April 23, 2015

South Carolina-Tennessee Game Notes

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina heads to Tennessee for a three-game series against the Volunteers. First pitch for the opener is set for Friday at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s contests are 1 p.m. All three can be heard on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.” Friday and Saturday’s games will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus with Sunday’s game televised on SEC Network.

LIVE COVERAGE
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network/flagship 107.5 FM “The Game” (Andy Demetra & Tommy Moody)
Television: Friday & Saturday SEC Network +; Sunday SEC Network (Bob Kesling, Mike Keith, Rusty Ensor)
Internet: Additional coverage on Twitter @GamecockBasebll and Facebook/Gamecocksonline

South Carolina (25-17, 8-10 SEC) vs. Tennessee (16-20, 5-13 SEC)
Lindsey Nelson Stadium
April 24 – 6 p.m.; April 25 – 1 p.m.; April 26 – 1 p.m.

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PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina – Jack Wynkoop (Jr. LHP) 5-4, 3.04 ERA, 68.0 IP, 10 BB, 59 SO
Tennessee – Andy Cox (Jr. LHP) 1-2, 3.58 ERA, 37.2 IP, 15 BB, 38 SO

Saturday
South Carolina – Vince Fiori (Jr. LHP) 3-1, 2.30 ERA, 27.1 IP, 17 BB, 29 SO
Tennessee – Bret Marks (Sr. RhP) 4-5, 3.00 ERA, 63.0 IP, 19 BB, 76 SO

Sunday
South Carolina – TBA
Tennessee – TBA

SERIES HISTORY
South Carolina leads 54-34

K-MART
Senior first baseman Kyle Martin is one of 60 players in the country to be named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.

Senior first baseman Kyle Martin leads the Gamecocks in all three Triple Crown categories with a .351 average (53-for-151), eight homers and 40 RBI. Martin also has a .446 on-base percentage and a .603 slugging mark. He has scored 34 runs as well. Martin ranks fifth in the SEC in RBI, tied for sixth in home runs, seventh in slugging percentage, and 13th in on -base percentage. Martin’s league numbers are strong as well with a .415 average (27-for-65), .512 on-base percentage and .769 slugging percentage in 18 league games. Martin leads the SEC in conference games in slugging percentage and is second in both batting average and on-base percentage. Five of his eight homers have come in SEC play with 15 runs and 19 RBI as well. He is second in SEC games in homers and tied for third in RBI. Martin’s 50 total bases in league games also leads the conference.

Martin hit .583 (7-for-12) in the Florida series with a pair of homers and four RBI. In Saturday’s loss at Florida, Martin became the first Gamecock since Brendan Winn on February 14, 2004 to hit for the cycle. It marked only the seventh time in school history that a Gamecock had hit for the cycle and the second time it has happened vs. a SEC team. Martin’s four hits also tied a career-high.

Martin elected to return for his final season after being selected in the 20th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Martin was Carolina’s leading hitter last year batting .336 (82-for-244) with 35 runs scored, 11 doubles, five homers and 38 RBI, a .389 on-base percentage and a .443 slugging percentage. He started all 62 games at first base. Martin averaged 1.32 hits per game last year, tied for highest among SEC returning leaders.

JACK OF ALL TRADES
Junior left-hander Jack Wynkoop put together a tremendous start in Friday’s 5-2 win over Vanderbilt. Wynkoop hurled his first career complete game allowing just two runs on 10 hits in nine innings with just one walk and a career-high 12 strikeouts to help lead the Gamecocks to the victory. Wynkoop improved to 5-4 with the win with a 3.04 ERA in a team-high 68.0 innings pitched. He has 59 strikeouts to 10 walks on the year with opponents hitting .276 against him. Wynkoop ranks third in the SEC in innings pitched, tied for seventh in strikeouts and tied for 11th in wins. Wynkoop has 36 of his 59 strikeouts in league play, tied for seventh-best among SEC pitchers.

Wynkoop earned the Tom Price Award as Gamecock MVP of the Clemson series. Wynkoop worked six-plus innings and allowed just one run in the 4-1 victory vs. the Tigers.

Wynkoop has made 36 starts in his career, that is second-highest among all returning SEC pitchers.

MAX IT OUT
Junior infielder Max Schrock went 2-for-4 with a key RBI triple to help jumpstart a three-run sixth inning in the 3-2 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Schrock has raised his average to .305 (47-for-154) for the year with 33 runs scored and 29 RBI as well as seven doubles, two triples and four homers. Schrock owns a .418 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging mark. Schrock has hit .320 (24-for-75) in SEC games with 14 runs scored and 15 RBI as well.

VINNY
Junior left-hander Vince Fiori made his first career start in Thursday’s loss vs. Vanderbilt. Despite the loss, Fiori pitched well as he went 5.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Fiori’s 5.1 innings marked a career-high as well. He is 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 27.1 innings and opponents hitting .187 against him. He owns a team-high 20 appearances, tied for fourth-highest in the league.

CALDWELL A HIT
Senior outfielder Elliott Caldwell has a team-high 16 multi-hit games including a 2-for-5 day at the plate on Tuesday vs. Presbyterian with a run scored and two RBI. Caldwell also tripled in the contest vs. PC for his sixth triple of the year tying him for the school record set by current Gamecock assistant Brian Buscher in 2002 and tied in 2011 by Jake Williams.

