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Feb. 7, 2006
SOUTH CAROLINA-ELON SERIES
Columbia, S.C.
February 10 – February 12
Friday February 10 – 3 pm
Saturday February 11 – 1:30 pm
Sunday February 12 – 1:30 pm
Live audio broadcast with Tommy Moody and live gametracker stats available at www.uscsports.com
WEEKEND PITCHING MATCHUPS (2005 Stats)
Friday
South Carolina: Andrew Cruse, RHP, So. (3-1, 3.54 ERA)
Elon: Matt Chastain, RHP, Sr. (4-3, 4.74 ERA)
Saturday
South Carolina: Arik Hempy, LHP, Jr. (2-1, 2.63 ERA)
Elon: Lance Cole, RHP, Sr. (7-3, 6.19 ERA)
Sunday
South Carolina: Forrest Beverly, LHP, Jr. (1-0, 4.50 ERA)
Elon: Steven Hensley, RHP, Fr.
QUICKIE NOTES
South Carolina leads the series history with Elon 4-2 and last played the Phoenix on March 28, 2001 when USC earned a 13-2 win at Sarge Frye Field. The series began in May 1, 1916 when Elon hosted and defeated the Gamecocks 6-0.
Under head coach Ray Tanner, the Gamecocks are 8-1 in season openers. Carolina defeated Longwood in last year’s opener 5-1 behind seven strong innings from starting pitcher Aaron Rawl and catcher Ian Paxton, who hit a home run and drove in three runs.
Under head coach Ray Tanner, the Gamecocks are 2-1 against Elon. This is the first time in school history that South Carolina will face Elon in a three-game series.
Dating back to the 2000 season, South Carolina is 59-1 (.983) in games played in the month of February. The lone loss in February came on Feb. 8, 2003 when Charleston Southern defeated USC 8-5. The Gamecocks wound up winning the series two out of three games. USC’s current February winning streak is at 25 games.
LIVE FROM SARGE FRYE FIELD
Gamecock Sports Properties, a partnership between the University of South Carolina Athletic Department and two of the country’s leaders in the collegiate sports marketing industry, ISP Sports and Learfield Communications, Inc., is the originating medium for radio coverage of the 2006 Carolina baseball games.
WOMG (103.1 FM) and WISW (1320 AM) in Columbia will be the flagship stations for originations of 34 regular season games plus all post-season play. The schedule will include 30 SEC games and the four game set with Clemson. Games can also be heard on www.uscsports.com.
In addition, for the second straight season live audio broadcast for the additional 22 regular season games will be available on-line at uscsports.com.
Mike Morgan enters his seventh year as the voice of Carolina Baseball on the Gamecocks Baseball Radio Network. Morgan also serves as the radio play-by-play announcer for the USC Men’s Basketball team and the television announcer for the Gamecock football telecasts for CSS as well as Pay Per View. In addition, Morgan co-hosts “PrimeTime Sports” on News/Talk WIS (1320 AM), Monday-Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m., as well as “Carolina Calls” featuring Gamecock coaches.
Tommy Moody, also in his seventh year, will again join Morgan as analyst for the home SEC contests. Along with his work as analyst, Moody will be play-by-play announcer for the additional 22 contests available at uscsports.com. Moody is the chairman of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame and was a past president of the USC Association of Lettermen in 1992. Moody played under head coach Bobby Richardson on the Gamecock baseball team from 1970-72 as an infielder.
Tom Price will join with Morgan to call the action on all road contests. Price served as Sports Information Director for 30 years at the University of South Carolina and continues to serve the athletics department in emeritus capacity. Price was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame (College Sports Information Directors of America) in 1981, recipient of the 1992 CoSIDA Lifetime Achievement Award and winner of the 1993 CoSIDA Arch Ward Award, presented annually to a CoSIDA member who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of college sports information, and who by his or her activities, has brought dignity and prestige to the profession.
THIS IS CAROLINA BASEBALL
Over the last six years, Carolina owns the third highest win total in NCAA Division I baseball with a 301-110 record. The Gamecocks have made three trips to the College World Series (2002, 2003, 2004), reached five NCAA Super Regionals (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004), captured three SEC Eastern Division titles (2000, 2002, 2003), won two SEC regular season championships (2000, 2002) and earned one SEC Tournament title (2004).
