May 5, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior baseball player Bryan Triplett was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. Triplett, who has started 25 consecutive games at first base, hit .611 (11-for-18) this past week as South Carolina went 4-0 and moved into a one and a half-game lead in the SEC Eastern Division.

Triplett drove in a career-high seven runs and had a career-high five hits including two home runs and his first grand slam with Carolina in 23-2 win at Wofford, both the hits and RBI were also season-highs by a USC player. Triplett also had two doubles and three RBI in Saturday’s 7-2 win vs. Kentucky. The junior from Leesville, S.C. raised his batting average from .275 to .311 following his performance this past week. Triplett has started 46 games this year and has six HR and 39 RBI on the season. Triplett has played first base, second base, shortstop and the outfield for Carolina. This is Triplett’s first year with the Gamecocks following two years at Spartanburg Methodist Junior College.

Triplett is the third Carolina player to earn a weekly honor from the SEC and the first position player of the season. Junior LHP David Marchbanks and sophomore LHP Matt Campbell each have earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors for Carolina.

South Carolina returns to action on Friday night in the first of a three-game series at Alabama. South Carolina is 32-17 with seven games remaining in the regular season including six conference games. Following the weekend series with the Crimson Tide, Carolina will return home for a Wednesday non-conference game with The Citadel before closing out the regular season with a three-game set vs. Georgia.