Nov. 27, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina baseball program has announced the signing of 16 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the November early signing period. The class consists of nine high school and seven junior college players including six student-athletes from the state of South Carolina.
“Coach (Monte) Lee and Coach (Mark) Calvi have worked extremely hard to sign a class that will be ready to contribute in their first year on campus,” said head coach Ray Tanner. “This talented group is accustomed to winning and we are very excited about their future here at Carolina.”
South Carolina is one of only two schools in the nation to reach the NCAA Super Regionals in seven of the last eight years (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). Since the 2000 season, the Gamecocks are the only SEC squad to reach the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament each year and have compiled eight consecutive 40-plus win seasons. The Gamecocks have also put together a 388-155 record in that span, the fourth highest win total in Division I baseball as well as an SEC-best 147-92 record in conference match-ups. That list also includes three trips to the College World Series (2002, 2003, 2004), two SEC Championships (2000, 2002) and one SEC Tournament title (2004).
“We could potentially lose our entire infield (for this season) to the (2008) draft and I think it was important from a position standpoint to make sure we brought some older players into the program for the next year,” said recruiting coordinator Monte Lee. “We went fairly heavy on junior college infielders. We have signed a majority of the top high school players in the state of South Carolina. This class is really good in terms of pitchers and obviously we are going to have to fight the MLB draft on a couple of these players. I feel like we have accomplished what we needed.”
2007-08 GAMECOCK SIGNEESPlayer Pos. Hometown (School)Austin Ashmore OF Greer, S.C. (Greer HS)Nolan Belcher LHP Augusta, Ga. (Greenbrier HS)Jackie Bradley OF Prince George, Va. (Prince George HS)Eric Broberg RHP Sanford, Fla. (Seminole JC)Justin Dalles C Lake Worth, Fla. (St. Petersburg JC)Nick Ebert 3B Ocala, Fla. (Central Florida CC)Marty Gantt LHP/OF North Augusta, S.C. (North Augusta HS)Bobby Haney INF Smithtown, N.Y. (Manatee CC (Fla.))Jeffery Jones INF Ft. Worth, Texas (Navarro JC (Kan.))Adam Matthews OF Lexington, S.C. (White Knoll HS)Grimes Medlin LHP Benson, N.C. (Young Harris JC (Ga.))Matt Price RHP Sumter, S.C. (Sumter HS)James Rawls RHP Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. (Batesburg-Leesville HS)Casey Rihn INF La Habra, Calif. (Santa Ana JC)Michael Roth 1B Greer, S.C. (Riverside HS)Adam Westmoreland LHP Cayce, S.C. (Brookland-Cayce HS)
Austin Ashmore OF Greer, S.C. (Greer HS)
– 2007 South Carolina AAA All-State team
Nolan Belcher LHP Augusta, Ga. (Greenbrier HS)
– 10-1 record as junior; has pitched on three consecutive Georgia AAAA state championship teams
– Owns a 35-1 career record as a high school pitcher in 204 innings
– Ranked No. 292 high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Jackie Bradley OF Prince George, Va. (Prince George HS)
– Played for Richmond Braves National team
– Ranked No. 255 high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Eric Broberg RHP Sanford, Fla. (Seminole JC)
– Went 2-2 with a 1.74 ERA and three saves in 20.2 innings with 28 strikeouts as a freshman
– 2006 MLB Draft selection (37th round/Atlanta Braves)
– Ranked No. 25 junior college prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Justin Dalles C Lake Worth, Fla. (St. Petersburg JC)
– Tallied six home runs as a freshman at St. Pete JC
– 2007 MLB Draft selection (40th round/St. Louis Cardinals)
– 2006 MLB Draft selection (15th round/New York Mets)
– Ranked No. 60 junior college prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Nick Ebert 3B Ocala, Fla. (Central Florida CC)
– 2007 NJCAA All-District (Gulf District)
– Among the leading hitters in the FCCAA with a .393 average as a freshman with 16 doubles and 37 RBI
Marty Gantt LHP/OF North Augusta, S.C. (North Augusta HS)
– 2007 South Carolina AAAA Player of the Year as a junior
– 2007 South Carolina AAAA All-State team
– Went 9-3 with a 1.33 ERA as a junior with 161 strikeouts in 84 innings
– Ranked No. 390 high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Bobby Haney INF Smithtown, N.Y. (Manatee CC (Fla.))
– 2007 FCCAA second team All-Conference
– 2006 MLB Draft selection (38th round/Philadelphia Phillies)
Jeff Jones INF Ft. Worth, Texas (Navarro JC )
– Hit .366 as a freshman with nine doubles
– Ranked No. 166 junior college prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Adam Matthews OF Lexington, S.C. (White Knoll HS)
– 2007 SC All-Region
Grimes Medlin LHP Benson, N.C. (Young Harris JC (Ga.))
– 2007 MLB Draft selection (26th round/Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
– Compiled a 5-3 record with three saves and a 2.64 ERA as a freshman in 2007; struck out 71 batters in 61 innings
– Ranked No. 29 junior college prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Matt Price RHP Sumter, S.C. (Sumter HS)
– Pitched a no-hitter at the 2007 World Bat Championships in Jupiter, Fla.; struck out 17 batters in a 1-0 win over the Hurricanes (Va.) baseball team
– Ranked No. 301 high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
James Rawls RHP Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. (Batesburg-Leesville HS)
– 2006 South Carolina AA All-State team
Casey Rihn INF La Habra, Calif. (Santa Ana JC)
– Named to 2007 All-Southern California team
– Hit .368 as a freshman with eight HR and 47 RBI as well as 18 doubles
Michael Roth 1B Greer, S.C. (Riverside HS)
– 2006 South Carolina AAA All-State team
– 2006 South Carolina AAA Player of the Year
– Ranked No. 292 high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game Cross Checker
Adam Westmoreland LHP Cayce, S.C. (Brookland-Cayce HS)
– Compiled a 6-4 record with two saves with 114 strikeouts in 70.1 innings pitched
