Nov. 14, 2006

Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina baseball program has announced the signing of 18 student-athletes to National Letter-of-Intents during the November early signing period. The class consists of 15 high school and three junior college players including nine student-athletes from the state of South Carolina.

“Coach Jim Toman has assembled another talented group of recruits, many of whom will be selected in the Major League draft,” said South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner. “A number of these young men will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact in 2008 (the first season in the new Carolina Baseball stadium).”

The Gamecocks are seeking their fourth College World Series appearance in the past six years this spring and are one of only three teams nationally that have participated in six of the last seven NCAA Super Regionals. Carolina’s season opens up February 9, 2007 vs. Oklahoma in the UNC Wilmington tournament. Carolina plays 30 games this year against teams that reached the NCAA postseason in 2006.

Alex Burrell     LHP R/L 5-11    205 Landrum HS/Landrum, S.C.Will Casey          LHP L/L 6-1     170 Kennesaw Mountain HS/Kennesaw, Ga.Nick Cassidy        OF  R/R 5-10    175 Hillcrest HS/Simpsonville, S.C.Austin Gallagher    3B  L/R 6-5 225 Manheim Township HS/Lancaster, Pa.Kyle Greenwalt      RHP R/R 6-0 205 Souderton Area HS/Harleysville, Pa.Heath Hembree       RHP R/R 6-3 190 Broome HS/Cowpens, S.C.Justin Hopper       UT/P    R/R 5-11    180 Lexington HS/Lexington, S.C.B.J. Hyatt      RHP S/R 6-3 185 Wade Hampton HS/Taylors, S.C.Keegan Linza        RHP R/R 6-5 225 North Rowan HS/Salisbury, N.C.Whit Merrifield     INF R/R 6-0 165 Davie Co. HS/Advance, N.C.Brandon Miller      LHP L/L 6-0 170 Emerald HS/Greenwood, S.C.Tyler Musselwhite   RHP R/R 6-4 205 Chipola JC (Fla.)/Gainesville, Ga.Steven Neff     LHP/OF  L/L 6-0 185 Lancaster HS/Lancaster, S.C.Jose Rodriguez      OF  R/R 6-1 220 Hialeah HS/Hialeah, Fla.Richard Royal       C   S/R 6-0 185 Terry Sanford HS/Fayetteville, N.C.L.V. Ware       OF  R/R 5-10    180 Okaloosa Walton CC (Fla.)/Atlanta, Ga.Ryan Wilkins        OF  L/L 5-10    160 Spartanburg Methodist JC/Spartanburg, S.C.Scott Wingo     INF L/R 5-10    165 Mauldin HS/Greenville, S.C.