Oct. 24, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – The 2003 South Carolina baseball team will be honored on Thursday, October 30 at 7 p.m. at the 2003 Gamecock Baseball Banquet. Last season the Gamecocks reached the College World Series for the second consecutive year, compiled a 45-22 overall record and won its four SEC Eastern Division title in the last five seasons. Over the past four years, the South Carolina baseball program is the second winningiest program in Division I baseball with a 207-70 record making four straight appearances in the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Super Regionals.

The 2002 season saw junior LHP David Marchbanks earn SEC Pitcher of the Year and All-American honors with a 15-3 record and a 2.73 ERA in 135 1/3 innings pitched. Senior 3B Brian Buscher also earned All-American honors with a team best .393 batting average and 15 HR with 66 RBI. Marchbanks, Buscher and catcher Landon Powell earned first team All-SEC honors. Six Gamecocks signed professional baseball contracts following the end of the 2003 season: Buscher (3rd Round/Giants), Marchbanks (7th Round/Marlins), Steven Bondurant (15th Round/A’s), Justin Harris (16th Round, Pirates), Jon Coutlangus (18th Round/Giants), and Chris Hernandez (22nd Round/Pirates).

The banquet is sponsored by the Gamecock Dugout Club and anyone interested in purchasing tickets needs to contact Darryl Cooper at 803-319-7626.