Caldwell is hitting .348 (49-for-141) with 23 runs scored and 24 RBI. He has a .447 on-base percentage and .504 slugging mark. Caldwell leads the Gamecocks with 10 stolen bases as well. Caldwell is 11th best in the SEC in on-base percentage.

Caldwell hit .500 (6-for-12) in the Mississippi State series with two runs scored and three RBI. Caldwell was 2-for-4 with two RBI in the 13-7 win vs. the Bulldogs. He also had two triples on the week and leads the Gamecocks with four for the season, tied for third highest in the conference.

Caldwell hit .357 (5-for-14) in the Missouri series with a pair of RBI. He was 2-for-5 with a RBI on Saturday and on Sunday vs. the Tigers. Caldwell also made ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays on Saturday with the No. 8 play of the day with a diving catch in left field.

Caldwell hit .636 (7-for-11) in the Kentucky series with four runs scored, a triple, two homers and four RBI. Caldwell went 2-for-4 in the 10-1 win, followed that up going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a two-run homer in the 4-3 victory over the Wildcats and went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI including a game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth inning in Sunday’s 6-4 10-inning win. Caldwell’s homer on Saturday was the first of his career in a Gamecock uniform.

A CLOSER LOOK AT WIDENER
Sophomore right-hander Taylor Widener was recently named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List. He pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with no hits allowed, just one walk and four strikeouts to earn his ninth save of the year in Saturday’s 3-2 win in the rubber game. Widener is 1-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 14 appearances. He has 34 strikeouts in 23.2 innings, opponents hitting .247 against him. Widener ranks third in the SEC with nine saves.

CONE LEADS IT OFF
Sophomore outfielder Gene Cone went 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored on Tuesday at Furman. He was 3-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored to tie a career-high in hits and RBI in the 11-1 win over Appalachian State. Cone reached base four times in a 4-2 win with two stolen bases vs. The Citadel. Cone is batting .284 (44-for-155) for the year with a team-high 38 runs scored.

Cone is the only Gamecock to start all 42 games this year with all 42 in center field. Cone has a .407 on-base percentage with 26 walks. He has stolen nine bases.

Cone tied a school record for putouts by an outfielder in a game with nine on March 24 at Coastal Carolina.

DC DELIVERS
Junior infielder DC Arendas went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in the 5-2 win over Vanderbilt and scored a run in Saturday’s 3-2 win.

Arendas is up to .245 (24-for-98) with 14 runs and 15 RBI on the year and a .410 on-base percentage. Arendas has 11 of his 15 RBI on the year in SEC games with a .406 on-base percentage in 18 conference games as well.

MURRAY IN RELIEF
Freshman right-hander Brandon Murray picked up his fourth win of the year and is now 4-0 on the season with three wins in SEC play as he pitched 5.2 innings of relief allowing just two runs on four hits in the 13-7 victory at Mississippi State. Murray’s 5-2 innings marked the longest outing of his Gamecock career.

For the season, Murray is 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 14 relief appearances with a save. He has 12 strikeouts to eight walks and opponents batting .218 against him.

ON THE MOUND
For the season, South Carolina pitchers own a team ERA of 3.76. The Gamecocks have allowed 193 runs, 157 earned, on 360 hits in 376.0 innings with 162 walks to 356 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .254 against the Gamecocks.

AT THE PLATE & ON THE FIELD
South Carolina is hitting .257 (355-for-1381) as a team with 225 runs scored, a .350 on-base percentage and a .366 slugging mark. The Gamecocks are fielding .969 for the year.

SUPERLATIVES
South Carolina is 24-4 on the year when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 23-3 on the year with a lead entering the seventh innings. The Gamecocks are 20-4 when allowing less than 10 hits, 11-4 when recording double-digit hits and 15-1 when out-hitting its opponent. South Carolina is 14-10 in games decided by three runs or less.

MINCEY MAKES HIS MARK
Junior right-hander Cody Mincey pitched three scoreless innings of relief and did not allow a hit to pick up the win in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Vanderbilt. Mincey struck out three and walked three in the contest. He is 2-2 with a 5.64 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 22.1 innings, opponents batting .231 against him.

KEY HITS FROM KOCH
Sophomore catcher Logan Koch drove in his first run in conference play with a game-winning two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Vanderbilt.

Koch hit a game-winning two-run homer in a 2-0 win over Miami and followed that up with a two-run single with the bases loaded in a 7-0 win. Koch hit .375 (3-for-8) in the Miami series.

GORE IN A GROOVE
Sophomore infielder Jordan Gore went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Friday’s 5-2 win over Vanderbilt. His three hits vs. the Commodores tied a career-high. Gore is batting .272 (37-for-136) with 23 runs scored and 16 RBI.

STOKES HAS SUCCESS
Freshman infielder Madison Stokes tied a career-high with two hits on Tuesday vs. Presbyterian. He was 1-for-2 with a RBI in the 2-0 win at The Citadel and 2-for-5 with a run scored in the 13-7 win at Mississippi State.

REAGAN FROM THE LEFT
Sophomore left-hander Josh Reagan tied a career-high with six strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless innings of relief in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss at Furman. Reagan is 1-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 30.2 innings pitched.

SCHMIDT CONTRIBUTES
Freshman right-hander Clarke Schmidt set down 10 consecutive batters at one point and struck out a career-high eight batters in five-plus innings of work in a 8-5 win over Georgia. Schmidt is 2-0 with a 3.96 ERA in 14 appearances with seven starts. He has 41 strikeouts in 38.2 innings.