March 12, 2012

Notes for March 12

Softball Stats 3/11

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Gamecocks (18-7, 2-1 SEC) close out a six-game home stand this week by hosting Mississippi State (15-9, 1-4 SEC) in a doubleheader on Tuesday and Charlotte (11-10) in a single game on Wednesday. First pitch of Tuesday’s twinbill against the Bulldogs is set for 4:30 p.m., while Wednesday’s game against the 49ers is slated for a 6 p.m. start. Gametracker live stats and a live audio stream will be available for all three games at GamecocksOnline.com.

Childs’ Game-Ending Blast New Feeling for These Gamecocks
South Carolina senior Evan Childs ended the series finale against Arkansas with a two-run home run, helping the team claim its first win of the season when trailing heading into the seventh inning. Childs’ walk-off shot is the first for the Gamecocks since McKenna Hughes ended a nine-inning affair against Ole Miss in similar fashion in the second game of the doubleheader on May 5, 2007. It was Hughes’ ninth round-tripper in her program-best 11-homer year.

While Starting a New Streak, Garcia Still Strong Atop Lineup
Shortstop Samie Garcia saw her 21-game hitting streak snapped in the first game against Arkansas last weekend, the second-longest documented skein in Gamecock history. But Garcia rebounded, posting doubles in both Gamecock wins to close the weekend. The junior ranks second on the team and sixth in the SEC with a .440 batting average while leading the conference in hits. She’s also fourth in the SEC in runs and doubles.

In front of her family and the largest crowd of the weekend at the Highlander Classic, Garcia posted a 3-for-4 day with the game-tying RBI double in the 3-2 comeback win over UC Davis. And during the Blue & Gold Feisberg Memorial, she led the team with nine RBI in the event. Her grand slam versus Providence helped propel South Carolina to the 9-1 (5) win.

Westfall A Double Machine in Early Going . . .
Senior leftfielder Kaitlin Westfall leads the SEC with 12 doubles this season, three shy of making South Carolina’s single-season top-10 list. Westfall has four more than the two tied behind her, which includes sophomore teammate Dana Hathorn. Five of Westfall’s came in the Blue & Gold Feisberg Memorial, as she posted two each in wins over Illinois-Chicago and Villanova.

While Lackey Likes Stretching It to Three . . .
Westfall’s teammate and fellow outfielder Lauren Lackey has three triples on the year, tying for second in the SEC. Lackey is looking to be the first Gamecock since Ashton Payne in 2007-08 to lead the team in triples in consecutive seasons. Tied with former All-American Tiff Tootle for 12th on the Gamecocks’ career triples chart with eight, one more would push Lackey into a tie for ninth.

Childs Prefers to Trot
Senior third baseman Evan Childs has tallied eight homers on the year, the last two sending the Gamecocks to an 8-7 victory over Arkansas in the series finale on March 11. It was her second-career two-homer game, tying the program’s single-game record again, and pushed her to eight on the year, tying four others for fifth in a single season in Gamecock history. With 14 in her career, she’s tied for ninth on South Carolina’s all-time list with Kim Pietro. She’s vying to be the first Gamecock since McKenna Hughes (2004-07) to lead the team in homers twice in her career.

Carolina in the Month of March
Since 1984, the Gamecocks are 421-213-3 (.663) in the third month of the year. Last season, the mark was 8-11 in March for South Carolina.

Early Season Schedule Provided Tests
While the first glance at South Carolina’s pre-conference schedule may lead one to think that they should have all been easy games, closer examination says otherwise. Three of the contests came against defending conference champions and NCAA Tournament teams in Illinois-Chicago (Horizon), Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun) and Portland State (Pacific Coast Softball). The Gamecocks went 2-1 in those games, including shutting out the UIC Flames.

The Long Ball Proving to Be Bellweather Again for Gamecocks
The 2012 Gamecocks have tallied 25 homers on the year, matching last year’s mark which was the best in six years. And yet again, the homers point to good things for the team. South Carolina is 13-2 when sending at least one ball out, while it is 3-5 when going without a triple or homer. Last season, the Gamecocks went 17-6 in games in which they hit a homer while winning just three games when the team did not record at least one triple or one home run.

Hits Kept Coming vs. Charlotte
South Carolina posted 18 hits in the victory at Charlotte on Feb. 29. That mark is the best since March 5, 2005, when the Gamecocks had 20 in a 15-2 win over South Dakota State.

Starting Things Right Very Important for Gamecocks
The Gamecocks thrive when they reach base to start an inning. As a team, South Carolina gets on base at a .430 clip to begin a frame. In the 13 contests where the team has started two or fewer innings with a base runner reaching, the Gamecocks are 6-7.

Gonzales Coming on Strong
Junior catcher Shelby Gonzales knew there’d be an adjustment period in her first year of NCAA Division I softball. Last season’s NJCAA Division I RBI leader has seemed to make those in recent weeks, as she has posted a .345/.513/.655 line in the 14-game stretch starting the Presbyterian contest on Feb. 25. All three of her homers and eight of her 10 RBI have come in that time frame as well. She’s been big with runners in scoring position and two outs, going 4-for-7 and driving in six runs.

