Baseball Notebook
May 22, 2016
South Carolina (42-13) is the No. 2 seed at the 2016 SEC Tournament and will face the winner of Tuesday’s game between No. 7 seed Ole Miss (40-16) and No. 10 seed Georgia (27-29) on Wednesday May 25. The game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one, which starts at 10:30 a.m. ET. The game will be televised on the SEC Network and is available on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship 107.5 “The Game.” Carolina swept a three-game series at Ole Miss and won one of three games at Georgia earlier this season.
Record: 42-13
SEC: 20-9
Home: 30-4
Neutral: 0-2
Away: 12-7
Last Week: 4-0
5/17/16 The Citadel — W, 16-4
5/19/16 — at Alabama — W, 6-4
5/20/16 — at Alabama — W, 4-2
5/21/16 — at Alabama — W, 9-7
NOTES:
South Carolina is the SEC Eastern Division champion with a 20-9 conference record. It is the seventh division title in school history. The Gamecocks also claimed the East in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2012. It is the first East title under head coach Chad Holbrook. Under the direction of Coach Holbrook, the Gamecocks have earned a top four seed in three of four seasons at the SEC Tournament (2013, 2014, 2016). In that four-year span, the Gamecocks are one of only three teams to have accomplished the feat along with LSU (2013, 2014, 2015) and Florida (2014, 2015, 2016).
South Carolina is 25-42 (.373) in all-time SEC Tournament history dating back to its first appearance in the 1992 season, also South Carolina’s first official year in the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks have twice played for the SEC Tournament Championship, winning in 2004 and finishing second in 2002. The Gamecocks went 4-0 in 2004 on the way to the tournament championship including a 3-2 victory over Vanderbilt in the title game. Carolina went 0-1 in last year’s SEC Tournament with a 5-1 loss to Missouri in a single elimination contest. Carolina’s last victory in Hoover came in 2012 when Carolina defeated Auburn.
South Carolina sophomore right-hander Clarke Schmidt has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, presented by Easton Foundations and awarded by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The award is given to the top player in collegiate baseball. Schmidt continues to be among the top pitchers in the conference and the country as he is 9-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He has allowed 34 runs, 29 earned, on 86 hits in 96.0 innings pitched. He has 108 strikeouts to just 20 walks with opponents batting .236 against him. He became the first Gamecock pitcher since Michael Roth in 2011 to reach the single-season 100 strikeout total. Schmidt is second in the SEC behind teammate Braden Webb with 108 strikeouts, is tied for fourth in wins, fifth in innings pitched and ninth in ERA. Schmidt has been strong in SEC games with a 5-2 record and a 3.72 ERA in the league. He has 76 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched in the league. His 76 league strikeouts is second-best among the league pitchers behind teammate Braden Webb, with his win-total tied for fifth-most and innings pitched ranked sixth in the conference.
Freshman right-hander Braden Webb became the 31st pitcher in school history to reach 10 or more wins with a victory in the 4-2 win over Alabama on May 20. He allowed just one run on seven hits in six innings with two walks and nine strikeouts. Webb is 10-4 with a 3.33 ERA. He has allowed 37 runs, 31 earned, on 65 hits in 83.2 innings pitched. He also reached the single-season 100 strikeout total and has 109 strikeouts to 42 walks. Opponents are batting .212 against him. Webb is tied for second in the SEC in wins and is leads the SEC with his 109 strikeouts. He is sixth in opposing batting average and 12th in innings pitched. In SEC games, Webb is 7-3 with a 3.82 ERA and has 88 strikeouts in 63.2 innings with opponents batting .232 against him in league play. Webb’s seven wins ties him with Alex Faedo of Florida and Dakota Hudson of Mississippi State with the most victories in league play. His 88 strikeouts are also the most by a SEC pitcher in league contests.
Both Webb and Schmidt’s SEC numbers are some of the best in school history. Webb’s seven wins in league play are tied for third-highest in school history and are the most by a Gamecock pitcher since Blake Cooper went 7-1 in the 2010 season. Webb’s 88 league strikeouts are the most-ever by a Carolina pitcher with Schmidt’s 76 strikeouts in league play tied for second all-time as well.
Junior outfielder Gene Cone continues to lead the Gamecocks in hitting with a .348 average (63-for-181) with 22 RBI and 43 runs scored as well as a .460 on-base percentage and a .481 slugging mark. Cone ranks third in the SEC in on-base percentage and ninth in batting average. Cone and teammate Clarke Schmidt are semifinalists for the Gregg Olson Award, presented by Toolshed Sports and awarded to college baseball’s breakout player of the year. Cone saved his best for league play as he has hit .391 (43-for-110) in 29 SEC games with 13 RBI and 30 runs scored. He led the conference with 27 walks to nine strikeouts and was second in the SEC with a .514 on-base percentage in SEC games. His 30 runs scored in league games were the most by a SEC player this season. He also ranked third in hitting and tied for sixth in hits.
Sophomore infielder Madison Stokes had Carolina’s best weekend in the Alabama series as he hit .778 (7-for-9) with three doubles, a pair of RBI and three runs scored. Stokes was 3-for-3 with two runs and a double in the 6-4 win over the Crimson Tide, followed that up going 2-for-4 in the 4-2 victory and closed out the series 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI in the 9-7 win. Stokes has raised his season average to .324 (22-for-68) with eight RBI and 10 runs scored. Stokes has played in 22 games with 20 starts after missing the first half of the regular season with a Jones fracture in his foot.
