March 19, 2012
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina continued the 2012 season with non-conference wins vs. Charleston Southern and Appalachian State. The Gamecocks were swept in a weekend series at Kentucky in the first week of conference play. South Carolina is 15-4 on the year including a 14-0 record at Carolina Stadium.
Record: 15-4
SEC: 0-3
Home: 14-0
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 1-0
This Week: 2-3
3/13/12 – Charleston Southern – W, 5-2
3/14/12 – Appalachian State – W, 6-4
3/16/12 – at Kentucky – L, 4-3
3/17/12 – at Kentucky – L, 4-3
3/18/12 – at Kentucky – L, 6-3
South Carolina is 10-4 in games decided by three runs or less through 19 games. The Gamecocks also own a 6-3 record in one-run contests.
The Gamecocks totaled double-digits in hits in four of the five games this past week. The Gamecocks had 11 vs. Charleston Southern, 10 in both the Friday and Saturday games at Kentucky as well as 11 in the series finale vs. the Wildcats. Carolina raised the team batting average eight points up to .285 on the year after this past week’s games.
The Gamecocks have also been playing pretty good defense lately with just one error this past week and just two in the past nine games. South Carolina is fielding .979 with only 14 errors for the season.
Sophomore infielder Erik Payne had a stellar week at the plate. He was 6-for-11 (.545) in the Kentucky series as well as 3-for-7 in the midweek contests vs. CSU and ASU. Payne had two hits apiece in all three games at Kentucky as well as a solo home run in Friday’s 4-3 loss. Payne is hitting .419 (13-for-31) for the season with a double, triple, homer, five runs scored and five RBI. He owns a .710 slugging percentage
Junior outfielder Evan Marzilli had a game-winning three-run double as well as a career-high four RBI in the 6-4 win over Appalachian State. He is hitting .316 (24-for-76) for the season with 12 runs scored, a team-high seven doubles and nine RBI. He has reached base in all 19 games this year. Marzilli had a nine-game hitting streak snapped in Sunday’s 6-3 loss at Kentucky.
Junior first baseman Christian Walker tied a season-high in hits with a 3-for-4 day and a RBI in the 6-4 win over Appalachian State as well as three hits including two doubles in the 4-3 loss at Kentucky on Saturday. Walker is hitting .338 (24-for-71) with six doubles, nine runs scored and 18 RBI. His on-base percentage is .434 with a .4645 slugging percentage.
South Carolina’s pitching staff continues to post stellar numbers through the first part of the season. The Gamecocks own a team ERA of 2.23 with 46 runs allowed, 42 earned, in 169.2 innings on 110 hits. Opponents are hitting only .180 against the Gamecock pitching staff. The staff has 184 strikeouts to 45 walks.
Despite a no-decision on Friday at Kentucky, senior left-hander Michael Roth had a quality start. He allowed just two runs on five hits in 6.2 innings of work. Roth is 2-0 on the year with a 1.26 ERA. He has 36 strikeouts to just seven walks. Opponents are hitting only .151 against him.
Junior left-hander Adam Westmoreland won his first start of the 2012 season in the 5-2 win over Appalachian State. Westmoreland allowed one run on four hits in 5.2 innings with four strikeouts and a walk.
Junior left-hander Tyler Webb picked up the win in relief in Wednesday’s 6-4 win over Appalachian State. Webb had four appearances in the five games this past week. He has been a steady reliever thus far with a 0.60 ERA in a team-high 12 relief appearances. Webb has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings while striking out 19 and walking three.
Freshman right-hander Evan Beal tallied his third save of the year in the 6-4 win over Appalachian State. He is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA. He has 14 strikeouts and just one walk in 9.1 innings. Opponents are hitting just .129 against him.
Freshman right-hander Joel Seddon retired the lone batter he faced to pick up his first career save in the 5-2 win over Charleston Southern.
Sophomore right-hander Forrest Koumas did not allow a run in four relief appearances this past week. He pitched 2.1 perfect innings with four strikeouts in the 5-2 win over Charleston Southern. He is 1-1 with three saves and a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings pitched. He has 12 strikeouts to four walks.
Junior third baseman LB Dantzler was 2-for-4 with a season-high three runs scored in the 6-4 win vs. Appalachian State. He also went 2-for-4 with a RBI in the 6-3 loss at Kentucky. Dantzler is hitting .275 (19-for-69) with three homers, three doubles, 11 runs scored and 14 RBI.
Freshman infielder Joey Pankake was 2-for-2 in the 4-3 loss at Kentucky on Saturday. He owns a .286 batting average (12-for-42) with 12 runs scored.
Next Week:
3/20/12 – at Furman (at Fluor Field/Greenville, S.C.) – 7 p.m. (SportSouth)
3/21/12 – vs. Wofford – 7 p.m. (FS South/FS Carolinas)
3/22/12 – vs. Florida – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
3/23/12 – vs. Florida – 7 p.m. (CSS)
3/24/12 – vs. Florida – 1 p.m. (CSS)
