South Carolina Baseball Notebook

May 1, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina is 25-17 and 10-11 in the SEC. South Carolina has played 25 games this season against teams ranked in the Top 25, the second-highest total in the SEC with 11 wins vs. Top 25 teams on the year, the fourth-highest win total in the conference as well. The Gamecocks have played 23 of 42 games this year vs. RPI Top 50 teams, that ties for third-highest among the 14 SEC schools also. The Gamecocks are fourth in the SEC Eastern Division and 10th in the league with nine SEC games remaining.

Record: 25-17
SEC: 10-11
Home: 18-11
Away: 7-4
Neutral: 0-2

Last Week: 1-2
4/28/17 ââ’¬” Kentucky ââ’¬” L, 19-1
4/29/17 ââ’¬” Kentucky ââ’¬” W, 5-1
4/30/17 ââ’¬” Kentucky ââ’¬” L, 9-4

NOTES:
South Carolina is 25-17 and 10-11 in the SEC. South Carolina has played 25 games this season against teams ranked in the Top 25, the second-highest total in the SEC with 11 wins vs. Top 25 teams on the year, the fourth-highest win total in the conference as well. The Gamecocks have played 23 of 42 games this year vs. RPI Top 50 teams, that ties for third-highest among the 14 SEC schools also. The Gamecocks are fourth in the SEC Eastern Division and 10th in the league with nine SEC games remaining.

South Carolina has only lost four games this year by four or more runs. South Carolina is 12-13 in games decided by three runs or less. 13 of South Carolina’s 21 SEC games have been decided by three runs or less this year. The Gamecocks are 4-9 in those contests.

The South Carolina pitching staff ranks third in the SEC in earned run average. The Gamecocks own a 3.62 team ERA with 176 runs allowed, 149 earned, on 322 hits in 381.2 innings pitched. The Gamecocks have struck out 402 batters to 158 walks. Opponents are batting .229 against the Gamecocks. South Carolina ranks fifth in the SEC in opposing batting average as well as fifth in strikeouts. South Carolina’s 3.62 ERA in SEC games is third in the conference as well. The Gamecocks have 182 strikeouts in 191.2 innings during conference play.

South Carolina is hitting .266 (380-for-1427) for the season with a .347 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage. The Gamecocks have 36 homers on the year. South Carolina has equaled or out-hit its opponent in 29 of 42 games this year. South Carolina is fielding .977 for the season with 18 games without an error. South Carolina is 13-5 when not committing an error. South Carolina ranks fifth in the SEC in fielding.

South Carolina is 19-7 on the year when scoring first in a game and 19-4 when entering the seventh inning with a lead and 24-3 when entering the ninth inning with the lead. The Gamecocks are 14-2 when scoring six or more runs and 24-8 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 12-13 in games decided by three runs or less. South Carolina is 10-3 in five-plus run games.

Sophomore right-hander Adam Hill earned the win in Saturday’s 5-1 victory vs. Kentucky. Hill allowed just one run on one hit in five-plus innings of work with five strikeouts and three walks. Hill is now 3-3 on the year with a 2.30 ERA in 10 starts. He has struck out 62 to 28 walks with opponents batting .196 against him in 54.2 innings pitched. Hill ranks fifth in the SEC in opposing batting average as well as ninth in ERA. Hill’s 42 strikeouts in league play ranks 11th in the league with his .215 SEC opponents batting average is 13th best as well.

Freshman outfielder Carlos Cortes continues to swing a hot bat for the Gamecocks. Cortes is South Carolina’s top hitter in SEC play with a .361 average (22-for-61) in 21 league games with all six of his homers vs. SEC teams as well and a team-high 21 RBIs in those league games. Cortes is the only freshman in the SEC with six or more homers in conference play. He ranks third in the SEC in conference contests with a .738 slugging mark in league play, fourth in RBIs, tied for sixth in homers and is also ninth in batting average. Cortes hit .364 (4-for-11) in the Kentucky series with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs. For the season, Cortes is batting .304 (31-for-102) with 15 runs scored, six homers and 25 RBIs and a .559 slugging percentage.

Senior left-hander Josh Reagan had a pair of scoreless outings out of the bullpen for the Gamecocks vs. Kentucky. He pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief vs. the Wildcats. Reagan is 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in a team-high 20 relief appearances. He has 37 strikeouts in 38.1 innings with opponents batting .219 against him. Reagan has 78 career appearances and is closing in on the Top 10 in school history.

Senior first baseman Ross Grosvenor made his first two career starts this weekend vs. Kentucky and came through at the plate going 3-for-8 (.375) with his first career homer as well as three RBIs. Grosvenor drove in a run in all three games with a RBI double on Friday, a RBI single in the 5-1 win and the homer in Sunday’s game.

Junior right-hander Tyler Johnson pitched 1.2 perfect innings of relief in the 5-1 win vs. Kentucky to earn his seventh save of the year. Johnson struck out a batter as well in the contest. For the season he is 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 11 relief appearances with his seven saves tied for fifth in the league. He has struck out 23 batters in 14.1 innings pitched with opponents batting .218 against him. Johnson now owns 16 career saves, 10th highest in school history.

Sophomore outfielder Jacob Olson ranks second on the team in hitting with a .306 average (48-for-157) with 28 runs scored and 23 RBIs. Olson showed off a strong arm this weekend with a pair of assists from the outfield in Sunday’s game, tying an individual school record for an outfielder for assists in a game. Olson has six assists from the outfield this season.

Senior right-hander Reed Scott pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with just three hits allowed, two walks and two strikeouts in Sunday’s 9-4 loss to Kentucky. Scott is 1-2 with a 3.28 ERA in 17 relief appearances with two saves as well. He has struck out 31 batters in 35.2 innings pitched. Scott owns 82 career appearances, eighth-highest in school history.

Sophomore infielder LT Tolbert leads the Gamecocks in hitting with a .310 batting average (44-for-142) with 19 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, three homers and 28 RBIs. Tolbert was 2-for-4 with a run scored in the 9-4 loss to Kentucky on Sunday.

Freshman first baseman Riley Hogan was South Carolina’s top hitter in the Kentucky series going 4-for-8 (.500) at the plate with a double and a run scored. Hogan has played in 13 games with nine starts and is batting .281 (9-for-32) with three runs scored, two doubles and a pair of RBIs.

Junior catcher John Jones made a pair of starts behind the plate this week and hit a two-run homer in Sunday’s 9-4 loss to Kentucky.

NEXT WEEK
5/3/17 ââ’¬” Wofford ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
5/5/17 ââ’¬” at LSU ââ’¬” 8 p.m. ET
5/6/17 ââ’¬” at LSU ââ’¬” 8 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
5/7/17 ââ’¬” at LSU ââ’¬” 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)