Junior outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams hit .545 (6-for-11) in the Alabama series with a home run, a double, a pair of RBI and five runs scored. All three games were multi-hit performances. He opened the series 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in a 6-4, followed that up 2-for-4 with a homer in the 4-2 win and closed out the series 2-for-3 with three runs scored. He is now hitting .338 (68-for-201) with 15 doubles, three triples, seven homers, 38 RBI and 50 runs scored. He has a .442 on-base percentage and a team-best .546 slugging mark. Thompson-Williams ranks eighth in the SEC in runs scored and walks, 10th in on-base percentage, 11th in slugging percentage and tied for 12th in doubles. He leads Carolina with a team-high 21 multi-hit games and is third with 11 multi-RBI contests.
Sophomore outfielder Alex Destino is third on the team in hitting with a .332 average (66-for-199). He has a team-high eight homers, 50 RBI and is second with a .513 slugging percentage. Destino ranks eighth in the SEC in RBI.
The Gamecock bats were hot all weekend in Tuscaloosa as the team hit .336 (36-for-107) with 17 RBI and 19 runs scored for the series. The .336 average was the highest in all 10 SEC series played by the Gamecocks this year. Carolina’s OBP for the weekend was .397 as well.
Sophomore right-hander Tyler Johnson has been a key arm in this year’s bullpen. He is 1-2 with nine saves and a 2.95 ERA in 26 relief appearances. He has struck out 42 batters to seven walks and opponents are batting .187 against him. Johnson has eight of his nine saves in league play, that is the most by any reliever in the SEC this year. Johnson saved all three wins at Alabama last week. He pitched two scoreless innings in the 6-4 win, struck out the lone batter he faced in the 4-2 victory and closed out the series with 1.2 perfect innings in the 9-7 win over the Crimson Tide.
Junior left-hander Josh Reagan was key in the 4-2 win over Alabama going 2.2 innings and allowing just one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. He is 2-2 with 11 saves and a 1.77 ERA in 25 relief appearances. Reagan has allowed nine runs on 26 hits in 45.2 innings with 40 strikeouts and 18 walks. He is tied for first in the SEC in saves.
Senior infielder Marcus Mooney had a hit in all three games at Alabama including a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a pair of RBI in the 6-4 win over the Crimson Tide. Mooney is fourth on the Gamecocks in hitting with a .312 average (54-for-173) with 27 RBI and 33 runs scored. Mooney owns a .410 on-base percentage as well.
Sophomore catcher John Jones came up with some big hits at Alabama including a two-run homer in Friday’s 4-2 win and was 2-for-3 with four RBI in the 9-7 victory in the series finale. Jones is hitting .281 (55-for-196) with 36 runs scored, 10 doubles, seven homers and 47 RBI. He is at a .389 on-base percentage and a .439 slugging percentage. Jones leads Carolina with 14 multi-RBI games this year.
Sophomore infielder Jonah Bride is one of two Gamecocks alongside teammate Dom Thompson-Williams, who has started all 55 games this year. Bride had a career night last Tuesday vs. The Citadel going 4-for-5 with two doubles and five RBI in the 16-4 win. He hit safely in all three games at Alabama including 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the 9-7 win. Bride is hitting .284 (56-for-197) with 27 RBI and 40 runs scored. He is second in the SEC with 18 hit by pitches on the year.
Freshman catcher Chris Cullen has raised his season average to .261 (35-for-134) with 17 runs scored and 22 RBI. Cullen has driven in 11 of his 22 runs with two outs. He also owns 11 doubles on the year. Cullen went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored in the 6-4 win over Alabama.
Junior right-hander Reed Scott has been a stopper of out of the bullpen this year. Scott is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 26 relief appearances and a pair of saves. He has allowed 13 runs, 12 earned, on 36 hits in 41.0 innings. He has not allowed a run in 18 of 26 relief appearances. Scott and teammate Tyler Johnson rank tied for fifth in the SEC in appearances. Scott earned the win in the 6-4 victory at Alabama as he pitched 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Senior infielder DC Arendas hit his first career grand slam in the 16-4 win over The Citadel. Arendas owns a .322 on-base percentage. Arendas has been stellar defensively in 51 games with 35 starts as he is fielding .988 with just two errors (one at shortstop, one at second base) in 160 chances with 63 putouts and 95 assists.
Junior right-hander Taylor Widener picked up a win at Alabama in the 9-7 victory as he allowed two runs on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work. Widener is 4-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 13 appearances. He has 56 strikeouts in 47.0 innings with opponents batting .239 against him.
Freshman outfielder TJ Hopkins is hitting .326 (29-for-89) with 19 runs scored and 20 RBI in 34 games played with 24 starts. He was 2-for-5 with a RBI in the 9-7 victory at Alabama.
Freshman right-hander Adam Hill is 6-0 with a 3.64 ERA. He has allowed 24 runs, all earned, on 46 hits in 59.1 innings. He has 66 strikeouts to 24 walks; opponents are batting .217 against him. That opposing batting average is 10th-best in the SEC.
South Carolina has outscored its opponents this year 344-205 including 78-34 in the first two innings of play. The Gamecocks are 32-4 on the year when scoring first and 19-3 when scoring in the first inning. South Carolina is 30-3 when out-hitting its opponent and 22-5 when hitting at least one home run. The Gamecocks are 38-1 when leading after the sixth inning. South Carolina is 19-8 in games decided by three runs or less. Carolina has reached double-digits in hits in 25 games this year with a 24-1 record with 10 hits or more.
The Gamecocks own a team ERA of 3.32 on the year, fourth-best in the SEC with a .225 opponents batting average that is best in the SEC. South Carolina has allowed 205 runs, 182 earned, on 414 hits with 186 walks to 530 strikeouts in 494.0 innings pitched.
South Carolina is fifth in the SEC in hitting with a team average of .290 (544-for-1874) as well as a .382 on-base percentage and a .412 slugging percentage. The Gamecocks have hit 38 homers. Carolina is fielding .980 as a team with just 40 errors on the year, second-best in the conference.
