Feb. 22, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina swept its opening weekend series with victories of 10-1, 6-2 and 8-1 over Albany. The Gamecocks are 3-0 on the year.

Record: 3-0
SEC: 0-0
Home: 3-0
Away: 0-0

Last Week: 3-0
2/19/16 ââ’¬” Albany (W, 10-1)
2/20/16 ââ’¬” Albany (W, 6-2)
2/21/16 ââ’¬” Albany (W, 8-1)

NOTES:
South Carolina pitchers had a strong first weekend with the Gamecocks allowing four runs, three earned, on 10 hits with 11 walks and 30 strikeouts in 27.0 innings. Carolina’s 1.00 team ERA was best among the 14 SEC schools as was the team’s .114 opposing batting average.

South Carolina hit .323 (31-for-96) for the weekend with a .446 on base percentage. The Gamecocks also walked 16 times to 12 strikeouts and were hit by pitch seven times. Carolina committed just two errors and fielded .983 for the weekend with two error-less games for the series.

South Carolina’s bullpen did not allow a run in 11 innings of work in the series and struck out 13 batters. The bullpen allowed just four singles and four walks.

Sophomore catcher John Jones had a great first weekend in the Gamecock uniform. The junior college transfer hit .600 (6-for-10) with a double, a homer and nine RBI. His nine RBI is the highest three-game series RBI total since LB Dantzler drove in 10 runs, ironically, vs. Albany in 2013. Jones also walked twice and scored four runs. His on-base percentage of the weekend was .667 with a 1.000 slugging mark. Jones’ average tied for the third-best among SEC players for the first weekend, as did his RBI total. Five of Jones’ nine RBI came with two outs. Jones hit safely in all three games and had three multi-RBI games as well.

Sophomore right-hander Clarke Schmidt picked up the win on Opening Day allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts and four walks in six innings of work as Carolina defeated Albany 10-1.

Junior outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams had a stellar weekend at the plate in his debut as well. Thompson-Williams hit .400 (4-for-10) with a homer, four RBI and four runs scored. Thompson-Williams also had four walks and finished with a .571 on-base percentage.

Freshman right-hander Braden Webb allowed two runs on one hit with three walks and five strikeouts to earn his first win as a Gamecock in Saturday’s 6-2 win.

Senior infielder Marcus Mooney had the team’s second-highest on-base percentage of the weekend with a .636 mark and hit .333 (2-for-6) as well. Mooney doubled twice, drove in a run and scored four runs. He also tallied two sacrifice hits and stole two bases. Mooney reached base in all four plate appearances and scored three runs in Sunday’s 8-1 win.

Junior right-hander Taylor Widener allowed only one unearned run on two hits with no walks and six strikeouts in five innings of work in Sunday’s victory over Albany. Widener’s six strikeouts were one short of his career-high.

Sophomore infielder Jonah Bride hit safely in all three games. Bride hit .333 (3-for-9) with three runs scored, a double and a RBI. He was also hit by a pitch three times and walked for a .538 on-base percentage.

Sophomore right-hander Tyler Johnson made two relief appearances and struck out four batters in two innings with just one hit allowed. He was the only Gamecock to make two appearances on the mound for the weekend.

Freshman outfielder TJ Hopkins tied a single-game school record with two outfield assists on Opening Day. Hopkins started all three games and hit .286 (2-for-7) with a RBI.

Junior left-hander Josh Reagan tallied his first career save with 1.2 perfect innings of relief in Saturday’s 6-2 win over Albany. He struck out four batters in the outing.

Freshman catcher Chris Cullen started a pair of games behind the plate and hit .500 (4-for-8) with a run scored and two RBI. Cullen put together a pair of two-out RBI singles and was 3-for-4 in Saturday’s 6-2 win.

Junior right-hander Reed Scott pitched 2.1 perfect innings of relief retiring all seven batters he faced in Saturday’s 6-2 win.

Freshman infielder LT Tolbert went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double in Sunday’s 8-1 win over Albany.

Junior right-hander Colie Bowers won his first career game with the Gamecocks after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts in Sunday’s 8-1 win.

Sophomore outfielders Clark Scolamiero played in all three games with two starts and hit .333 (2-for-6) with a run scored and two RBI. Scolamiero reached base in all three games as well.

South Carolina totaled 22,480 in attendance the first weekend for an average of 7,493 per contest at Founders Park.

NEXT WEEK
2/23/16 ââ’¬” Appalachian State ââ’¬” 4 p.m.
2/24/16 ââ’¬” Winthrop ââ’¬” 4 p.m.
2/26/16 ââ’¬” Penn State ââ’¬” 4 p.m.
2/27/16 ââ’¬” Penn State ââ’¬” 2 p.m.
2/28/16 ââ’¬” Penn State ââ’¬” 1:30 p.m.