SEC Tournament Notes in PDF Format
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May 21, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina heads to Hoover, Ala. for the 2007 SEC Baseball Tournament. The Gamecocks are the No. 3 seed in this year’s conference tourney and will face the No. 6 seed Florida Gators at 1 pm CT (2 pm ET) on Wednesday, May 23 at Regions Park.
Carolina heads into this weekend’s tournament with a 40-16 mark and after finishing in second place in the SEC Eastern Division with a 17-13 conference record. South Carolina and Florida met three times in early April with the Gamecocks winning two of three games. South Carolina won 12-2, fell 9-8 and won the rubber game 8-6 in 11 innings in Gainesville.
2007 Tournament BracketWednesday, May 23Game 1 10:00 a.m. #7 Alabama vs. #2 Arkansas [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 2 1:00 p.m. #6 Florida vs. #3 South Carolina [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 3 5:00 p.m. #8 Tennessee vs. #1 Vanderbilt [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 4 8:00 p.m. #5 Ole Miss vs. #4 Mississippi State [CSS] [CSS HD]
Thursday, May 24Game 5 10:00 a.m. Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 6 1:00 p.m. Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 7 5:00 p.m. Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 8 8:00 p.m. Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 [CSS] [CSS HD]
Friday, May 25Game 9 3:00 p.m. Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7 [FSN] [CSS HD]Game 10 6:30 p.m. Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8 [FSN] [CSS HD]
Saturday, May 26Game 11 10:00 a.m. Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9 [FSN]Game 12 1:00 p.m. Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10 [FSN]Game 13* 5:00 p.m. Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11 [CSS] [CSS HD]Game 14* 8:00 p.m. Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12 [CSS] [CSS HD]
Sunday, May 27Game 15* 3:00 p.m. Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14 [FSN]
* - If both bracket winners are undefeated, there will be no 5:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. games on Saturday and the championship game Sunday would be Game 13.
All Times are Central
[FSN] - FSN South, FSN Southwest, Sun Sports[CSS] - Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast;[CSS HD] - CSS High Definition All games broadcast on XM Satellite Radio Channel 119
GAMECOCKS PUT TOGETHER HISTORIC RALLY TO DEFEAT GEORGIA
In one of the largest comebacks in school history, South Carolina rallied from an 11-run deficit highlighted by a nine-run eighth inning to earn a 14-13 win over Georgia and win the rubber game of a three-game SEC series. Carolina improves to 40-16 and 17-13 in the SEC while the loss drops Georgia to 23-33 and 11-19 in the conference. The win also gives Carolina an eighth straight season with 40-plus victories as well.
Trailing 13-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Gamecocks began their comeback with two runs in the frame. Andrew Crisp knocked a two-run homer to left field to bring the Gamecocks within nine runs. South Carolina added a single run in the seventh inning as Kyle Enders tallied a sacrifice fly RBI to score Phil Disher to cut the Georgia lead to eight runs.
South Carolina started things off in the nine-run eighth inning against Georgia reliever Iain Sebastian with Crisp doubling to right field and advancing to third base on right fielder Blake Cannady’s fielding error. The first run would then score on a RBI single by Cheyne Hurst, who also advanced to second base on the second fielding error by Cannady in right field. Pinch hitter Robbie Grinestaff continued things with a single to left field that gave the Gamecocks runners on the corners. After a walk issued to Travis Jones loaded the bases, the Bulldogs went to reliever Ryan Woolley, who walked James Darnell to score Hurst and cut the Georgia lead to six runs. Georgia went to the bullpen a third time with Justin Earls and the Gamecocks greeted him with consecutive two-run doubles from Justin Smoak and Phil Disher that brought Carolina within two runs at 13-11. With still no outs and Disher on second base, Carolina closed the gap to within a run as Enders doubled down the left field line to score Disher. The Gamecocks tied the game then on a botched play by Georgia as Harley Lail set down a sacrifice bunt but on the play saw first baseman Rich Poythress drop the ball to allow Enders to score from second base and tie the match-up. Lail stole second base with one out and scored the game-winning run on a double to left center by Hurst off of Georgia closer Joshua Fields.
Carolina junior right-hander Harris Honeycutt came on in a rare relief appearance and struck out all three batters in the ninth inning to earn a save and preserve the Gamecock victory. Sophomore left-hander Will Atwood picked up the win in relief and is now 2-1 on the year. He allowed just two hits in two innings of work. Earls took the loss for Georgia and is now 2-4 on the year.
