Nov. 5, 2008

Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina baseball team has announced a change to its 2009 baseball schedule with the addition of Charleston Southern to the slate for the upcoming season. Carolina will meet CSU on Wednesday, March 4 with first pitch scheduled for 7 pm at the new South Carolina baseball stadium. Charleston Southern is coached by Stuart Lake, former Gamecock assistant from 1999-2002.

The Gamecocks open the 2009 season on Saturday, Feb. 21 with a three-game series vs. Duquesne with Carolina unveiling its new baseball facility that weekend. First pitch for the home opener is scheduled for 2 pm with Sunday’s contest also at 2 pm and the series finale on Monday set for 12 noon.

Stuart Lake is one of three former Gamecock assistant coaches for Ray Tanner that will return to Columbia for the 2009 season. Former pitching coach Jerry Meyers will be back with his Old Dominion Monarchs on March 10 and former assistant Monte Lee will bring his College of Charleston Cougars to town on April 14.

South Carolina is no longer scheduled to meet Western Carolina for the 2009 season.

South Carolina is one of only five schools in the nation to have made seven NCAA Super Regional appearances over the last nine years (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). In the previous nine seasons, Carolina owns the fifth highest total of wins in the country (428) and has won more SEC games than any team in the league (162). In addition, the Gamecocks have made nine consecutive postseason appearances, the longest current streak among the 12 SEC schools. South Carolina also has three College World Series trips (2002, 2003, 2004), two SEC championships (2000, 2002) and one SEC tournament title (2004) in that span.