Jan. 25, 2008
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina baseball team has been ranked No. 3 in the 2008 USA Today/ESPN Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ Poll released on Friday morning (January 25). The Gamecocks will open the season on February 22 vs. East Carolina in a three-game series at Sarge Frye Field.
Carolina returns six position starters from last year’s NCAA Super Regional team including All-America junior first baseman Justin Smoak (.315-22-72) and All-America senior catcher Phil Disher (.328-15-63). The lineup also features junior third baseman James Darnell (.331-19-63, who earned second team All-SEC accolades, junior shortstop Reese Havens (.274-5-43), who was an All-Star in the Cape Cod League this past summer as well as junior infielder Andrew Crisp (.283-8-28) and senior outfielder Harley Lail (.291-4-25). The Gamecock offense returns 74 home runs from last year’s squad that led the nation with a total of 113 on the year.
Starting pitchers back on the mound for the Gamecocks this year are junior right-handed pitcher Mike Cisco (6-2, 3.84 ERA) and sophomore Blake Cooper (7-2, 4.48 ERA). Cooper was a freshman All-America selection last season by Collegiate Baseball. Junior left-handed pitchers Will Atwood (2-2, 4.91 ERA) and Alex Farotto (1-0, 4.06 ERA, 45 K, 31.0IP) are also back on the hill for the Gamecocks as well as senior right-handed pitcher Curtis Johnson (1-3, 3.38 ERA, 54 K, 42.2 IP), a NCAA All-Regional Team selection. Carolina is one of four SEC teams to be ranked by the coaches. Vanderbilt comes in the poll at No. 6 with Ole Miss at No. 8 and Mississippi State ranked No. 23 in the nation. The 2008 Carolina schedule features 56 games including 23 against teams that advanced to the NCAA Regionals last year as well as 35 home games.
South Carolina is one of only two schools in the nation to reach the NCAA Super Regionals in seven of the last eight years (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). Since the 2000 season, the Gamecocks are the only SEC squad to reach the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament each year and have compiled eight consecutive 40-plus win seasons. The Gamecocks have also put together a 388-155 record in that span, the fourth highest win total in Division I baseball as well as an SEC-best 147-92 in conference match-ups. That list also includes three trips to the College World Series (2002, 2003, 2004), two SEC Championships (2000, 2002) and one SEC Tournament title (2004).
SOUTH CAROLINA IN 2008 PRESEASON RANKINGS
Collegiate Baseball – No. 2
USA Today/ESPN coaches – No. 3
NCBWA – No. 4
Perfect Game Cross Checker – No. 6
Rivals.Com – No. 10
Baseball America – No. 12
USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES’ POLL
1. Arizona State (49-15)
2. North Carolina (57-16)
3. South Carolina (46-20)
4. Rice (56-14)
5. Arizona (42-17)
6. Vanderbilt (54-13)
7. Texas (46-17)
8. Ole Miss (40-25)
9. San Diego (43-18)
10. Wichita State (53-22)
11. Oregon State (49-18)
12. Florida State (49-13)
13. Missouri (42-18)
14. Miami (Fla.) (37-24)
15. Cal State Fullerton (38-25)
16. Clemson (41-23)
17. UCLA (33-28)
18. Michigan (42-19)
19. Long Beach State (39-20)
20. Virginia (45-16)
21. Texas A&M (48-19)
22. UC-Irvine (47-17-1)
23. Mississippi State (38-22)
24. Baylor (35-27)
25. Louisville (47-24)
