Feb. 6, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina baseball team will open the 2003 season this weekend with a three-game set vs. Charleston Southern. First pitch for the opening game is set for Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Sarge Frye Field. Saturday and Sunday’s games will begin at 1:30 p.m.

The Gamecocks are coming off a record-setting season in 2002 in which Carolina finished as National Runner-up with a 57-18 record. South Carolina was the 2002 SEC Champion and played in the national championship game for the third time in school history. Carolina returns 22 players from last year’s squad including pre-season All-American candidate junior catcher Landon Powell, senior LHP Steven Bondurant, senior 3B Brian Buscher and senior SS Justin Harris.

The pitching matchups for the weekend are also set.

Friday
South Carolina: Sr. LHP Steven Bondurant
Charleston Southern: So. LHP R.J. Swindle

Saturday
South Carolina: So. LHP Matt Campbell
Charleston Southern: So. RHP Ian Holmen

Sunday
South Carolina: Jr. LHP David Marchbanks
Charleston Southern: So. LHP Brad Bissell

South Carolina head baseball coach Ray Tanner is in his seventh season as head coach at USC and 16th year overall. Over the past three seasons, South Carolina has won more games than any Division I baseball team in the nation. Tanner owns a 274-113 record at USC and is 669-286-3 in 15 seasons as a head baseball coach. Tanner will be head coach for the U.S. National Team this summer at the 2003 Pan American Games.