockdowns and wait for the bell the strategy the Clemson football team was forced to employ against Duke on Saturday in Death Valley Clemson struck for two first quarter touchdowns then used 10 sacks from its defensei to hold off the pesky Blue Devils 21 6 before a homecoming crowd estimated at 78000 Clemson (4 2 2 2 in the ACC) padded its lead with a 10 yard TD run by Ronald Wil liams early in the fourth period kmd of thought it was going to be this Clemson coach Ken Hatfield COLUMBIA It took a player revolt to stop it but South losing streak is finally over ive days after several USC players called for head coach Sparky Woods to re sign the Gamecocks played their best game in nearly a year to upset No 15 Mis sissippi State 21 6 and bring their na tional worst nine game losing streak to a screeching halt The win was first in the Southea tem Conference and set off a wild post game celebration at Williams Brice Sta dium The crowd of more than 55000 gave Woods a standing ovation after the game and stayed to cheer a team that had been outscored 154 47 in losing its first five games of the season is a great team victory for South said an emotionally drained Sparky Woods just real proud of our football team and real happy for every body who follows South Carolina football has been a long time The win was first since it beat Georgia Tech here on Oct 19 1991 With freshman quarterback Steve Tan eyhill providing the spark the Gamecocks jumped on Mississippi State early driving 79 yards in eight plays the first time they touched the ball Taneyhill launched a 35 yard pass to Toby Cates on the second play and then put the Gamecocks on the scoreboard five plays later when he lofted a 10 yard pass to Asim Penny in the right comer of the end zone Marty point after was blocked The Gamecock defense which held MSU to just two yards rushing in the first half stopped the Bulldogs on their first possession and Taneyhill struck again He hit tight end Boomer oster for 26 yards to the Bulldog 15 yard line and Bran don Bennett scored from the 2 to cap a five play 59 yard drive Taneyhill then found Cates in the cor ner of the end zone for a two point conver sion and a 14 0 lead with 8:37 left in the first quarter USC blew two other first half scoring chances one on a fourth and goal play at the 1 but the defense held MSU to just 74 yards MSU which beat nationally ranked lorida two weeks ago and Auburn last week woke up in the second half The Bull dogs marched 75 yards in 11 plays on their opening drive of the second half Olanda Truitt scored on a 15 yard pass from Greg Plump but Rocky Clay blocked the extra point allowing USC to maintain an eight point lead Taneyhill then led USC on its biggest drive of the game taking the Gamecocks 80 yards in just four plays The true freshman from Altoona Pa fired a 29 yard pass to running back Mike Reddick and then heaved a 43 yard touch down pass to Don Chaney Taneyhill scrambled to his right to avoid a sack and then threw the ball nearly 50 yards in the air The 6 6 Chaney leaped up and grabbed it at the 5 yard line and backed into the end zone for a 21 6 lead 71 I 12 jiL "iMi jr HMMC I T3k I' 7 ii 71 7 77 7 Woods was right about team improving COLUMBIA Tuesday as he tried to explain the nationally publicized insurrection that nearly divided his football team South Carolina head coach Sparky Woods was unusually subdued He sat quietly in his office and listened patiently as a handful of reporters grilled him with question after question about the latest controversy surrounding his team He answered each question softly speaking in whispers He did so not to cover up the answer or avoid the question but because the strain of the worst day of his life and the worst season of his career was beginning to take its toll After one of his players had stood up in front of the team and asked him to resign Woods felt hurt and betrayed and trying to hide his feelings was useless But though his pride was hurt and his confidence shattered Woods smiled when he left the room and reminded his visitors of one thing bad as it he said getting close getting so close" Saturday we all saw what he meant Despite all the lopsided losses and embarrassing performances Woods knew his team was close to doing something special ew believed him but Saturday he proved it to the whole of the college football world Saturday the team that had been kicked around like a young pup finally kicked back And it delievered a satisfying blow against the type of team its critics said it compete against On a day when national publications had reporters in town to cover the most troubled program team showed all the promise and potential been predicting On this day the critics and skeptics who said USC belong in the Southeastern Conference had to eat crow or at least chicken The coming out party have come at a better time job has been in jeopardy since a 45 7 loss to Jeff Owens Arkansas in the second week of the season and embarrassing player rebellion was rumored to be the final nail in his coffin But after snapping the longest losing streak Woods got the vote of confidence he needed most the one from Gamecock fans In the final seconds of the 21 6 win over Mississippi State a handful of fans started chanting Sparky As the clock wound down more and more fans joined the chant And when the final buzzer sounded they stood as one and cheered loudly as Woods and his players celebrated on the field As he jogged off the sidelines Woods stopped took of his hat and waved to the crowd The look on his face told the fans the gratitude he felt hurt for all the Gamecock fans who had to go through Woods said later his voice on the edge of breaking are loyal people and they have given and they have been patient through a very difficult time just appreciate every one of them from one end of that stadium to the So do his players especialy freshman quarterback Steve Taneyhill who circled Williams Brice Stadium waving his arms slapping hands with fans and pointing to the scoreboard as tears ran down his cheeks what been through you help but get he said Jeff Owens is a sports writer for the lorence Morning News LORENCE MORNING 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