Cocks still have life

South Carolina’ Steve Pearce (4) is surrounded by teammates after a first-inning two-run homer against Georgia Tech during NCAA Atlanta Regional play in Atlanta, Sunday. ATLANTA (AP) — After a long day — and night — South Carolina was still alive in the NCAA baseball tournament.

Georgia Tech must be wondering if it’s headed for another crushing disappointment.

Steve Pearce homered twice and Andy Lambert came through in just his second start of the season, leading South Carolina past the Yellow Jackets 8-3 Sunday night to extend the NCAA Atlanta Regional to a deciding game.

The Gamecocks (41-22), who are trying to reach the College World Series for the fourth year in a row, began the day facing elimination.

First, they edged Michigan 4-3 in a game that was interrupted more than 3 1/2 hours by heavy rain. Then, South Carolina knocked off the unbeaten host team, the final pitch coming almost 10 1/2 hours after the first pitch of the day.

‘‘It was a long day at the ballyard,’’ Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said. ‘‘We’re excited to still be here.’’

South Carolina forced another contest Monday night against the Yellow Jackets (44-17), with the winner advancing to meet Tennessee in the Super Regionals.

Georgia Tech, the No. 2 seed nationally, had 17 hits in a 10-2 rout of the Gamecocks on Saturday. In the rematch, the Yellow Jackets went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base,

Now, they find themselves facing another NCAA flop, fully aware that the last two seasons ended with home losses in the tournament.

‘‘I don’t worry about it and I don’t think my team worries about it,’’ coach Danny Hall said. ‘‘We’ve got a chance to advance to the next round, and that’s all you want.’’

Pearce got South Carolina rolling with a two-run homer in the first — a drive he didn’t think would clear the fence. In fact, he slammed down his bat in frustration.

‘‘I thought it was a pop fly,’’ said Pearce, who finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs. ‘‘I guess the wind took it out.’’

There was no doubt about his second homer. Leading off the third, Pearce launched a mammoth shot that landed far beyond the left-field fence on a football practice field.

‘‘I knew it was gone,’’ he said with a smile.

The senior first baseman has 21 homers this season and 42 in his two-year career at South Carolina, taking over sixth place on the school’s career list.

Michael Campbell added a two-run homer in the sixth and also had three RBIs.

Lambert (4-0), who had relieved in 13 of his first 14 appearances, found out just before the game he would be starting. He matched his longest outing, allowing five hits and three runs in 5 2-3 innings.

‘‘I just wanted to go as long as it took,’’ Lambert said.

Jason Fletcher shut down the Yellow Jackets the rest of the way. He gave up only three hits in 3 1-3 innings, striking out the final hitter to complete his third save.

South Carolina’s day started with a noon elimination game against the Wolverines. A thunderstorm swept through downtown Atlanta in the bottom of the eighth, bringing along drenching rains and spectacular lightning.

With the dugouts ankle-deep in water and the infield a muddy mess, the Gamecocks returned to their hotel to get a bite to eat and pass the time playing cards.

The sun came out, the field was repaired and South Carolina returned to finish its one-run victory, ending Michigan’s season. After a break of just 50 minutes, the Gamecocks were back on the field against the home team, the memory of that crushing loss the previous day still fresh.

But Pearce provided plenty of offense, and Lambert shut down the Yellow Jackets’ powerful bats.

The tone for Georgia Tech’s frustrating night was set in the first two innings. Both times, the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with no outs, but they managed just two runs on a sacrifice fly and a groundout.

‘‘That was kind of hectic, wasn’t it?’’ Lambert said. ‘‘I didn’t have the control I usually have. I had to battle. I knew we were short in the bullpen, so I had to keep going.’’

Meanwhile, South Carolina scored two runs in each of the first two innings. In the second, Georgia Tech’s Steven Blackwood let a ball get by him in left, allowing a runner to come home. Campbell added a sacrifice fly.

‘‘When we had a chance to get back in the game, we just couldn’t get the hit we needed,’’ Hall said. ‘‘Now, it comes down to a one-game shootout.’’

Ryan Turner (7-3) lasted only 2 1-3 innings for the Yellow Jackets. He gave up four hits and five runs, four of them earned.

Trailing 7-2, Georgia Tech opened the sixth with back-to-back doubles by Andy Hawranick and Whit Robbins. But Lambert retired the next two hitters, and Fletcher came out of the bullpen to get Tyler Greene on a called third strike.

South Carolina restored its five-run cushion in the seventh. Pearce led off with his fourth hit, a bloop to left that he turned into a double. He moved to third on a groundout and scored his third run on Chris Brown’s sacrifice fly.

Georgia Tech’s last gasp came in the eighth. The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with two outs, but Jeff Kindel flied out to end the inning.

‘‘I can’t speak on behalf of Georgia Tech,’’ Tanner said, ‘‘but I know my guys feel like they can win tomorrow.’’

(AP Photo/Ric Feld)