May 22, 2012
Hoover, Ala. – South Carolina (39-15) begins action on Wednesday night in the 2012 SEC Baseball Tournament vs. Vanderbilt (30-25). South Carolina is the No. 2 seed for the SEC Tournament and will play the Commodores in the final game on Wednesday. The game will begin 30 minutes following the conclusion of the 5:30 p.m. ET game. It will be televised live on CSS as well as Time Warner Cable channel 519 in South Carolina, DIRECTV channel 210 and streamed online at ESPN3.com. It can also be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network from IMG College including flagship station 107.5 FM, “The Game.”
Freshman left-hander Jordan Montgomery will start for the Gamecocks. He is 4-1 on the year with a 4.42 ERA in 55.0 innings pitched. He has 40 strikeouts to just six walks in 12 appearances.
LIVE COVERAGE OF SEC TOURNAMENT
Radio: Gamecock IMG Network affiliates/Flagship WNKT FM 107.5 “The Game” in Columbia. Andy Demetra and Tommy Moody will call the action.
Internet: Live Stats at SECDigitalNetwork.com. Additional coverage on Twitter @GamecockBasebll and Facebook/Gamecocksonline
2012 SEC Tournament Bracket
Tuesday, May 22
Game 1 10:30 am #4 Kentucky vs. #9 Ole Miss [SPSO]
Game 2 TBD #6 Arkansas vs. #7 Mississippi State [SPSO]
Game 3 5:30 pm #3 Florida vs. #10 Auburn [CSS]
Game 4 TBD #5 Vanderbilt vs. #8 Georgia [CSS]
Wednesday, May 23
Game 5 10:30 am Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 [SPSO]
Game 6 TBD #1 LSU vs. Game 1-2 Low Seed Winner [SPSO]
Game 7 5:30 pm Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 [CSS]
Game 8 TBD #2 South Carolina vs. Game 3-4 Low Seed Winner[CSS]
Thursday, May 24
Game 9 10:30 am Loser Game 6 vs. Winner Game 5 [SPSO] Game 10 TBD Game 1-2 Top Seed Winner vs. Winner Game 6 [SPSO] Game 11 5:30 pm Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 7 [CSS] Game 12 TBD Game 3-4 Top Seed vs. Winner Game 8 [CSS]
Friday, May 25
Game 13 4:00 pm Loser Game 10 vs. Winner Game 9 [CSS]
Game 14 TBD Loser Game 12 vs. Winner Game 11 [CSS]
Saturday, May 26
Game 15 1 pm Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 13 [CSS]
Game 16 TBD Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 14 [CSS]
Sunday, May 27
Game 17 3:30 p.m. Winner Game 15 vs. Winner Game 16 [ESPN2]
All Times are Eastern
[ESPN2] – ESPN2
[SPSO] – Includes SportSouth, Sun Sports, FOX Sports Southwest, FOX Sports Houston and FOX Sports South in Kentucky
[CSS] – Includes Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast, CST (Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida), Brighthouse Sports Network (Florida), Time Warner Cable channel 506 (Carolinas), Insight Cable (Kentucky)
The second and fourth games each day will begin 30 minutes following the previous game.
NOTES:
For the second consecutive year, South Carolina has won the SEC Eastern Division. The Gamecocks went 17-6 in the final 23 conference games to finish at 18-11, just one-half game behind SEC champion LSU. This is the sixth Eastern Division title for the Gamecocks under head coach Ray Tanner. South Carolina also won the East in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2011.