A LOOK AHEAD
The 2006 schedule for South Carolina features 56 regular season games with 30 against teams that reached the 2005 NCAA Baseball Tournament. The slate includes 36 home contests at Sarge Frye Field. The longest homestand of the season for Carolina is at the beginning of the schedule as the Gamecocks host their first 10 contests and 16 of their first 17 games. USC’s longest road stretch will be at the beginning of May with five straight away from Columbia.
CAROLINA RANKED IN PRESEASON PUBLICATIONS
South Carolina has been ranked by the baseball publications in collegiate baseball. In this week’s rankings, Baseball America has tabbed Carolina at No. 14 with Sports Weekly putting the Gamecocks at No. 17 and Collegiate Baseball selecting the Gamecocks No. 18 in the country.
TANNER TIME
USC head coach Ray Tanner begins his 10th season at helm of the Carolina baseball program and his 19th overall. Since his first year at South Carolina in 1997, head baseball coach Ray Tanner has compiled a 413-175 record, winning over 70 percent of baseball games USC has played. Coach Tanner owns an overall record of 808-348-3 (.698) with 14 appearances in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach at NC State and South Carolina. In 2005, he became the fourth fastest active coach to reach the 800-win plateau. Tanner has averaged over 44 wins a season and is currently the eighth winningest active coach in Division I college baseball.
ENCORE ENCORE
For the second time in three years, the Gamecocks have put together the top rated recruiting class in the country. Carolina was ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball in the fall of 2005 and tied for No. 1 back in the fall of 2003.
COUNT THEM UP
South Carolina’s 2006 roster features 15 players that have previously been drafted by Major League Baseball teams.
MAKE THE GRADE
It was a record setting semester for the Gamecocks in the classroom during the fall of 2005. The Carolina baseball team finished with a team cumulative GPA of 3.195, the highest mark on record in USC baseball history. It also marked the second consecutive time that the Gamecocks finished the Fall semeseter with a team GPA above 3.0.
USC finished with 17 members on the Dean’s List as well as one member on the President’s List.
IRON MAN
South Carolina returns five position starters from last season including senior outfielder Michael Campbell, who is the most experienced player in Division I baseball. Heading into the year, Campbell has played 200 college baseball games with 193 starts.
Campbell is the leading returner for Carolina in several offensive categories including batting average (.315), games played (64), at-bats (251), runs (56), hits (79), doubles (16), triples (5), home runs (8), runs batted in (42), slugging percentage (.514), hit by pitch (10) and stolen bases (8).
The senior from Winchester, Va. also is closing in on several USC career records. Among the records are games played, at-bats, hits, and triples.
OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner has announced the captains for the 2006 season as voted on by their teammates and coaching staff. Senior infielder Chris Brown, senior outfielder Michael Campbell, senior catcher Ian Paxton and senior outfielder Mark Stanley will serve as captains for this year’s baseball team.
HOT STOVE TALK
Several South Carolina players have been mentioned among the top players in the country in their respective classes. South Carolina freshmen standouts Reese Havens and Justin Smoak have been ranked by Baseball America among the top first year players in the country. Smoak is listed as the fifth best freshman in the nation with Havens right behind him at No. 6. Right-handed pitcher Wynn Pelzer also made the list for top sophomores at No. 26. Michael Campbell also received mention among the senior classes as the No. 3 senior in the country.
BASEBALL PUBLICATIONS MAKE THEIR PREDICTIONS
Baseball publications have made their predictions for 2006 with Baseball America and SEBaseball.com prognosticating this year’s field in the SEC. SEBaseball.Com has listed Carolina second in the SEC East with Baseball America tabbing the Gamecocks third in the division. USC enters the 2006 season having won the SEC East four of the last seven years (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003).
BASEBALL AMERICA PREDICTIONS
EAST WEST1. Florida 1. Mississippi State2. Tennessee 2. Arkansas3. South Carolina 3. LSU4. Georgia 4. Ole Miss5. Vanderbilt 5. Alabama6. Kentucky 6. AuburnOverall Champion Prediction: Florida
SEBASEBALL.COM PREDICTIONS
EAST WEST1. Florida 1. Arkansas2. South Carolina 2. Mississippi State3. Tennessee 3. Ole Miss4. Georgia 4. Alabama5. Vanderbilt 5. LSU6. Kentucky 6. AuburnOverall Champion Prediction: Florida
In addition to the team predictions, USC also put two players on the preseason all-conference teams. Michael Campbell was a first team outfield selection by both Baseball America and SEBaseball.Com with senior infielder Neil Giesler a preseason second team selection at third base by SEBaseball.
