April 26, 2010

Columbia, S.C. – For the third consecutive week, a South Carolina pitcher has earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors. Junior right-hander Sam Dyson was tabbed the conference pitcher of the week following his three-hit complete game shutout in the seven-inning 5-0 win over Georgia on Sunday in game one of a doubleheader. Dyson, Blake Cooper (April 19) and Jay Brown (April 12) have all earned the award in the last three weeks for the Gamecocks.

The South Carolina baseball team has moved up in this week’s rankings with the Gamecocks sitting at No. 3 in the Collegiate Baseball Top 30 with a No. 7 ranking in the Baseball America Top 25 & Rivals Top 25 and a No. 8 ranking in this week’s USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll released. South Carolina returns home this weekend hosting a three-game series with Alabama beginning on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Carolina Stadium.

Dyson is only the third SEC pitcher to record a complete game shutout this year and the second this season to do it in SEC play. Dyson finished with 69 strikes out of 96 pitches and allowed just one runner from Georgia to get in scoring position in the seven-inning shutout. All 21 putouts by the Gamecock came from the diamond, as Dyson struck out five batters and recorded 14 ground ball outs. The win was the first complete game shutout of Dyson’s career. It helped clinch a series victory over Georgia, the first time since 2002 that the Gamecocks have won a series at Georgia. With the win, Dyson moved into a tie for 15th on the all-time career victory list at Carolina with 21 career wins.

Dyson earned a second straight win in conference play and is now 4-2 with 4.35 ERA on the year. He has 53 strikeouts to just nine walks in 51.2 innings pitched. Opponents are batting just .259 against him on the year.