SOUTH CAROLINA SEC HISTORYYEAR RECORD DIV. FINISH1992 13-11 2nd1993 15-10-1 2nd1994 11-15 4th1995 12-14 3rd1996 13-17 5thUNDER COACH Ray Tanner1997 13-17 4th1998 19-10 2nd1999 15-15 1st2000 25-5 1st2001 17-13 3rd2002 21-8 1st2003 19-11 1st2004 17-13 2nd2005 16-14 2nd2006 15-15 4th2007 17-13 2nd2008 15-15 5th2009 17-13 2nd2010 21-9 2nd2011 22-8 T1st2012 18-11 1st
Overall Record: 351-257-1 (.577)Under Tanner: 287-190 (.602)
SEC EAST TITLES (6)1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2012
SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS (3)2000, 2002, 2011
SEC TOURNAMENT TITLE (1)2004
EASTERN DIVISION FINISHES Total Tanner Years1st Place 6 62nd Place 8 63rd Place 2 14th Place 3 25th Place 2 16th Place 0 0
SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
South Carolina has reached the SEC Tournament for the 16th consecutive season under head coach Ray Tanner. Carolina’s 16 straight appearances is the longest current streak among the 12 SEC schools. Carolina won the SEC Tournament in 2004 defeating Vanderbilt in the championship game and finished second in 2002 to Alabama.
SOUTH CAROLINA BASEBALL
South Carolina has won more games than any SEC team in the league the last 12 years. The Gamecocks own a 240-148 record in that span (.619), from 2000-present.
WIN TOTALS OF SEC TEAMSIN CONFERENCE GAMES(2000-12)
1. South Carolina 240-1482. Florida 227-161-23. LSU 221-164-34. Ole Miss 207-1825. Alabama 199-1916. Arkansas 191-1927. Georgia 189-195-18. Vanderbilt 183-2009. Auburn 177-21310. Mississippi State 172-20811. Tennessee 159-22512. Kentucky 148-237-2note*** only conference games(As of May 20, 2012)
ROTH NAMED 2011-12 SEC H. BOYD MCWHORTER MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
University of South Carolina baseball player Michael Roth has been named the 2011-12 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athletes of the Year, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced last Friday. The award will be formally presented to Roth at the annual Awards Banquet at the league’s spring meeting in Destin, Fla., on May 31.
Roth was chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from SEC universities and will receive a $15,000 post-graduate scholarship, provided by AT&T, an SEC Corporate Champion sponsor, and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Roth, a native of Greer, S.C., will earn a B.S. degree in International Business and Marketing in May. He was a first-team Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American and a recipient of the NCAA Elite 88 Award, having the highest grade point average of all student-athletes participating in the College World Series last season. A member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, he is also a member of Carolina’s Dean’s List and President’s List.
Roth was a consensus first-team All-America in 2011 and finished the season with a 14-3 overall record and 1.06 earned run average as a starting pitcher for the Gamecocks. He was a first-team All-SEC choice and member of the College World Series All-Tournament Team. A four-year letter winner, he was a team captain of the 2011 NCAA Champions. He was the winning pitcher in the 2010 and 2011 national championship-clinching games. He was named the 2011 National Player of the Year by CollegeBaseballInsider.com and a semifinalist for USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award.
In the community, Roth has visited children at various elementary schools and hospitals and took part in the “Light the Night” Walk, helping to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is also a member of Carolina’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He has also used his academic interests in the business community. He created and executed a marketing plan to maximize textbook buybacks for Better World Books and consulted with Avwatch, a system integration company, helping it create an international market entry strategy, leading it into new markets in Canada, Chile and the United States.The son of David and Deborah Roth intends to pursue a master’s degree in international business and learn new languages. He studied in Alicante, Spain in 2011.
ROTH A FINALIST FOR THE LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD
University of South Carolina senior left-handed pitcher Michael Roth is one of 10 finalists selected as a finalist for the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for baseball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner.
Fans are encouraged to vote on the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website through June 11. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I men’s head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.
Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA College World Series®, which will be held June 15-26 in Omaha.
For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
ROTH LEADS THE WAY ON THE FIELD
Senior left-hander Michael Roth is 5-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 14 starts with 94.2 innings pitched. He has 70 strikeouts to 31 walks and opponents are batting just .206 against him. He ranks third in opposing batting average, fourth in innings pitched and fifth in earned run average in the conference.
In SEC games, Roth went 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA. He hurled 65.2 innings in 10 league starts.
Roth’s victory vs. Vanderbilt was his 20th career win, making him the 20th player in school history to tally 20 or more career victories.