Campbell also garnered Best Arm for outfielders by Baseball America and was rated the ninth best prospect in the conference for the 2006 MLB Draft.
COACHES MAKE THEIR SELECTIONS TOO
The University of South Carolina baseball team has been selected to finish second in the SEC Eastern Division in the 2006 SEC Preseason Coaches poll as voted by the league’s 12 baseball coaches. Florida was selected to win the SEC East and the overall championship. Mississippi State was predicted to win the SEC West.
Points for the preseason poll were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.
Eastern Division PredictionsTeam Pts. `05 SEC Rec/Finish1. Florida (11) 66 20-10/1st2. South Carolina (1) 55 16-14/3rd3. Tennessee 46 18-11/2nd4. Vanderbilt 30 13-17/4th5. Georgia 29 12-17/5th6. Kentucky 17 7-22/6th
Western Division PredictionsTeam Pts. `05 SEC Rec/Finish1. Mississippi State (5) 54 13-16/4th2. LSU (3) 51 18-12/T1st3. Arkansas (3) 49 13-17/T5th4. Alabama (1) 41 17-13/3rd5. Ole Miss 34 18-12/T1st6. Auburn 17 13-17T5th
()- First Place Votes
SEC Champion: Florida (8); LSU (3); Arkansas (1)
HELLO AGAIN
A few members of the South Carolina baseball team have been reunited this season on the 2006 squad. Twin brothers Andrew and Adam Crisp along with pitcher Alex Farotto and catcher Kyle Enders played at Riverside HS in South Carolina together where they won the 2003 and 2004 South Carolina AAA title.
USC also has several teammates from the junior college ranks including four from Spartanburg Methodist College. Adam Crisp was a JC All-American and 2005 Region 10 Player of the Year last season and played with teammates Drew Martin and Harley Lail. Right-handed pitcher. Jeff Jeffords also played for SMC in the 2004 season.
Carolina adds two players to the roster this year that played for St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida. Sophomore catcher Trent Kline and junior outfielder Cheyne Hurst both helped lead St. Pete to a first place finish in the 2005 FCCAA Championships. Two other teammates also played in the FCCAA at Okaloosa Walton Community College in Florida back in the 2004 season, senior infielder Neil Giesler and junior infielder Robbie Grinestaff. Also newcomers to this year’s team are pitchers Dozier Taylor and Chase Tucker, both teammates from Panola Junior College in Texas.
2006 PROSPECTUS
Coach Ray Tanner begins his 10th season at South Carolina with a balanced roster of veterans and newcomers that he believes can propel the Gamecocks to a seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA baseball tournament and possibly a fourth trip in five years to the College World Series.
“I like our personnel,” Tanner said shortly after completion of fall workouts. “I don’t think that we have awesome talent but we have very good talent.”
That talent includes five position players who started more than half the games of last year’s 41-23 season, four others who saw considerable playing time and returning pitchers who compiled a composite 13-4 record with a 4.01 earned run average in 211 innings. Add a recruiting class ranked number one in the nation by Collegiate Baseball and fourth best by Baseball America. At least two freshmen are expected to open the season as mainstays in the Gamecocks infield.
Tanner must replace eight position players though, who combined for 45 home runs and a .277 average plus five pitchers, who combined for 68 percent (28-19) of last year’s 41 victories.
VETERANS
Senior outfielder Michael Campbell leads the returning veterans. He has played 200 games over three seasons, more than any player in Division I baseball. Campbell has also started every game the past two years and 193 over three seasons. Campbell batted .315 last year with eight home runs and 42 runs batted in. His career average is .301 with 27 homers and 124 RBI.
“Michael is a veteran player who has been starting since his freshman days,” said Tanner. “He has strength in all areas and is a plus runner and plus defender. He has hit for a pretty good average his entire career with some power. He gets some assists from the outfield with a plus throwing arm. His style of play is not too high, not too low. He is a guy who over the course of a long season can put up numbers and be a great influence on this team.”
Campbell has played left field primarily in the past with some starts in center field. He will move to center for his senior season with the departure of Davy Gregg.
A contender to replace Campbell in left field is junior college transfer Cheyne Hurst.
Third baseman Neil Giesler had a slow start in 2005 after two great junior college years but came on strong late in the season. He was named to the SEC and the NCAA Atlanta Regional all-tournament teams. Giesler batted .254 with six homers and was outstanding defensively. In 37 games at third base, Giesler committed only three errors for a .958 percentage, 10 points higher than the previous school record of .948 set by third baseman Bruce Pudlock in 1971.