Hawkins Providing Thump
Sophomore Chelsea Hawkins has provided a lot of power for the Gamecocks this season, hitting five homers already. She’s two shy of making the top-10 single-season charts at South Carolina for homers. She’s driven in 19 runs, second on the team. The third-ranked Gamecock in batting average (.389) and slugging percentage (.653), she’s also fourth in on-base percentage (.429). The only blemish is the 16 strikeouts in 72 at bats, but the power more than justifies a few K’s.

Big RBI Games Already Surpassing Last Year
The Gamecocks have posted five four-RBI games already in 2012, three more than what the team did in the whole of 2011. Sophomores Chelsea Hawkins (2/11) and Dana Hathorn (2/22) both drove home four in wins over Winthrop, while junior Samie Garcia had a grand slam in the win over Providence (2/17). Senior Evan Childs has two four-RBI games on the season, the last in the comeback triumph over Arkansas to clinch the series on March 11.

Howser a Bullpen Ace in Early Going
Freshman Katelynn Howser has done some of her best work in 2012 out of the bullpen. In 10 relief appearances, she’s picked up three saves, which ranks ninth on South Carolina’s single-season chart, and two of her six wins. In the 27.2 innings of relief, she’s posted a 2.02 ERA. In her seven starts, she’s 5-1, tossing five complete games and posting a 2.86 ERA in 36.2 innings.

Seven Games of HR Equals 2009 Season Total
South Carolina combined to hit 13 homers in the seven-game stretch from Feb. 28-March 4. That total matches what the 2009 team did in 45 games that season and surpassed the outputs of both 2008 and 2010. Twenty-five games into 2012, South Carolina has hit 25 homers, matching last season’s total. The program record is 38 long balls in a season, set in 2003.

South Carolina Defense Downfall in Losses
A common strand ran through the first three Gamecock losses: defensive errors and unearned runs. South Carolina committed seven errors combined and allowed nine unearned runs. Only the Tennessee State game would have stay tied without those runs; the rest would all favor the Gamecocks.

Last season, South Carolina went 21-19 when making one or no errors. That record fell to 5-7 in games with two errors. When the Gamecocks made three or more errors, they went 0-4. This season, the Gamecocks are 15-4 when making one or less errors but 3-3 when committing two or more.

Hathorn Leads Gamecocks Past Winthrop
Sophomore second baseman Dana Hathorn has provided stellar defense and clutch offense during her time at South Carolina. In the Feb. 22 win over Winthrop, Hathorn provided two two-run doubles to help lead the team to a 9-1 win in five innings over the Eagles.

Broyles Goes the Distance and More
Redshirt junior Audrey Broyles passed a personal milestone in her first start of 2012, tossing 117 pitches in the complete-game victory over Western Kentucky. That marked the first time since 2010 that Broyles had thrown that many pitches, when she threw 120 in the loss at Florida Atlantic. Broyles felt so strong that she tossed another 1.1 innings against Winthrop immediately following.

The Pembroke Pines, Fla., product leads the Gamecocks with a 2.26 ERA, tossing 40.1 innings this season. She made her first relief appearance of the year on March 11 and held Arkansas scoreless for the final 3.2 innings in the 8-7 comeback win. And when things get tough, she gets better, as the chart in the PDF version of the notes shows.

Horseshoes, Hand Grenades, Etc.
In last year’s 26-30 season, South Carolina went 7-11 in one-run games and 1-3 in extra-inning affairs. Turning half of those one-run losses into wins would move the Gamecocks a long way to their goal of NCAA Tournament eligibility. The Gamecocks stand at 1-1 in extra-inning games this season, getting a 5-4 victory in eight over Western Kentucky, and stand at 4-3 in one-run games.

South Carolina Offense Posts Back-to-Back 10+ Run Games
South Carolina rebounded from a two-hit effort in the first game against Charleston Southern to post consecutive 10+ run games. The Gamecocks rebounded to with a 11-2 win in five innings over the Buccaneers on the nightcap of Feb. 28 before posting a 13-7 win at Charlotte on Feb. 29. The last time South Carolina scored 10+ in consecutive games was on April 3, 2005 when the Gamecocks run-ruled Kentucky in both halves of a doubleheader in Lexington by scores of 12-2 and 10-1.

On five occasions, the Gamecocks have posted double-digit runs, matching the team’s best in the SEC era, hit by last year’s squad and the 1997 league champions. The most recent team with more than five is the 1996 group, which posted 10 10+ run outings.

White Getting the Chance to Start and Finish
Senior pitcher Kierstyn White tossed her first career shutout on the trip to Miami. She blanked defending Horizon League champs Illinois-Chicago, coming within two outs of a no-hitter. The two-hit blanking stands out even more, as White tossed 74 pitches in the seven-inning affair.

