NCAA Super Regional Notes in PDF Format
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June 7, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – For the seventh time in the last eight years, the South Carolina baseball team is headed to the NCAA Super Regional, one of only two teams in the country to achieve that feat since the 2000 season. South Carolina advanced to the Super Regional after defeating Charlotte 11-6 on Monday evening in the NCAA Columbia (S.C.) Regional. The Gamecocks now meet the Tar Heels for the fourth time in the last six years in the postseason.
The Gamecock Athletics Ticket Office announced Wednesday that its allotment of tickets for the Chapel Hill Super Regional is sold out. In addition, the University of North Carolina has sold out of all tickets for the three game series.
South Carolina and North Carolina met in Columbia in the 2002 NCAA Regional, 2003 NCAA Super Regional and 2004 NCAA Regional. South Carolina was victorious and advanced past the Tar Heels in all three of the previous three meetings. All three games will be televised in primetime with the set beginning on Friday, June 8 at 7 pm on ESPN and continuing on Saturday, June 9 with also a first pitch time of 7 pm on ESPN. Should the series move to a third game, it is scheduled for Sunday, June 10 at 7 pm on ESPN2.
A LOOK BACK
South Carolina advanced to the NCAA Super Regional following a 3-0 record in last week’s NCAA Regional in Columbia, S.C. at Sarge Frye Field. Carolina opened the weekend with a 9-1 win over Wofford that featured a multi-home run game from Justin Smoak as well as seven innings of work from right-handed pitcher Harris Honeycutt, who allowed just one run in that timespan.
After a washout of action on Saturday, The Gamecocks put themselves in the driver’s seat with a 12-8 win over Charlotte on Sunday. Carolina erupted for the 12 runs in the first five innings that featured home runs from Smoak, Trent Kline and Andrew Crisp and a solid start by junior left-hander Arik Hempy, who went 5.1 innings to pick up the win.
South Carolina met the 49ers one more time and closed out the Regional with an 11-6 victory that saw designated hitter Phil Disher connect with a grand slam and 4.2 quality innings out of the bullpen by reliever Curtis Johnson. Jeff Jeffords came on in the eighth inning to earn a save as well.
A LOOK CLOSER
South Carolina is currently in the school’s 23rd appearance in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament and eighth straight season in reaching the NCAA Tournament field. Carolina is one of only nine teams in the nation that has reached the NCAA Regional in the last eight consecutive years (2000-07).
SOUTH CAROLINA & NCAA HISTORY
South Carolina comes into the Super Regional with an all-time record of 87-49 (.640) in tournament action including a 44-20 (.688) record under head coach Ray Tanner. The Gamecocks have reached seven of the last eight NCAA Super Regionals (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007), one of only two teams in the nation to accomplish the feat heading into this year (Miami (Fla.) also has achieved the feat). South Carolina has reached the College World Series eight times in school history (1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1985, 2002, 2003, 2004).
NCAA SUPER REGIONAL APPERANCES OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IN SEC1. South Carolina 7 2000-01-02-03-04-06-072. LSU 5 2000-01-02-03-043. Georgia 3 2001-04-06 Mississippi State 3 2000-01-07 Ole Miss 3 2005-06-076. Arkansas 2 2002-04 Florida 2 2004-05 Tennessee 2 2001-059. Alabama 1 2006 Vanderbilt 1 200411. Auburn 0 N/A Kentucky 0 N/A
NCAA REGIONAL APPEARANCES OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IN SEC1 South Carolina 8 2000-01-02-03-04-05-06-072. Mississippi State 7 2000-01-03-04-05-06-073. Arkansas 6 2002-03-04-05-06-07 Florida 6 2000-01-02-03-04-05 LSU 6 2000-01-02-03-04-05 Ole Miss 6 2001-03-04-05-06-077. Alabama 5 2000-02-03-05-06 Auburn 5 2000-01-02-03-059. Georgia 4 2001-02-04-0610. Tennessee 3 2001-04-05 Vanderbilt 3 2004-06-0712. Kentucky 1 2006
HOME RUNS
The Gamecocks head into NCAA Super Regional with 110 home runs on the season, currently tied for the fifth highest total in school history. The total also leads the nation. Four Gamecocks have 10 or more home runs (James Darnell (18), Travis Jones (18), Justin Smoak (21) and Phil Disher (15)). South Carolina hit six home runs in the NCAA Regional last week.
South Carolina’s game high for home runs is five, set on April 22 in an 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 38 career home runs in his second season in the garnet and black.