Second baseman Chris Brown started 57 games last year with a .274 average and .966 fielding percentage. He is the projected starter in 2006 but faces competition from a couple of youngsters, redshirt freshman Andrew Crisp and true freshmen James Darnell and Harley Lail. Crisp played briefly last spring before an injury resulted in a medical redshirt. Darnell was an all-conference selection in California.
Tanner said Brown is a hard-nosed player who is better than his 2005 offensive numbers (.274 average, four homers, 34 RBI).
He added that Andrew Crisp, one of two brothers on the squad and Darnell could also play other infield positions or in the outfield.
Andrew’s brother, Adam Crisp, is a sophomore transfer from Spartanburg Methodist Junior College. Crisp, a 2005 NJCAA All-America selection, will be a candidate for a spot in the starting outfield. Mark Stanley is a fifth-year senior, who is projected as the starter in right field. He worked his way into the starting lineup midseason last year and was batting .311 when sidelined for the season by a broken finger. Steven Reinhold is a veteran backup outfielder.
Ian Paxton was a part-time starter (26 games) behind the plate last year with very good defensive tools but batted only .200. Tanner hopes for more offensive production by him in 2006.
Tanner said he was extremely happy with the fall practice performance by Paxton (.297, three homers, 13 RBI).
“There was much improvement in his offense to go along with his steady defense,” said Tanner.
Trent Kline, a switch-hitting sophomore transfer from St. Petersburg Junior College and returnee Phil Disher will provide competition for Paxton behind the plate. Kline posted a .350 average (14-for-40 with two homers) in the fall and Disher won player of the fall honors with a .381 average and five homers.
Disher, who had two homers and 11 RBI in limited action as a freshman last year, may wind up as the designated hitter. Also competing for time there may be Robbie Grinestaff from Okaloosa Walton Junior College. Grinestaff batted .324 (12-for-37), three homers and 13 RBI in fall intrasquad games.
“We have plenty of veteran players,” said Tanner. “We’ve got Ian Paxton, one of the better defensive catchers in the SEC. Neil Giesler, Michael Campbell, Chris Brown, Mark Stanley is a fifth-year guy. We have enough experienced guys to go along with our young position players that it’s a good mix.”
He added that most of the pitching arms are veterans with the exception of Will Atwood and Mike Cisco, both freshmen. Tanner described his pitching staff as a good blend.
NEW FACES “We are going to play at least two freshmen all the time and maybe as many as three or on occasion four guys,” said Tanner. “They are no average freshmen. They are above average talents. I’m hoping by the time spring gets here they will be playing more like sophomores than freshmen.”
The two sure starters are shortstop Reese Havens and first baseman Justin Smoak. Havens continues a Gamecock trend of blue chip shortstops and comes from Bishop England High School in Charleston which sent Drew Meyer to South Carolina. Meyer was a 2002 first round draft pick by the Texas Rangers. Smoak is from Stratford High School in Goose Creek.
Both were high school All-Americans and among 36 players selected to play in the 2005 High School All-American Game. Havens was drafted by the Colorado Rockies and Smoak by the Oakland Athletics. Smoak was the South Carolina AAAA Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and Havens was AA Player of the Year in 2005. Both also played on state championship teams.
Smoak has some big shoes to fill. Steve Pearce won the triple crown at Carolina each of the past two seasons, leading the team in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. Pearce also set a fielding record at first base.
Tanner admits both had some growing pains in the fall but added that was to be expected.
Jonathan Lieber, 6-4, 215, from the junior college ranks, will challenge Smoak at first base. In fall intrasquad games, Lieber batted .260 (9-for-35) with four home runs. He could also be a designated hitter.
“I’m hoping we will become a seasoned team early into our campaign,” said Tanner. “I think it is important to get some games under our belt and have a positive outcome in order for these players to grow up in a little bit. Success early will be very important to us.”
PITCHING
On the mound, the Gamecocks must replace Aaron Rawl and Zac McCamie, who won nine games apiece last year.
“They produced 18 wins and were constant performers,” said Tanner. “I am confident that there is someone waiting in the wings.”
Two of those in waiting could be left-handers Arik Hempy and Forrest Beverly.
Beverly, slowed by arm troubles early in his career, had an outstanding summer in the Coastal Plains League. After arm surgery sidelined him the entire 2004 season, Beverly worked 24 innings last year with a 1-0 record and a 4.50 earned run average.
