June 10, 2005

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina senior first baseman Steve Pearce has been named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association District IV Player of the Year. States located in district 1V include Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland. Pearce led the Gamecocks in all three triple crown categories for the second straight year batting .358 with 21 home runs and 63 runs batted in. Pearce also finished the year with a .703 slugging percentage.

In his two year career with Carolina, Pearce compiled 42 home runs as well as 133 runs batted in. Pearce became the first player in school history to reach 40 career home runs in just two seasons and is sixth on the Gamecock Career List. Pearce finished off the 2005 season named to the All-Tournament Team at last week’s NCAA Regional in Atlanta. Pearce was a second team All-SEC selection at first base this year. Pearce was drafted in the eighth round of the MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.