May 23, 2006
Hoover, Ala. – Seven different South Carolina players have earned SEC conference honors including senior outfielder Michael Campbell, who was named to the All-SEC first team by a vote of the league’s 12 head baseball coaches. Freshman shortstop Reese Havens, junior designated hitter Robbie Grinestaff and sophomore pitcher Wynn Pelzer earned second team All-SEC honors. Carolina also had three freshmen named to the All-Freshman Team (Justin Smoak (1B), Andrew Crisp (OF) and Mike Cisco (RHP).
In 55 games this season, Campbell put together a .364 batting average (76-for-209) with 13 doubles, three triples, four homers and 49 RBI. The senior from Winchester, Va. set the school record for games played (255), triples (13) at bats (950) and assists by an outfielder (22). He was just four hits (299) shy of the school record set by Mac White (303) when he broke his hand last Friday’s game at Vanderbilt, likely ending his season. Campbell had made 234 consecutive starts in the outfield up to last Friday’s game.
In his first season playing shortstop, freshman Reese Havens has fielded an impressive (.969) with 74 putouts, 147 assists and just seven errors in 55 starts. He is currently hitting 283 on the year with 12 doubles, a triple, three homers and 38 RBI. He had a season-high three hits including a game-winning RBI double in a 12-inning contest with Alabama. Junior designated hitter Robbie Grinestaff is among the league leaders in home runs (15) and RBI (51) and is batting .283 in 54 games played. Grinestaff has seven of those 15 homers against SEC teams and twice this year hit two homers in one game (vs. Radford 2/17/06; vs. Florida 3/26/06).
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Wynn Pelzer has been one of the top pitchers in the conference with a 4-3 record and a 3.25 ERA with four saves on the year. Opponents are just batting .197 against him. Before being moved to a starting role late in the conference season, Pezler had been dominant out of the bullpen allowing just four runs on seven hits in 23.2 innings with 24 strikeouts.
Freshman first baseman Justin Smoak has had a tremendous first season with the Gamecocks setting a school record for home runs by a freshman. Smoak currently has 15 this season with 12 of those coming against SEC teams. Heading into the SEC Tournament, he is on an 11-game hitting streak and batting .298 with 53 RBI. He is the only Carolina player this year to play and start all 56 games.
Freshman outfielder Andrew Crisp made his way into the lineup in the second half of the conference season and owned a 19-game hitting streak before seeing it end on May 13 vs. Tennessee. Crisp has hit .321 with four homers and 15 RBI with a .383 average in SEC games.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Mike Cisco has put together a 5-4 record in his first year on the mound for the garnet and black with four of the five wins coming against SEC opponents. His best start of his young career came against Ole Miss, when he earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors in a 1-0 win over Ole Miss. He worked eight innings, the longest stint of his career, and allowed no runs on three hits while striking out eight batters to pick up the win. He is the scheduled starter for Carolina in the SEC Tournament opener vs. Kentucky.
The SEC Tournament begins on Wednesday, May 24 with the Gamecocks and Wildcats meeting in the first game of the day at 10 am CT. Live audio broadcast is available at uscsports.com and the Gamecock Radio Network as Mike Morgan and Tom Price call the action.
Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of the 12 first-team votes.
The complete 2006 All-SEC Team follows:
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Ryan Strieby, KentuckySEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - Nick Schmidt, ArkansasSEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Pedro Alvarez, VanderbiltSEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Emeel Salem, AlabamaSEC COACH OF THE YEAR - *John Cohen, Kentucky
* unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM1B - Ryan Strieby, Kentucky2B - Jeffrey Rea, Mississippi State3B - Pedro Alvarez, VanderbiltSS - Zack Cozart, Ole MissSS - Thomas Berkery, Mississippi StateC - J.P. Arencibia, TennesseeOF - *Emeel Salem, AlabamaOF - Quinn Stewart, LSUOF - Michael Campbell, South CarolinaDH - Mike Bianucci, AuburnP - Nick Schmidt, ArkansasP - Wade LeBlanc, AlabamaRP - Joshua Fields, Georgia
SECOND TEAM1B - Josh Morris, Georgia2B - John Shelby, Kentucky3B - Chris Coghlan, Ole MissSS - Michael Hollander, LSUSS - Reese Havens, South CarolinaC - Kody Valverde, AlabamaC - Sean Coughlin, KentuckyOF - Jake Dugger, ArkansasOF - Joey Side, GeorgiaOF - Julio Borbon, TennesseeDH - Robbie Grinestaff, South CarolinaP - David Price, VanderbiltP - Bryan Augenstein, FloridaRP - Wynn Pelzer, South Carolina
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM1B - Justin Smoak, South Carolina2B - J.T. Wise, LSU3B - Pedro Alvarez, VanderbiltSS - Tony Delmonico, TennesseeOF - Luke Greinke, AuburnOF - Jared Bogany, LSUOF - Andrew Crisp, South CarolinaDH - Mike Bianucci, AuburnP - Tommy Hunter, AlabamaP - Mike Cisco, South CarolinaRP - Cody Satterwhite, Ole Miss
