Baseball Hosts Charleston Southern On Wednesday
March 21, 2017
Date: Wed. Mar. 22
First Pitch: 7 p.m.
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Stadium: Founders Park
Television/Video: SEC Network Plus (Burch Antley & Trey Dyson) Live SEC Network Plus Video
Radio: 107.5 The Game & The Gamecock Radio Network (Tommy Moody and Drew Meyer)
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina (14-5) is back home at Founders Park hosting Charleston Southern (11-6) on Wednesday night. First pitch is 7 p.m. The game is available on SEC Network Plus and the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.”
RANKINGS
South Carolina is ranked in all six major collegiate rankings. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 4 by Perfect Game, No. 7 by Baseball America and the NCBWA, No. 8 by D1Baseball and in the USA Today coaches poll and No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball. South Carolina also had a RPI ranking of No. 2 released by the NCAA on Monday.
RECAP
South Carolina went 3-0 this past week sweeping a three-game series at No. 24 Tennessee. The Gamecocks are now 14-5 and 3-0 in SEC play and on a seven-game winning streak.
TO ARMS
The South Carolina pitching staff was stellar the entire weekend and lowered the team ERA to 2.90 for the season. South Carolina has allowed 65 runs, 56 earned, on 135 hits in 174.0 innings with 74 walks to 205 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .211 against the Gamecocks this year. South Carolina ranks fourth in strikeouts and opponents batting average and sixth in ERA in the SEC. Carolina allowed just seven runs on 23 hits in 28.0 innings vs. the Volunteers with 29 strikeouts. The run total was the second-lowest allowed by a SEC team over the weekend.
AT THE PLATE AND ON THE FIELD
South Carolina hit .297 (33-for-111) in the weekend series at Tennessee with 13 extra base hits including six home runs. The Gamecocks have homered in seven straight games and have 13 home runs in that span. The Gamecocks tied a season-high with hits in a game with 15 in the 7-1 victory over Tennessee and also finished with 14 hits in the 10-2 victory over the Volunteers. Carolina’s six homers over the weekend were the most by a SEC team and the weekend average was fourth-best among SEC schools in SEC play.
The Gamecocks are hitting .279 (180-for-646) as a team on the year with a .358 on-base percentage and a .441 slugging mark. Carolina has 21 homers for the season, tied for second-highest in the SEC. South Carolina has equaled or out-hit its opponent in 16 of 19 games this year. South Carolina did not make an error in two of the three games this weekend and are fielding .977 for the season, third-best in the conference.
SUPERLATIVES
South Carolina is 11-2 on the year when scoring first in a game and 10-2 when entering the seventh inning with a lead and 13-1 when entering the ninth inning with the lead. The Gamecocks are 8-1 when scoring six or more runs and 13-3 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 7-4 in games decided by three runs or less.
START WITH CLARKE
Junior right-hander Clarke Schmidt improved to 2-0 on the year with a win in Friday night’s victory at Clemson. Schmidt did not allow a run in 5.2 innings of work and struck out five. Schmidt owns a 0.48 ERA for the season having allowed just four runs, one earned, on 11 hits in 18.2 innings with 19 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .164 against him.
WILLIAMS IS A HIT
Junior first baseman Matt Williams has reached base safely in 17 straight games. He is South Carolina’s leading hitter with a .397 average (23-for-58) with 10 runs scored and 10 RBI. He also leads the team with a .479 on-base percentage. Williams tied a career-high he set last week vs. Michigan State going 3-for-5 with a run scored and a RBI in the 10-2 win over the Volunteers. Williams ranks seventh in the SEC in batting average and 10th in on-base percentage.
THE CROWE SHOW
Despite a no-decision, junior right-hander Wil Crowe gave the Gamecocks a quality start in the 6-4 win at Tennessee. Crowe allowed three runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings with four walks and five strikeouts. For the season, he is 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA in five starts. He has allowed nine runs on 21 hits in 29.2 innings with 11 walks and a team-high 36 strikeouts. He is tied for seventh in the SEC in strikeouts. Opponents are batting .191 against him, 14th-best in the SEC.
TJ LEADS IT OFF
Sophomore outfielder TJ Hopkins hit his third home run of the season in the 6-4 win at Tennessee. Hopkins is batting .298 (17-for-57) with a team-high 18 runs scored, three doubles, two triples, three homers and nine RBI. He owns a .388 on-base percentage. Hopkins’ .579 slugging percentage is 10th-best in the SEC.
Hopkins won the Tom Price Award as MVP for the Gamecocks in the Clemson series. His top game of the series was game three when he went 3-for-5 with his second triple of the season and a pair of runs scored. He also had a key diving catch to record the final out in a 2-0 win at Clemson.
HILL ON THE MOUND
Pitching on his first Friday night in his career with the Gamecocks, sophomore right-hander Adam Hill won his first outing of the season as he allowed just one run on six hits in six innings of work with three walks and five strikeouts in the 7-1 win at Tennessee.
