Feb. 12, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina moved up in both national college publication rankings released on Monday afternoon (February 12). The Gamecocks are now No.2 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Top 30 and No. 3 in the Baseball America Top 25. Carolina heads to Charleston, S.C. this weekend for the Crab House Shootout. The Gamecocks will face Liberty, Richmond and The Citadel, host for this weekend’s round-robin tournament.
THIS WEEK IN CAROLINA BASEBALL
Record: 3-0
0-0 in home games
1-0 in road games
2-0 in neutral games
0-0 vs. top 25 teams
Last Week: 3-0
At Hughes Brothers Challenge (Wilmington, N.C.)
Friday 2/9 – vs. Oklahoma – W, 13-2
Saturday 2/10 – vs. Western Kentucky – W, 12-0
Sunday 2/11 – at UNC Wilmington – W, 9-8 (11 inn.)
A QUICK RECAP
South Carolina won all three of its games at the Hughes Brothers Challenge (Wilmington, N.C.) to open the 2007 season with a 3-0 record … Carolina topped Oklahoma 13-2, defeated Western Kentucky 12-0 and held off UNC Wilmington 9-8 in 11 innings.
THE GAMECOCKS & FEBRUARY
Dating back to the 2000 season, South Carolina is now 70-2 (.972) in the month of February.
AT THE PLATE
The South Carolina bats got off to a hot start with the Gamecocks batting .382 (42-for-110) including 18 extra base hits (eight doubles, three triples, seven homers) … Carolina outscored its opponents 34-10 this past weekend.
CHISENHALL
Freshman newcomer Lonnie Chisenhall had a strong first week with the Garnet and Black batting .500 (7-for-14) with three runs, a homer and seven RBI … Chisenhall also tied two single game school records in Saturday’s win over the Hilltoppers with two triples and two sacrifice flies … He became only the 13th player in school history to have two triples in one game and the first since Steven Tolleson did it in 2005.
CRISP
Sophomore Andrew Crisp tallied a career-high five hits including a game-winning RBI single in the 11th inning of Sunday’s 9-8 win over UNC Wilmington … Crisp was 6-for-10 (.600) with four RBI in the first weekend of action.
KLINE
Junior catcher Trent Kline hit a grand slam homer and collected a career-high four RBI in Sunday’s win over UNC Wilmington … Kline went 5-for-9 (.556) over the weekend with five runs scored and seven RBI as well.
DISHER
Junior designated hitter Phil Disher went 6-for-12 (.500) this weekend with two doubles, a homer and five runs scored.
JONES
Junior second baseman Travis Jones found his way on base from the leadoff spot in his first weekend with the Gamecocks batting 5-for-14 (.357), and also reaching base with one walk and two hit by pitches … He also hit his first career homer in Saturday’s win over Western Kentucky.
MORE ON THE HITTERS
All 10 position players that started at least one game over the weekend drove in at least one run at the plate … Seven different Gamecocks had home runs on the first weekend of action (Kline, Chisenhall, Disher, Jon Willard, Jones, James Darnell, Drew Martin) … Disher, Chisenhall and Jones hit safely in all three games this weekend with Chisenhall collecting at least two hits in all three contests.
ON THE MOUND
The Carolina pitching staff finished the weekend with a team ERA of 1.86 and allowed just 23 hits in 29 innings while striking out 30 batters.
HONEYCUTT
Junior right-hander Harris Honeycutt got the ball on opening day and worked five innings allowing just one run on three hits with six strikeouts to pick up the win vs. Oklahoma … He is now 9-0 in his career at Carolina.
BROWN
Junior right-hander Jay Brown made his debut in a Carolina uniform and pitched 5.1 scoreless innings with only four hits allowed … Brown combined with Jeff Jeffords (3 K, 1.2 IP), Blake Cooper (1.0 IP) and Nick Godwin (1.0 IP) to earn a shutout on Saturday, the Gamecocks’ first shutout since April 11, 2006 vs. Ole Miss.
PELZER
Junior right-hander Wynn Pelzer earned a win in Sunday’s extra inning victory over UNC Wilmington … Pelzer went three innings allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts.
JOHNSON
Junior right-hander Curtis Johnson picked up a save in his first career appearance striking out three batters in one inning of work as Carolina defeated the Seahawks.
ON THE FIELD
Two of the three games played this weekend the Gamecocks did now commit an error (.983 fielding percentage on the weekend) with only two errors coming in one inning of play (7th inning vs. UNC Wilmington).
NEXT WEEK
South Carolina continues action next weekend at a round-robin tournament hosted by The Citadel … Carolina will face Liberty, Richmond and the host Bulldogs next weekend.
NEXT WEEK
Friday – 2/16 – vs. Liberty – 12 noon
Saturday – 2/17 – vs. Richmond – 11 am
Sunday – 2/18 – at The Citadel – 2 pm
