June 4, 2002

Columbia, SC – Senior 1B Yaron Peters and senior LHP Gary Bell were selected back-to-back in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday afternoon. Peters was selected by the Atlanta Braves and Gary Bell was drafted by the New York Yankees.

Peters is the 2002 SEC Player of the Year and currently is among the nation leaders in home runs (27) and runs batted in (89). Peters is batting a team-best .392 in 63 games played and owns a .800 slugging percentage. Peters was named National Player of the Week on Monday following a weekend with six home runs and eight RBI as South Carolina advanced to the Super Regionals. Peters earned All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball.

Now in his second season at Carolina, senior LHP Gary Bell is 10-2 on the year with a 4.68 ERA. Bell has pitched 100 innings this season for the Gamecocks and leads the Gamecocks with 86 strikeouts. Bell also has shined at bat for USC, batting .361 in 36 plate appearances with two home runs and 11 RBI. Bell was named to the All-Tournament Team at the SEC Tournament, following a complete-game performance vs. Arkansas in a 10-1 opening round win. Bell owns a 20-7 record at USC over two seasons with a 4.07 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 201.1 innings pitched.