June 8, 2006

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak and outfielder Andrew Crisp have been named to the 2006 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team announced on Thursday (June 8). Smoak has put up tremendous offensive numbers and set a USC freshman record with 16 homers and 61 RBI on the year. Crisp is currently batting .319 on the year with five homers and 27 runs scored and batted .383 against SEC teams.

Thirteen of Smoak’s 16 home runs on the year have come against SEC opponents. He is batting .306 on the year and made the SEC All-Freshman team. His 16 homers bested the previous record of 11 set by Drew Myer in 2000. Smoak also has a three-double performance this year vs. Furman earlier in May that tied a USC single-game record. The freshman from Goose, Creek, S.C. earned SEC Freshman of the Week following his performance in the series against Mississippi State. Smoak was 6-for-11 (.545) in that series including a 3-for-4 performance in Friday’s 11-5 win over the Bulldogs. Smoak recorded his first multi-homer game of his career and tied his career-high in hits in the six-run win over MSU.

Andrew Crisp began starting in the outfield for Carolina near the halfway point of the season and has contributed offensively and defensively in center and right field. He had a 19-game hitting streak earlier in the year and had five hits in the NCAA Regional over the weekend. During streak he hit .432 (35-for-81) with 20 runs scored three HR and 11 RBI. Crisp was also a member of the SEC All-Freshman team.