April 7, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina baseball (25-5, 5-4 SEC) returns to conferene action with a three-game SEC series at LSU (23-8, 5-4 SEC) beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m. CT at Alex Box Stadium. Live stats and live audio will be available at www.uscsports.com with Mike Morgan and Tom Price calling the action. The game can also be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network including 103.1 FM and 1320 AM in Columbia.
PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina: Jason Fletcher, Sr. RHP (3-1, 1.75 ERA)
LSU: Lane Mestepey, Sr. LHP (5-3, 2.93 ERA)
Saturday
South Carolina: Zac McCamie, Sr. RHP (6-1, 2.27 ERA)
LSU: Clay Dirks, So. LHP (7-0, 3.02 ERA)
Sunday
South Carolina: Aaron Rawl, Sr. RHP (5-2, 2.80 ERA)
LSU: Greg Smith, Jr. LHP (4-1, 2.98 ERA)
CAROLINA-LSU
South Carolina travels to Baton Rouge for a three game Southeastern Conference series with LSU. Central Daylight game times are 6:30 Friday, 2 o’clock Saturday, and Noon, on Sunday. The series will be broadcast on the Gamecock Baseball Network as well as the Internet with Mike Morgan handling play by play. Tom Price is the color announcer. The Gamecocks split four games with the Bayou Bengals last year, losing two of three in the regular season at Columbia, but Carolina won 15-4 in Omaha to eliminate LSU from the College World Series for the second consecutive year. The series began in 1992 and LSU holds a 21-12-1 lead but South Carolina has won eight of 14 games played the past three years.
CAROLINA-CLEMSON
The in state rivalry between South Carolina and Clemson resumes during the coming week when the Gamecocks make a Wednesday trip to Clemson’s Doug Kingsmore Stadium. A week later, April 20, Clemson comes to Sarge Frye Field to complete the four-game 2005 series. Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the season series against Clemson with two victories March 12 at Clemson and March 13 in Columbia. The Gamecocks won the first 6-3 at Clemson and completed the sweep the next day with a three run eighth inning rally to win 6-5 at Sarge Frye Field. Clemson leads the overall series, which dates back to 1899, 157-110-2. Coach Ray Tanner moved one game above .500 in his personal Carolina record against Clemson at 15-14.
VANDERBILT
In between the upcoming two non-conference games with Clemson South Carolina entertains Vanderbilt next weekend at Sarge Frye Field. Game times are 7 p.m., Friday, 4 p.m., Saturday and 1:30 on Sunday. The series with Vanderbilt began in 1992 and has been continuous since. South Carolina leads the series 36-7. The Gamecocks won two of three during the regular season last year and defeated Vanderbilt 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game.
HITTING STREAKS
Outfielder Michael Campbell had three hits, including a two run home run, in Wednesday night’s 9-4 win over The Citadel to extend his streak to 12 games. Second baseman Chris Brown was hitless in four official at bats to halt his streak at 12 games. Designated hitter Jon Willard has a hitting streak of eight games after a three hit night against The Citadel. He had a single, double and home run and has at least one hit in 25 of the 28 games he has played this season.
STANLEY
Junior Mark Stanley has started four of the past four five in right field in relief of Brendan Winn who has been slowed by a lower back strain. Stanley responded with seven hits in his first three starts but was hitless in three official at bats in the second Citadel game. Stanley had two hits in four at bats at The Citadel, was three for four with a double, two runs scored and two RBI in the Saturday game against Georgia, and on Sunday he had a single and a double in three official at bats. In 27 at bats this season Stanley is hitting .333.It’s the second time in his career that Stanley has starred off the bench. In the NCAA regional last year he replaced injured Davy Gregg and responded with three hits, including a home run, and was named to the all-tournament team.
POLLS
After winning five games last week including a three game Southeastern Conference sweep of Georgia South Carolina moved up two spots to 12th this week in the national poll conducted by Baseball America. The Gamecocks remained at 10th in the Collegiate Baseball rankings. South Carolina and eighth in the ESPB/Sports Weekly poll. The Gamecocks began the week with a 24-5 overall record and were 5-4 in the SEC.
TANNER
Ray Tanner is in his ninth season at South Carolina and his 18th as a collegiate head coach. His record with the Gamecocks is 397-157, a winning percentage of .717. Tanner’s overall record is 792-330-3, a winning percentage of .705. In nine seasons at N. C. State his record was 395-173-3. Tanner won his 350th game at South Carolina April 30, 2004 in the first game of a series with Mississippi.
