May 12, 2008
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina (34-18) returns home for its final four regular season games of the 2008 season beginning on Tuesday night with a non-conference tilt vs. The Citadel (25-26) with first pitch scheduled for 7 pm at Sarge Frye Field. Live video broadcast is available at gamecocksonline.com and on 107.5 FM “The Game” in Columbia with Mike Morgan and Tommy Moody on the call. Carolina is ranked No. 18 in both the Collegiate Baseball Top 30 and USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll as of Monday afternoon. The Gamecocks will also host a three-game SEC series with Tennessee beginning on Thursday night at 7 pm.
Tuesday
SC Sam Dyson, Fr. (RHP) 6-0, 3.94 ERA, 32.0 IP, 30 K, 20 BB
CIT TBA
SOUTH CAROLINA NOTEBOOK
South Carolina went 1-3 this past week with a 10-5 win at home vs. Wofford before falling in all three games at Arkansas … The Gamecocks have struggled with the Razorbacks in recent history as Arkansas leads the series 27-18 and have won five in a row against Carolina.
Heading into the final weekend, the Gamecocks are 9-3 in SEC home games with a 4-11 mark in SEC road contests.
Freshman right-hander Sam Dyson worked five-plus innings to record a win in Wednesday night’s game vs. Wofford … He leads the team in victories and is 6-0 on the year with a 3.94 ERA … Dyson is the scheduled starter for Carolina on Tuesday night vs. The Citadel.
Freshman outfielder Whit Merrifield continues his case for Freshman All-America honors as he finished with four hits in the Arkansas series and is now up to .320 in batting average and 49 runs scored … Merrifield is hitting .318 in SEC games and leads the team in multi-hit games with 23 on the year … He has a six-game hitting streak heading into Tuesday.
Junior first baseman Justin Smoak moved into eighth place on the USC All-Time career hits list … He has 233 in the Garnet & Black … Smoak leads the team in hitting with a .391 average (77-for-197) and also has 19 HR and 56 RBI.
Junior shortstop Reese Havens became the 21st player in school history to reach the 200 career hit total at South Carolina … Havens had three hits in the Arkansas series and now has 202 in his career with the Garnet & Black, 20th on the USC All-Time list.
South Carolina’s current three-game losing streak is tied for the longest losing stride for the season for Carolina … South Carolina owns a 28-2 record when scoring six runs or more this season … The Gamecocks are also 28-2 when out-hitting its opponent … Friday’s loss to Arkansas was the first time this year that Carolina has blown a lead after leading entering the ninth inning … South Carolina is 13-12 in games decided by three runs or less this year.
South Carolina continues to lead the SEC in home runs with 93 on the year including a conference-high 42 in SEC games … The Gamecocks have homered at least once in 46 of 52 games this year … South Carolina is 31-15 when hitting at least one home run … Four Gamecocks sit in the Top 10 in the SEC; Justin Smoak (19, 2nd); James Darnell (16, T5th); Phil Disher (16, T5th); Reese Havens (14, T7th).
Junior third baseman James Darnell continues to lead the SEC in Runs Batted In with 70 on the year and also owns a conference-high 33 in SEC contests … Darnell is hitting .311 on the year with 16 HR and 70 RBI.
Heading into the weekend series with Tennessee, the Gamecocks lead the series history 36-31 including two of three wins last year in Knoxville vs. the Volunteers.