Disher finished 4-for-5 with three RBI with Crisp 3-for-5 with three RBI and Enders, Hurst and Smoak all driving in two runs apiece for the Gamecocks. Disher tied a single-record at Carolina with three doubles in one game. The Gamecocks out-hit the Bulldogs 15-14 on the afternoon. Travis Parrott went 4-for-5 for Georgia with six RBI and three doubles as well. Ryan Peisel, Gordon Beckham and Poythress added two hits apiece.
SOUTH CAROLINA DOWN THE HOME STRETCH IN THE SEC
South Carolina finished the home stretch of the SEC season with a 6-3 record and won all three series vs. Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. Below are results dating back the last seven seasons of South Carolina in its final nine games of the conference schedule.
Year First 21 Last 9 Final SEC record2000: 18-3 7-2 25-52001: 10-11 7-2 17-132002: 14-6 7-2 21-82003: 10-11 9-0 19-112004: 11-10 6-3 17-132005: 12-9 4-5 16-142006: 13-8 2-7 15-152007: 11-10 6-3 17-13TOTALS 99-68 (.593) 48-24 (.667) 147-92 (.615)
40 WINS AND COUNTING
For the eighth consecutive season, the South Carolina Gamecocks have put together a 40-plus win season. South Carolina is the only SEC team to accomplish that feat from 2000-present, and also the only school in that timespan to have reached the SEC Tournament all eight times. South Carolina has reached the SEC Tournament 11 straight years (1997-2007) and has been in 15 of 16 SEC tournaments since joining in 1992 (1996 only year missed).
40-PLUS WIN SEASONS (2000-2007) SEC TOURN. REACHED (2000-2007)1. South Carolina 8 1. South Carolina 82. LSU 6 2. LSU 73. Alabama 4 3. Alabama 6 Florida 4 Arkansas 65. Mississippi State 3 Florida 6 Tennessee 3 Mississippi State 67. Auburn 2 Ole Miss 6 Georgia 2 8. Georgia 5 Ole Miss 2 9. Auburn 4 Vanderbilt 2 Tennessee 411. Arkansas 1 Vanderbilt 4 Kentucky 1 12. Kentucky 2
HOME RUNS
The Gamecocks knocked out six home runs in the Georgia series and now own 104 on the season, currently the eighth highest total in school history. It is also a total that leads the country. Four Gamecocks have 10 or more home runs (James Darnell (18), Travis Jones (18), Justin Smoak (18) and Phil Disher (14)). South Carolina has been on a tear at the plate lately with 37 home runs in the last 16 games and at least one in each contest.
South Carolina’s game high for home runs is five, set on April 22 in a 11-9 win at Ole Miss. 13 different position players have hit at least one home run this year.
Justin Smoak became the 20th player in school history to reach the 30 home run mark when he homered at Ole Miss in late April. Smoak currently has 35 career home runs in his second season in the garnet and black.
A LOOK AT SOME RECORDSTEAM RECORDS ((single-season)Place Season HR1) 1985 1442) 1986 1273) 2002 122 1998 1225) 2001 110Place Season HR6) 2004 1067) 2000 1058) 2007 1049) 1997 9410) 2006 92
INDIVIDUALCareer Home Runs (30 or more)TTL Player Years Lettered48 Hank Small 1972-73-74-7547 Garrett Carter 1985-86-87-8845 Jeff Parnell 1990-91-92-9344 Landon Powell 2001-02-03-0443 Chris Boyle 1981-82-83-8442 Steve Pearce 2004-0541 Tripp Kelly 1998-99-00-0141 Charlie Aldrich 1985-86-8738 Eric Stanton 1996-97-9836 Derick Urquhart 1995-96-97-9835 Justin Smoak 2006-0734 Ryan Bordenick 1995-96-97-9833 Jim Curl 1978-79-80-8132 Joe Datin 1985-8631 Michael Campbell 2003-04-05-0631 Brendan Winn 2004-0531 Yaron Peters 2001-0231 Jerry Shepherd 1991-9231 Dave Hollins 1985-86-8730 Jeff Barns 1985-86-87
SMOAK NAMED TO NATIONAL TEAM
Sophomore first baseman Justin Smoak is one of the first 11 players to be named to the 2007 USA Baseball National Team as announced last Wednesday afternoon by USA Baseball. The announcement of the final nine players and two alternates will be made in June. Smoak and Team USA will play in the Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands as well as several series across the U.S. throughout the summer.
