May 1, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior right-handed pitcher Harris Honeycutt and sophomore first baseman Justin Smoak have been named semi-finalists for the 2007 Golden Spikes Award. USA Baseball presents the award to the nation’s premier amateur baseball player. The names of the 50 semi-finalists will now be forwarded to a voting body of 125 who will select the five finalists and the eventual winner. The winner’s name will be announced on June 29, 2007 during the 2007 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Show presented by Major League Baseball.
“USA Baseball is extremely proud to recognize these 50 athletes and their respective baseball programs as semi-finalists for the 2007 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. “To see 40 different schools represented on this year’s semi-finalist list speaks to the level of college baseball talent across the country.”
Smoak currently is among the top hitters in the nation with a .332 batting average (61-for-184), 14 HR and 53 RBI. He is one of two players on the squad to have started all 46 games on the year and is fielding .998 at first base with just one error. Honeycutt has put together a 7-3 record with a 3.03 ERA in 11 starts including 79 strikeouts to 24 walks in a team-high 65.1 innings pitched.
A South Carolina player has won the Golden Spikes Award one time in the 30-year history. Kip Bouknight received the honor after the 2000 season in which he went 17-1 to help lead the Gamecocks to an SEC Championship and the NCAA Super Regional.
For the past 29 years, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State in 1978, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2006 Golden Spikes Award winner was Tim Lincecum of the University of Washington. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as Alex Gordon (’05), Rickie Weeks (’03), Khalil Greene (’02), Jason Jennings (’00), Pat Burrell (`98), J.D. Drew (’97), Mark Kotsay (’95), and Jason Varitek (’94). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include Robin Ventura (’88), Jim Abbott (’87), Will Clark (’85), Dave Magadan (’83), Terry Francona (’80), Tim Wallach (’79), and Bob Horner (’78).
USA Baseball is the National Governing Body of amateur baseball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The organization selects and trains the USA Baseball National Team, the USA Baseball Junior National Team (18-under), the USA Baseball Youth National Team (16-under), the USA Baseball 14U National Team (14-under), and the USA Baseball Women’s National Team which participate in various international competitions each year. For more information on USA Baseball please log onto www.usabaseball.com.
