April 3, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina baseball team has been ranked No. 1 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball Top 30. Fresh off a weekend sweep at LSU, the Gamecocks have been put at the top spot by Collegiate Baseball magazine and are also ranked No. 2 in today’s Baseball America Top 25. Both spots are the highest rankings of the season for the Gamecocks, who are 26-3 and atop the SEC standings with an 8-1 conference mark. Carolina returns to action on Wednesday night (April 5) hosting seventh ranked Clemson (20-7) at Sarge Frye Field. First pitch is set for 7 pm with the game televised on CSS-TV and broadcast on the Gamecock Radio Network. Live audio and gametracker stats are also available at uscsports.com.
Record: 26-3
SEC Record: 8-1
21-1 in home games
5-2 in road games
0-0 in neutral games
7-1 vs. top 25 teams
Last Week: 4-0
Wednesday 3/29 – vs. Wofford – W, 13-1
Friday 3/31 – at LSU – W, 12-2
Saturday 4/1 – at LSU – W, 18-4
Sunday 4/2 – at LSU – W, 2-1
WEEKLY NOTES:
QUICK RECAP
South Carolina extended its winning streak to nine games with four victories last week including a three-game sweep at LSU … For the second consecutive season, the Gamecocks came away with three wins and a series sweep in Baton Rouge against the Tigers … South Carolina has now defeated LSU seven straight times and holds wins in 14 of the last 20 contests between the two schools … The Gamecocks are 26-3 overall and lead the SEC with an 8-1 conference record.
JUMPING OUT AHEAD
South Carolina has won all three SEC series played thus far … It is the first time since 2002 that the Gamecocks have won the first three SEC series played in conference play … The Gamecocks were SEC champions in the 2002 season.
CLOSER LOOK AT LSU SERIES
Carolina was outstanding at the plate and on the mound in the LSU series … Carolina outscored LSU 31-7 in three games and batted .304 (34-for-112) with the pitchers allowing just seven runs on 17 hits with a 2.33 ERA … Friday’s game featured 12 hits by the Gamecocks including a three-run homer from Justin Smoak and a two-run homer by Neil Giesler … Carolina pounded out 18 hits in Saturday’s 18-4 win over LSU … The 18 hits included four homers from Michael Campbell, Robbie Grinestaff, Trent Kline and Smoak (second of the series) … Freshman RHP Mike Cisco pitched his second longest outing of the season with a seven inning performance against the Tigers … Cisco allowed two runs on three hits in that span … He improved to 4-0 on the year with a 2.70 ERA, 28 strikeouts, eight walks allowed in 33.1 innings pitched … Andrew Crisp’s two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh inning of Sunday’s game broke a 1-1 tie and sophomore RHP Wynn Pelzer pitched 4.1 shutout innings of relief to pick up the win … Pelzer has been stellar in all three SEC appearances with a 0.00 ERA in 11 innings pitched as well as a 2-0 record and one save. Pelzer has allowed just two hits while striking out 14 batters in the three SEC contests … On the season he is 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA in 24.1 innings with 30 strikeouts, opponents are only batting .127 against him.
GIESLER
Senior INF Neil Giesler saw his hitting streak end at 20 games on Sunday … Throughout that 20-game hitting streak, Giesler batted .494 (40-for-81) with two HR and 23 RBI … On the year, Giesler is batting .452 with three HR and 27 RBI.
THE WINNING STREAK
The Gamecocks have put up outstanding numbers throughout their nine-game winning streak … In that stretch, USC has outscored opponents a phenomenal 93-24 and are batting .344 (114-for-331) with 14 HR and 88 RBI … The pitching staff has been stellar in that stretch as well with a team ERA of 2.67 in 81 innings pitched.
CAMPBELL
Senior OF Michael Campbell has been the biggest contributor on offense in those nine games hitting at a .447 clip (17-for-38) with 14 runs scored … He currently holds a 10-game hitting streak … Campbell tied the USC career record for triples on Sunday … He has 12 in his career that puts him tied with Mac White (1991-94) and Bill Harley (1930-32) atop the list.
STELLAR WITH THE GLOVE
South Carolina has been consistent defensively with 17 error-less games this year including eight games without an error during the nine-game winning streak … USC owns a .985 fielding percentage on the year.
NEXT WEEK
Wednesday – 4/5 vs. Clemson – 7 pm (CSS-TV)
Friday – 4/7 vs. Alabama – 7 pm
Saturday – 4/8 vs. Alabama – 4 pm
Sunday – 4/9 vs. Alabama – 1:30 pm
