Feb. 26, 2008
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Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina returns to action on Wednesday afternoon hosting UNC Asheville with first pitch set for 3 pm. It is the second straight year that the Gamecocks and Bulldogs will meet on the field. South Carolina won 9-2 in the previous meeting on Mar. 20, 2007. South Carolina leads the all-time series history, 5-0. The series dates back to the 1975 season. Live video broadcast and gametracker stats will be available at gamecocksonline.com.
PITCHING MATCH-UP
Wednesday
SC – Nick Godwin (Sr. RHP)
UNC-Asheville – TBA
A LOOK AT THE POLLS
The Gamecocks are ranked among the top teams in the nation coming in at No. 3 (Collegiate Baseball) No. 3 (ESPN/USA Today Coaches’) and No. 10 (Baseball America) in the three major collegiate polls. South Carolina dropped a spot in the Collegiate Baseball poll but moved up two spots in Baseball America’s rankings. There was no new poll for the coaches this week.
One week removed from a weekend vs. a nationally ranked team, the Gamecocks will play two more games this week vs. a ranked opponent as the Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers meet this weekend.
HAVENS NAMED SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
South Carolina junior shortstop Reese Havens earned SEC Player of the Week honors following his performance over the weekend vs. East Carolina. Havens was 7-for-14 (.500) for the series with a pair of homers, six RBI and seven runs scored. He had an on-base percentage of .610 and a slugging percentage at .900. His five hits in the season opener tied his career-high and he set a career-high as well with five RBI in the 22-5 win over the Pirates.
SMOAK MOVES UP THE CHARTS
South Carolina junior first baseman Justin Smoak had a strong first weekend as well as he went 5-for-12 at the plate (.417) with a pair of homers and five RBI. His two home runs vs. the Pirates on the weekend also moved him up to a tie for seventh on the All-Time Gamecock Career List. He is seven home runs shy of the school’s record of 48 set by Hank Small from 1972-75.
Home Runs Career List48 Hank Small (1972-73-74-75)47 Garrett Carter (1985-86-87-88)45 Jeff Parnell (1990-91-92-93)44 Landon Powell (2001-02-03-04)43 Chris Boyle (1981-82-83-84)42 Steve Pearce (2004-05)41 Justin Smoak (2006-07-08)41 Tripp Kelly (1998-99-00-01)41 Charlie Aldrich (1985-86-87)
WHAT A CROWD
Gamecock fans were out and about on the first weekend at Sarge Frye Field as the weekend attendance for the series with East Carolina finished up at 16,719 for an average of 5,573 fans per game. The Saturday season opener featured the largest crowd as the Gamecocks brought in 5,823 fans in game one vs. East Carolina.
The Gamecocks set a school record for total attendance last year with 159,545 as a total in 2007 that averaged 4,985 fans per game. It is “Extra Innings” at Sarge Frye Field as the Gamecocks prepare to move into a new baseball stadium in the beginning of the 2009 season.
ENDERS FINISHES IT
South Carolina sophomore catcher Kyle Enders started all three games for the Gamecocks over the weekend including two games behind the plate. The sophomore from Riverside HS came up big in the clutch for the Gamecocks in Sunday’s 7-6 rally as his two-run single with the bases loaded and one out gave Carolina a one-run victory and clinched the series. Enders finished the week with five hits, a homer and three RBI.
DISHER STARTS OFF STRONG
Phil Disher had a strong season opener for the Gamecocks as he collected three hits with a pair of homers and five RBI in the 22-5 win over East Carolina. Disher’s two homers marked the first multi-homer game of his career and his five RBI total was a career-high.
22-5
South Carolina’s 22-5 win over East Carolina was the third largest run total by a Gamecock team on Opening Day and the most runs since April 3, 1901 vs. King’s Mt. MA when Carolina won 26-0 in the opener in Columbia. The 22-run total also tied for eighth highest by a Gamecock team under head coach Ray Tanner. It was the most runs by a Gamecock team since Feb. 14, 2004 when South Carolina defeated Charleston Southern, 38-0.
THAT RECORD IS A HIT
The 22-5 opening day win also saw South Carolina tie a single-game record as the Gamecocks were hit by pitch five times in the contest. It was the third time in school history. Both previous times came in the 1996 season vs. Charlotte (2/13/96) and the College of Charleston (2/10/96).
CLOSING IN ON ANOTHER MILESTONE
With two wins vs. ECU, head coach Ray Tanner moved his career record to 897-394-3 in his 21st year as a head coach, just three wins shy of 900 wins. Tanner has put together a 502-221 record in 12 seasons with the Gamecocks. Both win totals translate to a .694 winning percentage. That winning percentage at South Carolina is second highest in SEC history behind legendary former LSU coach Skip Bertman.
THE CISCO KID
South Carolina opening day starter Mike Cisco worked five solid innings to pick up the win vs. ECU on Saturday afternoon. Cisco limited the Pirates to one run on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Cisco is now 14-7 in his career with the Gamecocks including a 9-4 mark at Sarge Frye Field and 9-1 mark against non-conference teams.
CUJO
South Carolina senior reliever Curtis Johnson pitched a career-high 6.2 innings and tied another career-high with five strikeouts as he came up big in relief in the 7-6 win over ECU. Johnson kept the East Carolina bats at bay to help the Gamecocks rally as he did now allow a run to ECU from the fifth-eighth innings.
ON BASE WITH WINGO
Freshman infielder Scott Wingo put together an on-base percentage of .636 in the first weekend to lead the team. Wingo was 3-for-7 at the plate in two starts at second base with two walks and two hit by pitches as well.
MERRIFIELD SHOWS SOME POWER AND SOME SACRIFICE
Freshman outfielder Whit Merrifield had some pop in the bat over the weekend and also played some small ball vs. the Pirates. Merrifield homered both Saturday and Sunday vs. East Carolina and also totaled a pair of sacrifice bunts and a bunt single. He finished with four hits and four runs scored in his first weekend in a Gamecock uniform.
RIDE THE HARLEY
Senior outfielder Harley Lail provides the leadership in the outfield for the Gamecocks and shows his way with the bat as well. Lail had five hits in the three games vs. ECU including two doubles and one triple. Lail scored once and drove in two runs on the weekend.
DARNELL DELIVERS
Junior third baseman James Darnell drove in the first Gamecock runs of the year with a two-run double vs. the Pirates in the first inning of Saturday’s opener. Darnell had four hits and walked five times as well on the weekend. He also scored five runs.
NEW FACES
There were several Gamecocks that made their debuts in the Garnet & Black for Carolina on opening weekend as 10 new faces found playing time on the first weekend. Players in their first appearances were: Parker Bangs, Alex Burrell, Will Casey, Sam Dyson Justin Hopper, Keegan Linza, Whit Merrifield, Tyler Musselwhite, Richard Royal, Scott Wingo
