April 12, 2012
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Concluding a grueling SEC eight-game road trip, South Carolina (23-20, 3-13 SEC) faces No. 2/2 Alabama (37-2, 14-2 SEC) in a three-game series at Rhoads Stadium. Friday’s start is set for 6:30 p.m. CDT, while Saturday’s first pitch has been moved back to 4:30 p.m. CDT. Sunday’s contest is slated for 1:30 p.m. CDT. A live audio broadcast and Gametracker live stats will be available at GamecocksOnline.com, while score updates will also be posted to the team Twitter account, @GamecockSoftbll.
Garcia Still Strong Atop Lineup
Shortstop Samie Garcia ranks second on the team and sixth in the SEC with a .390 batting average, and she’s second in the league with 53 hits. She’s also tied for fourth in the SEC in runs and in the top 15 in the conference stats in slugging percentage, doubles, triples and stolen bases. She also ranks in the top 20 in many of South Carolina’s all-time hitting categories, which can be found on page 8 of these notes.
The Easter Sunday contest at Kentucky (4/8) was outstanding for the Bell, Calif., native, as she hit two homers and scored three times. The junior saw her 21-game hitting streak snapped in the first game versus Arkansas (3/9), the second-longest documented skein in Gamecock history. In front of family and a large crowd at the Highlander Classic, Garcia went 3-for-4 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.
Childs Prefers to Trot . . .
Senior third baseman Evan Childs has tallied 10 homers on the year, becoming the third Gamecock to crack double-digit homers in a single season. With 16 in her career, she’s seventh on South Carolina’s all-time list, one in back of three-time Academic All-American Ashley Smith. She’s vying to be the first Gamecock since McKenna Hughes (2004-07) to lead the team in homers twice in her career.
Two of Childs’ homers came in the Gamecocks’ series-clinching 8-7 victory over Arkansas on March 11, the second two-homer game of her career, tying the program’s single-game record again. She also hit the second homer off Florida Gator pitching this season on March 18.
While Lackey Likes Stretching It to Three . . .
Senior outfielder Lauren Lackey has five triples on the year, standing alone in the SEC lead. Lackey is looking to be the first Gamecock since Ashton Payne in 2007-08 to lead the team in triples in consecutive seasons. She’s tied for seventh on the Gamecocks’ career triples chart with 10 with former standouts Joyce McMillin and two-time All-American Karen Sanchelli.
Lackey ranks second in the SEC with her .413 batting average, and she’s tied for 12th with 10 stolen bases, leading the team in both. She’s also third in the league with 52 hits and tied for fourth with six sacrifice bunts.
Westfall A Double Machine in 2012
Senior leftfielder Kaitlin Westfall leads the SEC with 15 doubles this season, tying for 10th on South Carolina’s single-season top-10 list. Westfall has two more than her closest competition in the league. Five of Westfall’s came in the Blue & Gold Feisberg Memorial, as she posted two each in wins over Illinois-Chicago and Villanova.
Westfall has also contributed four round-trippers on the year, and they both came in pairs on a single day. On March 2, she hit one against both Portland State and Maine in the Highlander Classic at UC Riverside. On March 31, she had one in each end of the doubleheader versus Longwood, including a grand slam in game two that gave the Gamecocks a lead they never relinquished.
Carolina in the Month of April
Since 1984, the Gamecocks are 356-211-1 (.628) in the fourth month of the year. In April SEC games, South Carolina is 102-118 (.464).
Struett Stellar in First Week of Action
Freshman Kristen Struett bided her time until she made her debut. But she definitely knew how to make an impact once playing. She went 1-for-3 in pinch-hitting duty against LSU while tossing the final 2.1 innings in the Sunday contest. Struett shined against Winthrop and Longwood, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors. She tossed a complete game in Rock Hill and hit her first career homer. She added hits in both ends of the twinbill versus the Lancers and another pitching win in game two.
The Long Ball Proving to Be Bellweather Again for Gamecocks
The 2012 Gamecocks have tallied 36 homers on the year, the second-highest total in program history. And yet again, the homers point to good things for the team. South Carolina is 17-5 when sending at least one ball out, while it is 3-15 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.
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 .421 clip to begin a frame. In the 20 contests where the team has started two or fewer innings with a base runner reaching, the Gamecocks are 7-13. Three of those seven wins came in games shortened by the mercy rule (Providence, Maine and Kentucky).
Big RBI Games Already Surpassing Last Year
The Gamecocks have posted seven four-or-more-RBI games already in 2012, four 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. Freshman Kristen Struett, in her first career start, hit a homer and drove in four in the win at Winthrop (3/28). And senior Kaitlin Westfall joined the act in game two against Longwood (3/31), launching her first career grand slam and adding another RBI for the first five-RBI day since Jill Semento’s day on April 7, 2009 against Coastal Carolina.
Hathorn Leads Gamecocks to Walkoff Win vs. Charlotte
Sophomore second baseman Dana Hathorn stepped up with another big hit to lead the Gamecocks over Charlotte on March 14. She poked a single to left to score Kaitlin Westfall from third and give South Carolina its second comeback win in four days. In the first game at No. 11/11 Georgia on April 11, Hathorn tied the game in the seventh with a two-out, two-RBI single, adding to her big-hit résumé.