In the past, White closed out other pitcher’s starts, finishing 36 games over her first two years, Now, she has a chance to start and finish them, posting five complete games in 11 starts in `12.

Gamecocks Among Most Experienced Teams in NCAA Division I
South Carolina has 10 seniors listed on the roster for 2012, which is believed to be the most in NCAA Division I this year. Seven position starters return from last year, losing starters at catcher and designated player. When removing two players expected to sit out this year due to injury along with the starts by last year’s seniors, the Gamecocks bring back 92.3 percent of their outfield starts and 84.8 percent of infield starts from third to first.

A Much Better Showing in 2011
South Carolina posted one of the best turnarounds in the country last year, the first under Beverly Smith. The 12 1/2 game improvement tied for 12th in NCAA Division I, and the mark was the eighth best for a team that finished 2010 under .500.

Scouting the Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Bulldogs come to Columbia with a 15-9 record and a 1-4 mark in SEC play, dropping a doubleheader at home to Florida and the final two games of the weekend set against Georgia. The Bulldogs have only played three true road games at this point, winning at South Alabama, Samford and Jackson State.

New head coach Vann Stuedeman last served as the pitching coach at Alabama, and she’s helped out the Bulldog staff this year. Junior Stephanie Becker has been the best of the bunch, posting a 1.70 ERA and 72 strikeouts against 20 walks in 78.1 innings of work. Junior Kylie Vry has also done well, tossing 51.1 inning and fanning 51 while walking 19, tallying a 1.64 ERA. Opponents hit just .193 against Vry. Notably, three of Mississippi State’s five pitchers, including the top two starters and senior Lindsey Dunlap, are southpaws. That trio has tossed 146 of the team’s 158 innings.

Sophomore designated player Brittany Bell leads the squad at the plate, posting a .441/.600/.898 line with six homers and 22 RBI. All of those marks stand in the top 11 in the SEC, while she leads the league in on-base percentage and slugging. Junior Jessica Cooley has eight homers and 23 RBI on the year, both tops for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Jessica Offutt gets things going on the basepaths, stealing all nine of the bases she’s tried. Offutt’s posted a .344 batting average. Senior Ka’ili Smith reaches base at a .489 clip, second among the starters and is tied with Cooley for second on the squad with 18 runs scored.

Series History Versus the Bulldogs
Mississippi State has taken 25 of the previous 47 meetings between the two schools, two of which predate the SEC sponsorship of softball in 1997. The Bulldogs have taken five of six and 16 of 19 dating back to 2005. In Columbia, the Gamecocks are 8-9 against the Magnolia State’s Bulldogs.

The Last Series vs. Mississippi State – March 9, 2011
Mississippi State swept the doubleheader on a chilly Wednesday night at the MSU Softball Field by scores of 2-1 and 11-5.

A pair of sixth-inning runs helped Mississippi State capture a 2-1 win over South Carolina in the SEC opener. The Gamecocks had three hits, including a double from centerfielder Lauren Lackey in the contest. Mississippi State got a triple from Brittany Gates among the Bulldogs’ four hits.

Despite 2-for-4, two-RBI efforts from Samie Garcia and Dana Hathorn, South Carolina could not hold back Mississippi State, who used two five-run innings to defeat the Gamecocks, 11-5, in the nightcap.Garcia also scored twice, while Lackey added a 2-for-3 night with an RBI. The Bulldogs had four players with two hits, with Briana Bell leading the pack with a pair of runs scored and four RBI.

Scouting the Charlotte 49ers
The 49ers come to Columbia on Wednesday rested, last playing six days earlier in a doubleheader sweep of UNC Greensboro. Overall, Charlotte is 11-10 on the season. Senior Briana Gwaltney has six of the team’s 13 homers and has driven in a team-best 18 runs. Freshman Jackie Kleinsmith has a .463/.558/.683 line, leading the team in batting average and on-base percentage. Five 49ers reach base at a .400 clip or better.

Lexi Betancourt leads the team with her 75 innings of work, fanning 43 and walking 17 en route to a 3.17 ERA. Katie Watkins has fanned 50 and walked 20 in 48.2 innings, but she’s allowed 11 homers and has a 5.75 ERA.

Series History Versus the 49ers
The Gamecocks are 32-5 all-time against the 49ers in a series that dates back to 1988. South Carolina owns a 17-3 advantages in the contests in Columbia.

The Last Series vs. Charlotte – Feb. 29, 2012
An 18-hit performance that included three homers sent South Carolina to a 13-7 win over Charlotte at D.L. Phillips Complex. Leading the Gamecock offense were Dana Hathorn and Chelsea Hawkins, who both went 3-for-4. Hathorn scored three times and drove in two with her double in the first, while Hawkins plated three and scored twice with a homer and a double. Shelby Gonzales, Lauren Lackey, Kaitlin Westfall and Evan Childs all recorded two hits, with Childs and Gonzales hitting homers and Gonzales driving in three. Kaela Jackson also drove in two with her pinch-hit RBI double in the sixth.