Roth has a career record of 22-6 at South Carolina. He has 88 career appearances as a Gamecock, second only to current teammate Matt Price.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
Junior right-hander Matt Price is 4-4 on the year with a 3.69 ERA in 21 games with nine saves. Eight of his nine saves have come in league play this year. His eight SEC saves are the most among all SEC pitchers as well. Opponents are batting just .206 against him. Price picked up a save in the 5-4 win over LSU with three innings of work and seven strikeouts.
Price is the all-time saves leader at South Carolina with 39 as well as appearances with 95 for the Garnet & Black. Price is just two saves shy of the SEC record of 41 set by Joshua Fields of Georgia (2005-08).
CLOSE GAMES
South Carolina is 12-11 in one-run games this year. South Carolina is also 24-13 in games decided by three runs or less, 69 percent of games played this year.
GREINER NAMED TO USA BASEBALL NATIONAL TEAM
South Carolina freshman catcher Grayson Greiner has been selected to the roster for the 2012 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, it was announced on Monday, May 14. It is the ninth time in school history for a player to be selected to the collegiate team and it is the third consecutive season a Gamecock has been named to the team. Christian Walker was named to last year’s squad, although he was unable to participate due to a hamate bone injury. Jackie Bradley Jr. represented the Red, White & Blue after the 2010 season.
SOUTH CAROLINA PLAYERS & USA BASEBALL COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM
2012 – Grayson Greiner, C
2011 – Christian Walker, 1B (did not play due to injury)
2010 – Jackie Bradley Jr., OF
2007 – Justin Smoak, 1B
2003 – Matt Campbell, P
2002 – Landon Powell, C
1997 – Adam Everett, SS
1989 – Brian Williams, P/OF
1986 – Dave Hollins, 3B
For the season, Greiner has played in 52 games with 45 starts including 39 behind the plate. He his hitting .235 (53-for-181) with six homers and 31 RBI. Greiner owns a .258 (24-for-93) batting average in the league with 12 of his 234 hits, extra base hits (eight doubles, one triple, three homers). He has also driven in 18 runs and has a .462 slugging percentage in SEC contests.
Greiner caught all 28 innings in the Gamecocks’ weekend series victory at 13th ranked Arkansas. Greiner was phenomenal behind the plate as he threw out five runners over the course of the weekend trying to steal. His two-run homer on Friday night was the first homer allowed all season by Arkansas starter Ryne Stanek, a key two-run blast that helped the Gamecocks rally from six runs down to defeat the Razorbacks on the road on Friday night. Greiner also had a sacrifice fly in the contest and tallied a RBI single in the 10th inning of the 8-6 victory. In Sunday’s 10-7 win, Greiner drove in two runs with a single in a six-run eighth inning with the bases loaded and one out against Arkansas closer Barrett Astin.
In the Alabama series, Greiner went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and tied a season-high with four RBI in the 12-11 win over the Crimson Tide. He doubled and homered in that one-run victory. Greiner followed it up with a 2-for-5 day at the plate with two runs scored and a RBI in the 9-1 win. Greiner finished the series 5-for-11 (.455) with four runs scored, two doubles, a homer and five RBI. He reached base .538 with a .909 slugging percentage.
Greiner reached base six times in the Auburn series with four hits and two walks. He also drove in three runs and scored four times. Greiner went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI in the 12-5 win on Friday.
Greiner earned SEC Freshman of the Week after the Mississippi State series. It marked the second straight week a Gamecock had earned Freshman of the Week accolades. Greiner had a key solo home run that jumpstarted a four-run rally in the bottom of the eighth as the Gamecocks came from behind to defeat MSU 7-6. Greiner collected three hits over the weekend with a pair of doubles and the home run. He also scored two runs. He also had a grand slam in the 8-0 win over The Citadel.
WALKER PROVIDES A PUNCH
Junior first baseman Christian Walker continues to be productive for the Gamecocks. Walker had a key three-run homer in the 5-4 win over LSU. He continues to lead the Gamecocks in hitting with a .335 average (63-for-188) 41 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple, 10 homers and 49 RBI. Walker has a .462 on-base percentage and a .559 slugging percentage.