In his second season at Carolina, Smoak has been among the SEC and nation’s leaders in home runs (18) and RBI (65). Smoak has started all 56 games and is batting .318 (71-for-223) to go along with a .619 slugging percentage.
A LOOK BACK AT THE SEC SCHEDULE
South Carolina had a strong showing in the SEC 30-game schedule winning seven of 10 series played. For the first time since joining the league, Carolina did not sweep any of the 10 that were played. However, the Gamecocks put together a solid third-game record, going 9-1 in the last game played of a series.
Carolina won four of five SEC series at home with three of five SEC series won on the road away from Sarge Frye Field. The three series wins over Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia marked the longest stretch of the year with series wins.
DISHER DRIVING THE BALL
South Carolina juniot designated hitter Phil Disher had a productive weekend vs. Georgia with seven hits including a 4-for-5 performance in Saturday’s comeback win vs. the Bulldogs. Disher tied a USC single-game record with three doubles in the game and had two runs and three RBI.
He is the team’s leading hitter on the season heading into the SEC Tournament with a .343 average (68-for-198) with 15 doubles, a triple, 14 homers and 54 RBI. He has also walked 27 times and owns a .641 slugging percentage.
AT THE PLATE WITH MR. JONES
Junior second baseman Travis Jones has been as productive as any hitter in the nation in SEC games and tallied his fourth multi-homer game of the year in Friday’s 13-3 win over Georgia. Jones was 3-for-4 with four runs and an individual-high six RBI in the victory.
He is currently one of two players (w/Justin Smoak) to start in all 56 games and owns a .321 batting average (70-for-218) with 12 doubles, two triples, 18 homers and 61 RBI. Jones has compiled 14 of his 18 home runs in SEC games this year as well.
Twice this season, Jones has picked up SEC Player of the Week honors. Jones was solid in the Kentucky series batting .571 (8-for-14) on the weekend with a pair of home runs, five runs scored and seven RBI.
Jones previously earned the honor and was featured in Sports Illustrated in the Faces in the Crowd section after the Florida series in April. In one of the most impressive offensive performances of the year, Jones went 11-for-15 (.733) the week of the Florida series, including 9-for-12 (.750) vs. the Gators to earn National Player of the Week honors from Collegiate Baseball and SEC Player of the Week honors from the conference office. Jones tallied five home runs in the three-game series vs. the Gators as well as 11 RBI.
His three-run homer in Sunday’s 8-6 win over the Gators tied the game in the ninth inning when the Gamecocks were trailing 5-2 with one out and helped lead the Gamecocks to a weekend series victory.
CRISP HITTING
The 11-run rally for Carolina vs. Georgia on Saturday had its share of heros including sophomore Andrew Crisp, who tallied three hits and a two-run homer to start the rally in the sixth inning.
Crisp has played in 54 games with 50 starts and has been in all three outfield positions as well as shortstop and third base this year. He owns a .302 batting average (57-for-189) with seven home runs and 24 RBI.
DARNELL DELIVERS
The top hitter in the 30-game SEC schedule this year was sophomore third baseman James Darnell. Darnell went 44-for-120 for a .367 clip in conference games along with 10 homers and 36 RBI.
He is currently among the nation’s leaders in home runs (18) and RBI (59) as well as second on the team in walks (43) with a .454 on-base percentage.
HONEYCUTT GETS A SAVE
Junior right-hander Harris Honeycutt returned to the mound on Saturday and struck out the side to earn a save in his first non-start of the year as Carolina defeated Georgia 14-13.
The likely starter on Wednesday vs. Florida, Honeycutt is 7-5 with a 3.74 ERA in a team-high 77 innings as well as 92 strikeouts to 33 walks allowed.
THE CISCO KID
Sophomore right-hander Mike Cisco returned to the SEC rotation this weekend and was big in Thursday’s win over Georgia. Honeycutt pitched eight innings and allowed just three runs in the 13-3 victory over the Bulldogs. Cisco put together quality starts and earned wins vs. Clemson and The Citadel in midweek non-conference match-ups including a career-high 10 strikeouts vs. The Citadel. On the year, Cisco is 5-2 with a 4.04 ERA in 13 games with 71.1 innings of work.