“Arik Hempy needs to return to the form he showed as a freshman,” said Tanner.
In 2004, Hempy pitched a complete game shutout against Ole Miss and earned two relief wins over Florida in SEC games. Arm troubles last year limited him to 27.1 innings. His 2005 record was 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA.
Hempy made six starts last year. The only other returnee with more than two is right-hander Wynn Pelzer, who started four games. Pelzer put together a 1-2 record with a 4.34 ERA as a freshman. Following his summer in the Coastal Plains League, Pelzer was named the top prospect in the league by Baseball America. Tanner expects better from him in 2006.
“Pelzer is our most talented arm,” said Tanner. “We need him to step up to his potential.
Dan Luczak, a big right-hander (6-6, 215) from Wisconsin who has pitched only one inning in two years due to an injury, may be ready to step up. He had the best earned run average in fall intrasquad games, 1.69 in 10.2 innings but did issue 10 walks.
“Luczak could be our wildcard,” said Tanner. “He came here highly touted but arrived with an injury.”
Tanner also has comeback hopes for right-hander Conor Lalor, who had a 5-0 record as a freshman in 2003 but missed the entire 2004 season due to Tommy John surgery. He came back last year to pitch 27 innings in 14 appearances, two starts, with a 1-0 record and a 5.33 ERA.
Senior right-hander Andy Lambert had a 4-0 record last year, including a key win over Georgia Tech in the NCAA Regional and is counted on to perform well this spring.
Shawn Valdes-Fauli, a transfer from Miami (Fla.), was injured the entire 2005 season, but could fill the closer role in 2006.
“If healthy, Valdes-Fauli should be on track,” said Tanner.
Other returning pitchers that will add depth to the bullpen include sophomore right-hander Andrew Cruse, junior right-hander Harris Honeycutt and junior right-hander Jeff Jeffords.
The Gamecock bullpen also welcomes to the mix junior college transfers Dozier Taylor and Chase Tucker. Both come from the state of Texas with Taylor a right-hander and Tucker a left-hander. Florida junior college transfer Brandon Todd won several games last year in the FCCAA and figures to be among those getting innings for USC.
Tanner said the top two freshmen pitchers are left-hander Will Atwood and right-hander Mike Cisco. Atwood (6-2, 175) is from Piedmont High School in Greenville and Cisco (5-10, 190) is from Wando High School in Mount Pleasant. Cisco is the grandson of former major league pitcher and coach Galen Cisco.
Atwood won the award as the outstanding newcomer in fall practice with a 1.76 earned run average. His 15.1 innings were the most by any pitcher in the fall and his 1.76 ERA was second to Luczak. Cisco pitched 14.1 innings in the fall.
Tanner indicated that it is hard to pinpoint three or four starting pitchers in the preseason.
“A number of guys could emerge,” said Tanner. “We’ve got some capable people.”
SCOUTING ELON
The Elon Phoenix come into the 2006 season fresh off a 32-25 season last year. Elon returns six position starters including the team’s top hitter, senior first baseman Chris Price. Price was a second team All-Conference player in the Southern Conference and led Elon in hitting with a .379 batting average as well as four HR and 53 RBI. Also returning for Elon is catcher Drew Davis who started 54 of 57 games last year and batted .327 with three HR and 44 RBI. Senior shortstop Paul Bennett also started 56 games and is back after batting .364 and also stealing 17 bases.
Four of Elon’s players also earned several conference honors in the 2006 preseason issue of Baseball America. Price was a preseason All-Conference selection and earned honors for the best strike zone discipline. Bennett was tabbed the best athlete and for the second year Davis was was named the best defensive catcher. Senior Grant Rembert also was recognized for the best power in the conference. Rembert missed most of 2005 due to a wrist injury but briefly hit .429 in nine games with three HR and 11 RBI.
Baseball America ranked Elon fourth in the Southern Conference.
The returning pitching staff for Elon includes senior right-hander Lance Cole, who led Elon in wins last year with a 7-3 record and a 6.19 ERA. Sophomore right-hander Ryan Basham is also back after a 4-3 season in 68 innings pitched and a 5.96 ERA.
Among last year’s highlights for the Phoenix included a 10-3 non-conference win at then-ranked No. 6 North Carolina, a non-conference win at Auburn, and a two-out-of three game series victory over No. 22 Coastal Carolina.
Elon hit .308 as a team in 2005 and had a team ERA of 4.99 with 375 strikeouts and 207 walks in 501 2/3 innings pitched.