Walker is among the best in the SEC as he ranks third in on-base percentage (.462), tied for third in runs batted in (49), fourth in walks (38), sixth in slugging percentage (.559), seventh in home runs (10) and 12th in batting average (.335).
In SEC games, Walker is also among the best as he ranks first in walks (28), second in runs scored (28), second in on-base percentage (.463), tied for second in home runs (7), tied for second in runs batted in (25), third in slugging percentage (.578) and sixth in total bases (59). Walker is up to 234 career hits for the Garnet & Black, 11 hits shy of Hank Small (1972-75) for 10th on the All-Time hits list at South Carolina.
Walker was the top hitter for the Gamecocks in the Vanderbilt series as he hit .500 (6-for-12) with a .625 on-base percentage and a phenomenal 1.250 slugging percentage. Walker belted three homers in the series and drove in five runs with five runs scored as well. Walker tallied his first two-homer game of his career at South Carolina with three RBI and three runs scored in the 8-3 win on Friday vs. the Commodores. In Sunday’s 6-4 win, he reached base five times including a game-winning two-run homer in the top of the 13th in the victory.
Walker became the 25th player in South Carolina history to reach the 200 career hit total with his homer in the 8-3 win over Vanderbilt.
Top 10 Career Hits List303 Mac White (1991-94)299 Michael Campbell (2003-06)285 Drew Meyer (2000-02)265 Landon Powell (2001-04)265 Derick Urquhart (1995-98)263 Whit Merrifield (2008-10)262 Andrew Crisp (2005-09)250 Mike Curry (1996-98)246 Justin Smoak (2006-08)245 Hank Small (1972-75)234 Christian Walker (2010-present) (11th)
AT THE PLATE, ON THE FIELD & ON THE MOUND
South Carolina leads the SEC in fielding with a .980 fielding percentage. The Gamecocks also lead the conference on the mound in opposing batting average at .226. The Gamecocks 3.16 ERA is fourth best in the league. South Carolina is hitting .272 as a team with a .360 on-base percentage.
Tyler Webb MAKES HIS MARK
Junior left-hander Tyler Webb made two more appearances out of the bullpen in the Florida series and is now tied for the SEC lead in appearances for the season with 30 on the year. Webb is 5-0 with a 169 ERA and has 37 strikeouts to just nine walks in 37.1 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting just .236 against him.
MARZILLI PUTS ON A SHOW
Junior outfielder Evan Marzilli continues to show why he is one of the best defensive outfielders in the country with several key catches and diving grabs all over the field throughout the season. He also has four assists on the year from the outfield. Marzilli doubled and tripled in the 3-2 loss vs. LSU and also scored two runs in the 5-4 win vs. the Tigers. Marzilli is hitting .292 (61-for-209) and is tied for third in the SEC in runs scored with 47. He has a .382 on-base percentage as well.
Marzilli is tied for the league lead with seven sacrifice flies, including a sac fly in the 2-1 win over Davidson. Marzilli is one short of the school’s single-season record of eight held by Jim Curl (1981) and Jim Pankovits (1974)
Marzilli had two sacrifice flies for the weekend series vs. the Crimson Tide as well as a sacrifice fly vs. Davidson and now leads the team with seven for the season, one short of the school single-season record of eight. Marzilli also leads the Gamecocks with eight stolen bases. He stole a base and scored two runs in the 9-1 win on Saturday vs. Alabama.
Marzilli reached base in the first 31 games of the 2012 season but saw his streak snap in the 6-1 victory vs. the Volunteers.
Marzilli had four hits including a three-run homer in the 8-5 win over Furman and was 3-for-4 win the 9-3 win over Florida. Marzilli had a game-winning three-run double as well as a career-high four RBI in the 6-4 win over Appalachian State. He also tied a school record with three doubles in the 2-1 win over Princeton. It is the 25th time in school history that a player has tallied three doubles in one game.