Hill is 1-2 on the year with a 1.54 ERA in four starts. He has allowed only six runs, four earned, on 15 hits in 23.1 innings with 10 walks and 25 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .185 against him, 11th-best in the SEC.
OLSON PROVIDES A SPARK
Sophomore outfielder Jacob Olson went 2-for-4 with a key three-run homer in the 7-1 win over Tennessee. Olson is hitting .271 (19-for-70) for the season with four homers and 12 RBI and a .346 on-base percentage. He has three doubles, a triple and 12 runs scored. Olson is tied with the team lead in multi-hit games with six on the year. He is tied for 11th in the SEC in homers.
JOHNSON BRINGS THE HEAT
Junior right-hander Tyler Johnson pitched a scoreless inning of relief for his fourth save of the season in Friday’s 2-0 win at Clemson. Johnson has four saves in five relief appearances. He has struck out 12 in 6.2 innings of work out of the bullpen.
Johnson struck out five of six batters he faced for his third save of the year in the 8-4 win over Appalachian State last Tuesday. He earned two saves the previous week with 1.1 innings of work in the 5-4 win over Charlotte followed by a scoreless ninth inning in which he struck out the side in the 4-3 victory over Wright State on Friday night.
CATCHING UP WITH CULLEN
Junior catcher Chris Cullen went 3-for-5 and hit his fourth homer of the year in the 7-1 win over Tennessee. Cullen is batting .250 (12-for-48) with 12 RBI on the year and owns a .368 on-base percentage. He is tied for 11th in the SEC in homers.
BOWERS BRINGS IT
Senior right-hander Colie Bowers was effective in relief in Saturday’s 6-4 win at Tennessee. Bowers allowed just one run, his first earned run given up of the season, on two hits in two innings of relief with two strikeouts. Bowers is 2-0 on the year with a 0.69 ERA in 13.0 innings pitched with three walks and 14 strikeouts. Opponents are batting just .136 against him.
DYNAMIC DESTINO
Junior outfielder/designated hitter Alex Destino hit his fourth homer of the year in the 10-2 win over Tennessee. Destino is second on the Gamecocks in hitting with a .304 average (21-for-69) with 12 runs scored and a team-high 17 RBI. Destino also leads the team with 11 walks and has four doubles as well. He is tied for 11th in the SEC in homers.
REAGAN FROM THE LEFT
Senior left-hander Josh Reagan improved to 2-0 with a win in relief in Saturday’s 6-4 victory over the Volunteers. Reagan pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief and struck out two in the win. He has a 1.10 ERA in a team-high nine relief appearances with a save. Reagan has 18 strikeouts to five walks in 16.1 innings, opponents are batting .143 against him. He is tied for 15th in the SEC in appearances.
THERE’S Hunter Taylor
Junior catcher Hunter Taylor hit .375 (3-for-8) in a pair of starts at Tennessee. Taylor is hitting .391 (9-for-23) in nine games played with six starts. He has a RBI and four runs scored and a .481 on-base percentage.
THAT’S TOLBERT
Sophomore infielder LT Tolbert had a pair of multi-hit games in the series sweep at Tennessee. He went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a double in the 7-1 win over Tennessee and was 2-for-5 with two RBI, a double and two runs scored in the 10-2 win over the Volunteers. Tolbert is tied with the team lead in multi-hit games with six on the year.
LATTA LIGHTNING
Freshman right-hander Colby Lee earned his first career win in relief. He pitched four scoreless innings with just one hit allowed and struck out five. He is 1-0 on the year with a 1.17 ERA in two appearances. Lee has nine strikeouts in 7.2 innings with opponents batting .154 against him.
BLAIR ON BASE
Sophomore outfielder Danny Blair leads the Gamecocks with four stolen bases.
Blair had his best series at the plate in a Gamecock uniform in his career as he went 6-for-11 (.545) to lead the Gamecocks at the plate in the UNCG series. Blair also scored a pair of runs, drove in two and stole two bags. He finished with a .545 on-base and slugging percentage as well.
STOKES IS RISING
Junior infielder Madison Stokes went 2-for-3 with a double and a homer in the 10-2 win over Tennessee. He also doubled and went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI in the 7-1 victory over the Volunteers. Stokes is hitting .235 (16-for-68) with a team-high six doubles as well as three homers, eight RBI and 11 runs scored. He is tied for eighth in the SEC in doubles.
JONAH WITH A JOLT
Junior third baseman Jonah Bride is on a seven-game hitting streak for the Gamecocks. Bride hit .308 (4-for-13) in the Tennessee series with two doubles, a homer and four RBI. In the hitting streak, he his batting .385 (10-for-26) with 10 runs scored and five RBI as well as a .467 on-base percentage. Bride doubled twice in the 7-1 win over Tennessee and hit a two-run homer in the 6-4 victory and also walked with the bases loaded for a game-winning RBI in the 6-4 win over the Volunteers. For the season, Bride is batting .284 (19-for-67) with 13 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, two homers and 10 RBI. He has a team-high five sacrifice hits as well, that is third-best in the SEC.
