May 25, 2010
Columbia, S.C. – Senior right-handed pitcher Blake Cooper earned first-team All-SEC honors and sophomore outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and freshman reliever Matt Price received second-team All-SEC accolades highlighting the 2010 SEC Awards for the Gamecocks as announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon. Price, Christian Walker and Evan Marzilli were named to the SEC All-Freshman Team with Bradley and infielder Scott Wingo picking up SEC All-Defensive Team honors.
Cooper led the Southeastern Conference in victories with a 10-1 record including seven wins in conference play, tying him for the most conference wins as well. Cooper has pitched a SEC high 96.1 innings and is fourth in the league in opposing batting average (.223), sixth in earned run average (3.08) and seventh in strikeouts (82. Cooper is also tied in the conference with seven SEC wins. Cooper has pitched a SEC-high 71.2 innings, is fifth in opposing batting average (.231), fifth in earned run average (3.01) in league play and sixth in strikeouts (58).
Blake Cooper’s 10 wins on the year gives him 31 now for his career at Carolina and ties him for sixth on the South Carolina career victories list with David Marchbanks (2001-03), Matt Threehouse (1989-93) and Dennis Lubert (1979-82). His 31 career victories is tied for second highest among current players in Division I.
Cooper earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors in a 5-0 win over Ole Miss. Cooper struck out a career-high 10 batters in the victory, his fifth complete game of his career but his first career complete game shutout. He allowed just four hits and one walk as well.
Bradley leads the Gamecocks with a .364 batting average (68-for-187) with 47 runs scored, nine doubles a triple, nine HR and 43 RBI. He also has a .466 on-base percentage and .567 slugging percentage. His on-base percentage is ninth best in the SEC with his batting average also ninth best in the conference. He also fielded .991 in the outfield with five assists as well.
Price has been a stellar force out of the bullpen this season. The Gamecock closer is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and has seven saves in 38.0 innings pitched with 57 strikeouts and 15 walks. Opponents are batting just .184 against him on the year.
All seven of Price’s saves have come in SEC play that is the second highest total among SEC pitchers. His 16 SEC appearances are tied for the league high in conference play.
Walker hit a team-best .359 in SEC games and owns a .311 average (51-for-164) for the season with six HR and 39 RBI. Marzilli played in 49 games with eight starts and hit .333 (15-for-45) and scored 18 runs and stole four bases. Wingo was stellar at second base and made just six errors on the season with a .977 fielding percentage.
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Hunter Morris, AuburnSEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - Drew Pomeranz, Ole MissSEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Austin Maddox, FloridaSEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Cory Luckie, AuburnSEC COACH OF THE YEAR - Kevin O'Sullivan, Florida
FIRST TEAM1B - Hunter Morris, Auburn2B - Anthony Gomez, Vanderbilt3B - Zack Cox, ArkansasSS - Josh Rutledge, AlabamaC - Micah Gibbs, LSUOF - Taylor Dugas, AlabamaOF - Trent Mummey, AuburnOF - Brian Fletcher, AuburnDH - Kevin Patterson, AuburnP - Blake Cooper, South CarolinaP - Drew Pomeranz, Ole MissRP - Kevin Chapman, Florida
SECOND TEAM1B - Preston Tucker, Florida2B - Chris Bisson, Kentucky3B - Austin Maddox, FloridaSS - Austin Nola, LSUSS - Nolan Fontana, FloridaC - Ryan Jenkins, AuburnOF - Matt den Dekker, FloridaOF - Brett Eibner, ArkansasOF - Jackie Bradley Jr., South CarolinaDH - Matt Gaudet, LSUP - Drew Smyly, ArkansasP - Grant Dayton, AuburnP - Sonny Gray, VanderbiltRP - Matt Price, South CarolinaRP - Brett Huber, Ole Miss
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM1B - Christian Walker, South Carolina2B - Anthony Gomez, Vanderbilt3B - Austin Maddox, FloridaSS - Nolan Fontana, FloridaC - Mike Zunino, FloridaOF - Andrew Miller, AlabamaOF - Evan Marzilli, South CarolinaOF - Chris Fritts, TennesseeOF - Connor Harrell, VanderbiltDH - Brian Johnson, FloridaP - Hudson Randall, FloridaP - Brian Johnson, FloridaP - Chris Stratton, Mississippi StateRP - Brett Huber, Ole MissRP - Matt Price, South Carolina
ALL DEFENSIVE TEAMP - Sonny Gray, Vanderbilt1B - Preston Tucker, Florida2B - Scott Wingo, South CarolinaSS - Nolan Fontana, Florida3B - Jake Smith, AlabamaC - Micah Gibbs, LSUOF - Matt den Dekker, FloridaOF - Trent Mummey, AuburnOF - Jackie Bradley Jr., South Carolina
