April 29, 2013
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina went 2-2 this past week including a series victory at No. 2 LSU in SEC play at Alex Box Stadium. The Gamecocks are 33-12 on the year with a 13-8 record in the SEC. South Carolina is in second place in the SEC Eastern Division and fourth place overall in the conference standings.
Record: 33-12
SEC: 13-8
Home: 23-4
Away: 10-6
Neutral: 0-2
Last Week: 2-2
4/23/13 – vs. Gardner-Webb (Shelby, N.C.) (L, 7-6)
4/26/13 – at LSU (L, 5-2)
4/27/13 – at LSU (W, 4-2)
4/28/13 – at LSU (W, 4-0)
NOTES:
South Carolina went 2-2 this past week including a series victory at No. 2 LSU in SEC play at Alex Box Stadium. The Gamecocks are 33-12 on the year with a 13-8 record in the SEC. South Carolina is in second place in the SEC Eastern Division and fourth place overall in the conference standings.
Carolina’s series victory marked the first series win against LSU since the 2007 season. South Carolina snapped LSU’s 20-game home winning streak on Saturday with a 4-2 win and followed that up with a 4-0 victory on Sunday afternoon. Saturday night’s game at Alex Box Stadium was played in front of an actual attendance crowd of 10,246 fans, the largest actual attendances in Alex Box Stadium history.
All three games this past week at LSU were tight contests and decided by four runs or less. Similar to last week, the Gamecocks had a balanced approach on the offensive side. There were a lot of contributions as six different Gamecocks drove in at least one run this weekend with eight different players scoring at least one run as well.
The South Carolina pitching staff was tremendous against the second-best hitting and scoring team in the league. The Gamecock pitchers compiled a 2.08 ERA for the weekend and allowed LSU to score just seven runs, six earned, on 30 hits with only five walks allowed.
Following up his SEC Freshman of the Week performance from last week, left-hander Jack Wynkoop matched and maybe even exceeded it with seven scoreless innings of work in the 4-0 victory in the rubber game on Sunday. Wynkoop did not walk a batter and yielded just five hits to earn the win. He is now 6-2 on the year with a 2.66 ERA in 47.1 innings.
Senior first baseman LB Dantzler was Carolina’s top hitter vs. the Tigers with a .364 average (4-for-11) for the weekend. Dantzler scored once and drove in a pair as well. He had a RBI in both Saturday and Sunday’s wins. In the last two weeks, he has compiled a .448 average (13-for-29) with six runs and eight RBI in eight games played. He is the team’s leading hitter with a .342 average (55-for-161) for the season with 12 homers and 44 RBI. Dantzler currently ranks third in the league in homers (12) and slugging percentage (.658), tied for third in doubles (13), fourth in total bases (106), tied for fourth in walks (28), fifth in runs batted in (44), seventh in on-base percentage (.447) and 12th in batting average (.342). He has an eight-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 22 straight games.
Senior left-hander Tyler Webb continues to excel out of the bullpen with two more saves over the weekend vs. the Tigers to extend his season total to 14. Webb pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Saturday’s 4-2 win and followed that up with 1.1 perfect innings in the 4-0 victory. Webb has a phenomenal 0.59 ERA in 21 appearances with a 2-1 record and 14 saves in 30.1 innings of work. He has 44 strikeouts to just seven walks, opponents hitting .170 against him. He has not allowed a run in 19 of 21 appearances this year. His 14 save total for this year is sixth best in school history, seven behind the school record of 21 set by Blake Taylor in 2002. He is up to 99 career appearances; three short of the school record 102 set by Matt Price (2009-10-11-12). His 14 saves leads the SEC with eight of those coming in conference play, also the highest mark in league play.
Sophomore center fielder Tanner English provided a punch this weekend with outstanding defense coupled with two triples and two runs scored in the series. English’s RBI triple on Saturday was the game-winning hit in the 4-2 win over LSU. He made 18 putouts and tallied an assist also in the weekend series vs. the Tigers. English is hitting .292 (31-for-106) with 19 runs scored and a team-high three triples. His .420 on-base percentage is second highest on the team.
Senior left-hander Adam Westmoreland had two scoreless outings in Saturday and Sunday’s wins over LSU. Westmoreland picked up the win with one inning of relief in Saturday’s 4-2 win. He is now 5-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 18 relief appearances with three saves as well. Westmoreland has 45 strikeouts in 46.1 innings with opponents hitting only .208 against him.
Chase Vergason tied a school record held by many with two sacrifice flies in the 4-0 win at LSU on Sunday. Last player to accomplish the feat was Jake Williams on June 5, 2011 vs. Stetson. Vergason also scored two runs this week and tripled in the 4-0 victory. Vergason owns a .276 average (43-for-156) with 30 runs scored and 20 RBI. He owns a .383 on-base percentage. Vergason has reached base safely in 15 straight games.
Despite a no-decision on Saturday night, sophomore left-hander Jordan Montgomery limited the damage as he allowed two runs on 10 hits in 7.0 innings of work. Montgomery is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in seven starts. He has 32 strikeouts in 38.2 innings, opponents hitting only .245 against him.
Freshman second baseman Max Schrock was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a walk in Sunday’s 4-0 win. Schrock is hitting .276 (43-for-156) with 31 runs scored and 31 RBI. He has 14 multi-hit games, second highest on the team.
Sophomore shortstop Joey Pankake belted his ninth home run of the season in Friday’s 5-2 loss at LSU. Pankake is hitting .311 (52-for-167) with 28 runs scored and 31 RBI. He owns a .380 on-base percentage and a .503 slugging percentage.
Sophomore catcher Grayson Greiner caught all 26.0 innings this weekend vs. LSU and did not allow a stolen base or an attempt by the Tigers running game. Greiner blocked well and added two hits as well including a triple and a run scored in Saturday’s 4-2 win. Greiner is hitting .295 (41-for-139) with 20 runs and 28 RBI. His .310 average (22-for-71) in league games is best on the team
South Carolina is 28-2 this season when leading after six innings and 23-3 on the year when out-hitting the opponent. Carolina has allowed five runs or less in 36 of 44 games played this season (81.8 percent). The Gamecocks are 29-7 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 18-9 in games decided by three runs or less.
The Gamecock pitching staff currently owns a 3.05 ERA in 401.0 innings pitched. Carolina has allowed 169 runs, 136 earned, on 383 hits with 108 walks to 358 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .250 against the squad.
South Carolina is hitting .286 (430-for-1501) as a team, fourth best in the league. The Gamecocks lead the SEC with 40 homers. Carolina is fielding .973 with 46 errors for the season. South Carolina’s slugging percentage of .430 is third best in the SEC with on-base percentage of .380 fourth best in the conference also.
Next Week:
5/3/13 – vs. Vanderbilt (7 p.m.) (SportSouth)
5/4/13 – vs. Vanderbilt (Noon) (SportSouth)
5/5/13 – vs. Vanderbilt (1 p.m.) (CSS)
All times are Eastern