Marzilli’s defense was essential for the Gamecocks in the 3-2 win over Clemson in 11 innings. Marzilli had his first assist of the year with a throw to home plate to nab a Tiger runner trying to score and his diving catch with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning sealed the Gamecock victory.
Marzilli was effective in the first weekend vs. VMI as he hit .500 (6-for-12) with a .538 on-base percentage. Marzilli had a 3-for-4 day at the plate on Opening Day. He scored the game-winning run in the opener and also was keyt in the 13-1 victory as he went 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored and two RBI.
PANKAKE SHOWCASE
Freshman shortstop Joey Pankake owns a season-high nine-game hitting streak and has reached base in 14 straight games. Pankake has moved his batting average to .293 (53-for-181) with 36 runs scored, a team-high 13 doubles, two triples, two homers and 23 RBI. He has a .378 on-base percentage. He was 2-for-4 with two RBI in game one of a doubleheader vs. LSU and followed that up with a game-winning RBI triple in the 5-4 win over the Tigers.
Pankake had a two-run single in the 12-5 win over Auburn. He also scored two runs in the 11-7 win on Sunday. Pankake gave the Gamecocks some insurance in the 6-4 win over Mississippi State with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pankake, who moved to the leadoff role that weekend, had five hits and hit .357 vs. the Bulldogs.
He had a 5-for-6 game with a pair of RBI in the 8-5 win over Furman. The last Gamecock player with five hits in a game was Christian Walker on April 5, 2011 vs. USC Upstate.
He tallied his first career homer and RBI in the 2-1 win vs. Presbyterian. The game-winning hit came in the bottom of the fourth inning. In the Elon series, he was 2-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored in the 8-1 win in the opener. He had two walks in game two and a hit and a run scored in the Sunday series finale.
LB LIGHTS IT UP – #FearTheFish
Junior third baseman LB Dantzler hit a solo home run in Friday’s 3-0 win over Georgia and had a two-run double in the ninth inning of the 6-5 loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday. Dantzler is hitting .249 for the season (52-for-209) with 12 doubles, nine homers and 43 RBI as well as a .435 slugging percentage. In SEC games, Dantzler has six homers and 24 RBI.
Dantzler had a clutch bat in the Auburn series as he went 5-for-13 (.385) with five runs scored, two homers and four RBI. His slugging percentage was .923. Dantzler belted a two-run homer in the 5-3 win on Saturday. He added three hits, three runs scored a RBI double and a homer in the 11-7 win over the Tigers on Sunday.
Dantzler tallied a walk-off RBI single in the 2-1 win on Saturday night vs. Tennessee. He hit his fifth homer of the year and finished with three RBI in the 6-4 win over Vanderbilt. He was 2-for-4 with a season-high three runs scored in the 6-4 win vs. Appalachian State.
Dantzler was solid in his debut vs. VMI as he tallied a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning as South Carolina defeated VMI 2-1 in the opener. Dantzler followed that up with a three-run homer, a double and four RBI in the 13-1 win over VMI that helped Carolina sweep the Keydets. Dantzler finished the weekend 4-for-11 (.364) at the plate with five RBI and a .727 slugging percentage.
CHASE HIM ON BASE
Junior second baseman Chase Vergason hit .500 (5-for-10) in the Arkansas series with a .545 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage with a homer, two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI. Vergason hit his first homer of the year in the 7-6 loss to Arkansas on Saturday. He followed that up with a 3-for-4 day at the plate in Sunday’s 10-7 win with two runs scored and two RBI. Vergason’s three hits and two RBI were both a season-high in Sunday’s victory.
Vergason hit .245 in SEC games (13-for-53) with a .406 on-base percentage in the league as well. For the season he is batting .221 (19-for-86) with a .373 overall on-base percentage.
HOLMES WITH THE ANSWER
In his first start in three weeks, junior right-hander Colby Holmes did not allow an earned run in 6.2 inning of work in a no-decision vs. LSU. Holmes is 6-0 on the year after earning a win at Auburn. Holmes allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings. He matched his career-high with seven strikeouts as well. Holmes has a 2.91 ERA in 58.2 innings pitched with 12 walks and 47 strikeouts.