SOUTH CAROLINA HOME RUN SUPERLATIVESRecord when South Carolina hits 0 home runs 5-8Record when South Carolina hits 1 home run 12-4Record when South Carolina hits 2 or more home runs 28-6A LOOK AT SOME RECORDSTEAM RECORDS ((single-season)Place Season HR1) 1985 1442) 1986 1273) 2002 122 1998 1225) 2001 110 2007 110Place Season HR7) 2004 1068) 2000 1059) 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 Justin Smoak 2006-0738 Eric Stanton 1996-97-9836 Derick Urquhart 1995-96-97-9834 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
NCAA REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
South Carolina had a stellar NCAA Regional at the plate and on the mound that saw five Gamecocks named to the Columbia (S.C.) Regional All-Tournament team including Regional MVP, first baseman, Justin Smoak.
Catcher Trent Kline .556 average (5-for-9), 1 HR, 4 RBI First Base Justin Smoak .667 average (6-for-9), 3 HR, 4 RBI Third Base James Darnell Five runs scored, .357 on-base percentage Outfield Andrew Crisp .417 average (5-for-12), 1 HR, 4 RBI Pitcher Curtis Johnson 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 1 SV, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 6 K, 3 BB
THE CISCO KID
Sophomore right-hander Mike Cisco has returned with a bang to the rotation with three wins in his last four starts. Cisco won his start vs. Florida at the SEC Tournament as he pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Cisco also put together quality starts and earned wins vs. Georgia last week and 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 6-2 with a 3.76 ERA in 81.1 innings.
HONEYCUTT GETS BACK ON TRACK
Junior RHP Harris Honeycutt got back on the winning side of things in the 9-1 victory over Wofford. It marked his first win since early April vs. Florida. He tied his season-high with seven innings pitched and allowed just one run to pick up the victory.
Honeycutt is 8-5 with a 3.59 ERA in a team-high 90.1 innings with 104 strikeouts.
GAMECOCKS FROM THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Just right behind the state of South Carolina, the number two state for products of the Gamecock baseball team is the state of North Carolina. Carolina’s roster this year features six players from N.C.
Parker Bangs Laurinburg, N.C. not activeArik Hempy Raleigh, N.C.Harris Honeycutt Fuquay-Varina, N.C.Jonathan Ratledge Charlotte, N.C. not activeSteven Reinhold Waynesville, N.C.Jon Willard Morrisville, N.C.
A LITTLE MORE ON HONEYCUTT
Back in 2004, it was Honeycutt, in his first career start, that earned a win at the Battle of the Border between the Gamecocks and Tar Heels. A freshman that season, Honeycutt worked five innings and allowed just four runs on four hits with seven strikeouts to pick up the victory. South Carolina won the game 9-4 over North Carolina behind three home runs. Another freshman starting in the game was Robert Woodard for the Tar Heels, who suffered the loss after 3.1 innings allowing five runs on five hits.
MORE ON SOUTH CAROLINA-NORTH CAROLINA
To say that the two teams are familiar with each other would be an understatement as the Gamecocks and Tar Heels have met on the diamond four of the last six years. The 2002 NCAA Regional, 2003 NCAA Super Regional and 2004 NCAA Regional featured both schools against each other. South Carolina took two of three games over the Tar Heels to advance in the postseason in 2002, won both games in 2003 to reach the College World Series and won a pair of games in 2004 to go on to another NCAA Super Regional. North Carolina leads the series history despite the recent trend, 53-34-1.
HEMPY CONTINUES TO SHINE
South Carolina left-hander Arik Hempy continues to shine as he picked up a win after 5.1 solid innings vs. Charlotte. Hempy has been stellar since returning to the SEC rotation with a 6-3 overall record and a 3.38 ERA in 58.2 innings. He has struck out 57 batters to 30 walks and limited opponents to a .242 batting average. His 2.27 ERA in the SEC was best among all conference pitchers as well.
JEFFORDS CONTINUES TO SHINE OUT OF THE BULLPEN
Junior RHP Jeff Jeffords is making a habit out of being successful out of the bullpen for the Gamecocks. He picked up both a win and a save vs. the Gators last week at the SEC Tournament and a save vs. Charlotte on Monday to clinch the NCAA Regional.
Jeffords owns a 6-1 record with a 2.87 ERA in 22 appearances with 47.0 innings pitched. He has 58 strikeouts to 18 walks allowed. Five of his six wins this year have also come against SEC teams.