GREAT SCOTT
Senior right-hander Reed Scott pitched three scoreless innings of relief with just one hit allowed and three strikeouts to earn a save in the 7-1 win over Tennessee. Scott is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in seven relief appearances. He has two saves on the year. Scott has allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 18 hits in 21.0 innings. Scott has 20 strikeouts and opponents are batting .228 against them.
ROW WITH IT
Junior infielder Justin Row went 2-for-4 with his first career triple in Saturday’s 8-7 loss to Clemson. Row is hitting .278 (5-for-18) with three RBI and three runs scored in six games played with four starts.
LAWSON’S FIRST WIN
Sophomore right-hander Graham Lawson earned his first career win in the 12-5 victory over The Citadel. Lawson allowed four runs on four hits in three innings of relief with a walk and three strikeouts. Lawson has struck out seven in in 9.1 innings of work in three games.
PARKE’S FIRST SAVE
Junior left-hander John Parke earned his first career save in the 12-5 win over The Citadel. Parke allowed just one run on three hits in three innings and struck out a career-high five batters.
THE MORRIS CODE
Freshman right-hander Cody Morris made his first SEC start and his second start of the year in the 10-2 win over Tennessee. Morris allowed just one run on three hits in 3.2 innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Morris has a 1.35 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched.
STABLE BRIDGES
Freshman right-hander Sawyer Bridges pitched well in relief in the 10-2 win at Tennessee. Bridges allowed just one run on two hits and struck out three. Bridges has nine strikeouts in six innings pitched in four appearances.
SOUTH CAROLINA 2017 HONOR ROLL
Danny Blair
Rated No. 105 best outfielder in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 126 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Jonah Bride
Rated No. 50 best third baseman in the nation by D1Baseball
Carlos Cortes
Rated No. 1 freshman in the SEC by Baseball America
Rated No. 1 impact freshman in the SEC by D1Baseball
Rated No. 4 best freshman in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 13 best freshman in the nation by Perfect Game
Rated No. 14 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 14 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
Rated No. 37 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 53 best outfielder in the nation by D1Baseball
Chris Cullen
Named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List
Rated No. 7 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by Baseball America
Rated No. 11 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 18 best catcher in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 22 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 85 best overall sophomore in the nation by Perfect Game
Wil Crowe
Named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Preseason All-America 3rd Team (Baseball America)
Rated No. 6 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Baseball America
Rated No. 7 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 9 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
Rated No. 11 best starting pitcher in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 17 best overall junior in the nation by Perfect Game
Rated No. 36 best overall prospect in the nation for 2017 MLB Draft by MLB.com
Alex Destino
Preseason All-America 2nd Team (NCBWA)
Preseason All-SEC Team (Perfect Game)
Preseason All-SEC 2nd Team (SEC Coaches Poll)
Rated No. 16 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
Rated No. 19 best outfielder in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 21 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 45 best overall junior in the nation by Perfect Game
Adam Hill
Rated No. 6 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by Baseball America
Rated No. 6 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 11 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 15 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
Rated No. 49 best overall sophomore in the nation by Perfect Game
Rated No. 57 best starting pitcher in the nation by D1Baseball
TJ Hopkins
Rated No. 31 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 36 best outfielder in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 91 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Tyler Johnson
Named to NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List
Preseason All-America 1st Team (D1Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
Preseason All-SEC First Team (SEC Coaches Poll)
Preseason All-SEC Team (Perfect Game)
Rated No. 1 reliever in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 12 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
Rated No. 13 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 14 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Baseball America
Rated No. 30 best overall junior in the nation by Perfect Game
Cody Morris
Rated No. 16 impact freshman in the SEC by D1Baseball
Rated No. 23 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 32 best freshman in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 62 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 159 best starting pitcher in the nation by D1Baseball
Jacob Olson
Rated No. 34 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 101 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Josh Reagan
Named to NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List
Preseason All-America 3rd Team (Collegiate Baseball)
Rated No. 12 best reliever in the nation by D1Baseball
Clarke Schmidt
Named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Preseason All-America 1st Team (NCBWA)
Preseason All-America 2nd Team (Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, Perfect Game)
Rated No. 8 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Baseball America
Rated No. 9 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 10 best prospect in the SEC for 2017 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
Rated No. 11 best starting pitcher in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 22 best overall junior in the nation by Perfect Game
Rated No. 35 best overall prospect in the nation for 2017 MLB Draft by MLB.com
Recognized as having the “Best Control” of all pitchers in the SEC by Baseball America
Madison Stokes
Rated No. 21 best shortstop in the nation by D1Baseball
LT Tolbert
Rated No. 25 best second baseman in the nation by D1Baseball
Rated No. 35 best prospect in the SEC for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
Rated No. 103 best prospect in the nation for 2018 MLB Draft by D1Baseball