MATTHEWS FINDS HIS WAY HOME
Senior outfielder Adam Matthews went 3-for-4 with a RBI double in the 5-4 win over LSU with two stolen bases. He also had two hits in the 3-2 loss.
He was stellar in the outfield in the Arkansas series with two key assists in Sunday’s 10-7 victory over the Razorbacks. Matthews threw out a runner attempting to score on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and threw out a runner trying to score off a base hit from second base in the seventh inning. He also drove in the first run of the game for the Gamecocks with a two-out RBI single on Sunday in the seventh inning in the Gamecock victory. Matthews has four assists from the outfield this year.
Matthews hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to help lift South Carolina to a 1-0 win over the Crimson Tide. Matthews followed that up with a solo home run in the 12-11 win. Three of Matthews’ four home runs have come in SEC play. Matthews hit .271 in league games (26-for-96).
ENGLISH HAS A KNACK
Freshman outfielder Tanner English leads the Gamecocks with 19 multi-hit games and is second on the team in batting average with a .311 mark (60-for-193). He also has nine stolen bases.
English led the Gamecocks in hitting in the MSU series with a .455 average (5-for-11). English scored four runs over the weekend with a triple and also a RBI.
He tallied two hits in the 9-3 win over Florida. He was 2-for-5 with a run scored in the 8-5 win over Furman He had a season-high three hits and a run scored in the 5-2 win over Charleston Southern. English went 2-for-4 with two runs in the 8-1 win over UNC Asheville. He scored a run in all three games of the Elon series and hit safely in all three games as well. English drove in three runs for the weekend with a key two-run triple to left-center in 6-0 win over Elon in the second inning.
BEAL BRINGS IT
Freshman right-hander Evan Beal is 3-4 on the year with a 3.53 ERA in 24 appearances with 47 strikeouts in 43.1 innings and opponents batting .193 against him.
Beal pitched two scoreless innings in the 2-1 win over Davidson and followed that up with three scoreless innings of relief in the 8-6 win over Arkansas to earn the win.
Beal earned his first career win in the 9-6 victory vs. Clemson. Beal entered the game in the bottom of the fifth and retired nine in a row and lasted four innings allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out five and walking one.
BELCHER KEEPS CONTRIBUTING
Junior left-hander Nolan Belcher earned two wins in relief vs. the Crimson Tide. Belcher posted a win with one out retired in the 12-11 victory on Friday night and followed that up with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts in the 9-1 victory on Saturday vs. the Crimson Tide. Belcher is 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 26.2 innings pitched with 12 walks and 30 strikeouts.
Belcher hurled 5.2 scoreless innings in his first start of the year as Carolina defeated The Citadel 8-0. Belcher combined with relievers Tyler Webb and Hunter Privette for a five-hit shutout vs. the Citadel.
Belcher had a productive week with a win and two saves in all three victories over Presbyterian and Clemson in late February/early March. Belcher earned his first win since May 11, 2010 with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in the 2-1 win over Presbyterian. He allowed just one hit and struck out three batters. He followed that up with saves in both the 3-2 and 9-6 wins over Clemson.
A WIN IN FAYETTEVILLE
South Carolina’s series victory at Arkansas was only the second time in school history that the Gamecocks have won a series in Fayetteville. The previous series victory at Arkansas came in 2010. The Gamecocks have now won three consecutive series vs. the Razorbacks dating back to the 2010 season.
MORE ON THE AUBURN SERIES
In the weekend’s sweep of Auburn, the Gamecocks had 29 hits in three games as well as 28 runs scored. The Gamecocks also walked 14 times, were hit by five pitches and struck out just 10 times for a team on-base percentage of .378. The Gamecocks did not make an error over the weekend vs. Auburn and the team raised its season fielding percentage to .979. Carolina has just 31 errors for the year with 22 games played without an error. For the weekend, South Carolina’s pitching staff struck out 29 batters, the most strikeouts by the staff vs. a SEC opponent. Friday’s 12 runs and 13 hits were both season-high totals for the Gamecocks vs. a SEC opponent.
