June 11, 2009
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore right-handed pitcher Parker Bangs has been selected in the 46th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bangs is the sixth current Gamecock to be drafted this year along with Justin Dalles (6th, Orioles), Sam Dyson (10th, A’s), DeAngelo Mack (13th, Yankees), Nick Ebert (32nd, Yankees) and Alex Farotto (34th, White Sox).
Bangs served as a two-way player this season and hit .328 (39-for-119) in 40 games with five HR and 36 RBI. He also made 15 appearances on the mound and was 3-2 with a 5.88 ERA and struck out 39 batters in 33.2 innings pitched.
BANGS’ CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2009 – 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and homer in win over George Mason (5/29) … Pinch-hit RBI double in 5-4 loss to Vanderbilt at SEC Tournament (5/21) … Hurled 2.2 scoreless innings of relief and struck out six batters while allowing just one hit in 9-5 win over Alabama at SEC Tournament (5/20) … 2-for-3 with a run scored in 7-4 win vs. Georgia (5/15) … Worked 4.2 innings of relief and allowed one run, unearned, on two hits with five strikeouts to pick up victory in 6-3 win over USC Upstate … 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and four RBI, also pitched two perfect innings of relief and earned win, struck out all six batters he faced, in 15-12 win over Tennessee (5/9) … Pinch hit three-run homer in 11-3 win over Vanderbilt (5/3) … 3-for-6 wtih a double, run scored and a RBI in 12-10 win over Ole Miss (4/10) … Solo home run in 7-6 win over Clemson (4/7) … 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in 7-4 loss to Arkansas (4/5) … 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in 10-0 win vs. Furman (4/1) … 2-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBI in 20-19 win over Kentucky (3/28) … Hurled career-high seven innings in first career start, did not allow a run and struck out seven in 6-0 win over Davidson (3/18), also hit for himself and went 2-for-2 with a RBI … Hurled five innings of relief, allowing three runs, one earned, on seven hits in 10-7 loss to Long Beach State, struck out six batters (3/8) … Hit a solo home run in 7-5 win over Long Beach State (3/7)Two hits in 3-1 at Clemson (2/28) … Hurled one scoreless inning of relief in 6-0 win vs. Duquesne … 1-for-2 with a run scored, two sacrifice flies and a career-high three RBI in 13-0 win vs. Duquesne (2/21) … Recorded first career RBI in Carolina Stadium history with two-out single in bottom of first inning to score Whit Merrifield.
2008 – Appeared in 18 games as a relief pitcher … Posted a 3-3 record with two saves in 27.1 innings of work … Struck out 34 batters with 15 walks allowed, opponents batted only .217 against him … Also served as designated hitter and pinch hitter … As position player, played in 13 games with 11 starts … Hit .277 (13-for-47) with two homers and six RBI to go along with three doubles and a triple … 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored in 11-3 win vs. Florida at SEC Tournament (5/22) … Key solo home run and pitched 1.1 innings of relief in 7-5 win over Tennessee (5/16) … Struck out potential tying runner at the plate for a final out to earn save in 9-6 victory vs. Florida (5/4) … Started at designated hitter and hit first career homer, finished 2-for-4 at plate and also pitched final two innings to earn first save of the year in an 8-6 win over Auburn (4/12) … Made first career start at designated hitter vs. Davidson (4/2) and went 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI in 9-2 win … Hurled 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts to earn win in 7-4 victory at The Citadel (4/1) … Hurled 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts in 9-1 win over Mississippi State (3/21) … Worked 2.2 innings and struck out career-high seven batters in 5-3 loss vs. Yale (3/11) … 2008 SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient … Played for second consecutive summer for Fayetteville (N.C.) in the Coastal Plain League … Named to CPL All-Star team, finished season with .253 batting average, four HR and 31 RBI … Also finished 2-3 on the mound with 3.43 ERA … Struck out 39 batters in 42 innings and compiled team-high five saves … Baseball America rated him the No.5 best prospect out of the CPL this summer.
2007 – Squad member that did not see any action and took a redshirt … Pitched over the summer with Fayetteville (N.C.) in the Coastal Plain League where he was 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 17 innings with 16 strikeouts and one save in nine relief appearances … 2007 SEC Freshmen Academic Honor Roll member.