MONTGOMERY CONTINUES TO SHINE
Freshman left-hander Jordan Montgomery is 4-1 with a 4.42 ERA in 55.0 innings with 40 strikeouts to just six walks.
Montgomery won his first SEC road start with his third victory in league play in the 5-3 win vs. Auburn. He allowed two runs on six hits in 5.1 innings with one walk and one strikeout.
Montgomery earned SEC Freshman of the Week after his first career SEC start. He worked a career-high eight innings and limited Tennessee to just one run on three hits on the way to a 2-1 South Carolina victory over the Volunteers. Against a Tennessee team that was on an eight-game winning streak, Montgomery kept UT at bay with 12 batters retired at one point in the game. Montgomery did not walk a batter and tallied seven strikeouts.
IN A PINCH WITH SULLIVAN
Junior outfielder Sean Sullivan had a pinch-hit RBI sacrifice squeeze in the 3-0 win at Georgia. He had a pinch-hit RBI single in the 12-11 rally over Alabama that saw an additional run score as TJ Costen scampered home with the winning run score on a misplay by Alabama’s left fielder.
Sullivan also tied the Mississippi State Friday night game with a pinch-hit two-out triple and scoring the winning run on a wild pitch on the way to a 7-6 victory over Mississippi State in the series opener.
BRING THE PAYNE
Sophomore Erik Payne got the start at designated hitter at Auburn and he was key in the 11-7 win with a three-run homer as well as a sacrifice fly. The four RBI for Payne was a career-high. Payne is hitting .275 (22-for-80) with seven runs scored, three homers and 15 RBI.
He was 6-for-11 (.545) in the Kentucky series as well as 3-for-7 in midweek contests vs. CSU and ASU. Payne had two hits apiece in all three games at Kentucky as well as a solo home run in Friday’s 4-3 loss.
A BRIGHT SPOT
Freshman infielder Connor Bright was the starting designated hitter in the Auburn series opener and he had a productive evening with a 3-for-4 day, two runs and three RBI. The three hits and three RBI were season-highs. Bright also had two hits vs. the College of Charleston. Bright is batting .46 (14-for-57) with eight runs scored and eight RBI in 16 starts.
K-MART
Freshman Kyle Martin had a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning of the 7-6 loss at Arkansas. The day before, he had a pinch-hit RBI sacrifice fly in the 8-6 win at Arkansas.
Martin had a big pinch-hit two-run single in the 9-3 win over Florida. Martin is hitting .317 (19-for-60) with 11 RBI and nine runs scored.
Martin was the starting designated hitter the entire weekend of the Princeton series. He hit .556 (5-for-9) with a pair of runs scored and a RBI in the weekend sweep. Martin tied a season-high with three hits including a solo home run in the 2-1 win over Princeton on Friday night.
MILESTONES
The 8-5 win over Furman marked head coach Ray Tanner’s 1,100th career win in his 25th year as a head coach in Division I baseball. He won his 700th game as head coach at South Carolina in the 2-1 victory over Princeton.
IF YOU BUILD IT – THEY WILL COME
South Carolina is among the nation leaders in attendance. South Carolina has totaled 255,378 in attendance for 34 home games for an average of 7,511
All three games of the Florida series were sellouts, only the second time in Carolina Stadium history that the Gamecocks have had an entire series sold out. The total of 24,726 was duplicated in 2011 in the Vanderbilt series.
Opening Day was sold out with a crowd of 8,242 in attendance. Carolina’s second sellout came on March 3 vs. Clemson. South Carolina has sold out Carolina Stadium with capacity crowds 17 times in school history.
South Carolina set a record for season tickets sold this year with a total of 5,580 sold in the preseason, surpassing the previous record of 5,414 set last year. South Carolina’s total attendance of 297,279 for 40 games last year at Carolina Stadium was second highest in the country.
The Gamecocks own a 119-26 (.821) record since opening the facility on Feb. 21, 2009.