Hawkins Providing Thump
Sophomore Chelsea Hawkins has provided a lot of power for the Gamecocks this season, hitting six homers, one shy of making South Carolina’s top-10 single-season charts, while adding 10 doubles. She’s driven in 28 runs, tied for second on the team, and also stands third in batting average (.339) and in slugging percentage (.570).
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 hold a 5-5 mark in one-run games.
Howser a Bullpen Ace in Early Going
Freshman Katelynn Howser has done some of her best work in 2012 out of the bullpen. In 16 relief appearances, tied for seventh most in a year for a Gamecock, she’s picked up three saves, which ranks ninth on South Carolina’s single-season chart, and three of her eight wins while posting a 2.56 ERA in 43.2 innings. In her 13 starts, she’s 5-6, tossing six complete games and posting a 4.41 ERA in 60.1 innings.
Childs’ Game-Ending Blast New Feeling for These Gamecocks
South Carolina senior Evan Childs ended the series finale against Arkansas on March 11 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, a mark Childs is one homer from tying.
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 3.19 ERA, tossing 72.1 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. She pitched a strong seven innings versus Longwood (3/31), fanning seven without giving up a walk in the complete-game win. And when things get tough, she gets better, as the chart in the PDF version of the notes shows.
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.
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 for a few of those games. 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.
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 and surpassed the outputs of both 2008 and 2010. In 43 games in 2012, South Carolina has hit 36 homers, two shy of the program record of 38 in 2003.
South Carolina Defense Downfall in Early 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. Errors also haunted the Gamecocks in the first game against Mississippi State, as four unearned runs crossed in the 10-6 setback on March 13.
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 18-13 when making one or less errors but 5-7 when committing two or more.
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 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 seven occasions, the Gamecocks have posted double-digit runs, the most in the team’s SEC era, surpassing the five done 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.
Coaches Know a Bit about Winning
Last season was outside of the norm for the Gamecock coaching staff. Both head coach Beverly Smith and assistant coach Janelle Breneman came down from North Carolina, which was ranked in the top 25 in each of their last five seasons in Chapel Hill, while the Tar Heels made NCAA Tournament appearances eight times during Smith’s tenure. Calvin Beamon also knows something about winning, claiming crowns at all three of his amateur stops. A high school state champion at Smoky Hill High School in Cherry Creek, Colo., Beamon won the NJCAA Division I title in 2003 at the College of Southern Nevada and the College World Series at Texas during 2005.
Scouting the Alabama Crimson Tide
The second-ranked team in both major polls, Alabama brings a 37-2 overall record into the weekend, including a 14-2 mark in SEC play. While strong all around, the Crimson Tide are most dangerous at the plate, leading the SEC in 10 offensive categories, including runs, home runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Eight of the Crimson Tide’s possible starters have on-base percentages north of .400, led by senior Cassie Reilly-Boccia with her .551 mark. She also ranks second on the team with 32 RBI and third with seven homers and a .671 slugging percentage. Kayla Braud leads the Tide in batting average (.385), hits (42) and doubles (7) while standing second in on-base percentage (.492), stolen bases (25) and runs scored (35). Jennifer Fenton leads Alabama with 38 runs, three triples and 27 stolen bases. Fenton and Braud are 1-2 in the SEC stolen-base rankings. Kaila Hunt tops Alabama with 14 homers and 40 RBI, slugging at a .734 clip. Jazlyn Lunceford ranks third among Crimson Tide players with a .486 on-base percentage and 10 stolen bases.
The pitching has been strong as well, with a staff ERA of 1.72, fourth in the SEC. Jackie Traina has led the way there, tossing 145 innings with a 1.21 ERA. She’s fanned 195 batters and walked 44 en route to a 23-0 record. Leslie Jury (10-2) has a 2.33 ERA in 63 innings, striking out 53 while walking 35.
Series History Versus the Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide have taken 29 of the 45 meetings in the series against the Gamecocks that dates back to 1997. In Tuscaloosa, South Carolina is 4-17, dropping their last 11 against Alabama at what is now Rhoads Stadium, after being dedicated under the new name in 2011. The Gamecocks last won at Alabama on April 17, 2004.
The Last Series vs. Alabama – April 1-3, 2011
Alabama, the No. 1 team in the country at the time, gained a three-game sweep at Beckham Field over South Carolina in 2011.
A tight battle in the early going, Alabama came on with six runs in the final two frames to capture a 7-0 win over South Carolina on Friday night. Kaila Hunt led the top-ranked Crimson Tide at the plate with a 3-for-4 day and the two home runs. Whitney Larsen, Jackie Traina and Jazlyn Lunceford also added two-hit outings.
In front of an overflow crowd of 754 fans at Beckham Field, South Carolina battled before dropping a 7-0 decision to Alabama on Saturday afternoon. The Gamecocks left nine runners on base, including one in scoring position in each of the final six innings. Samie Garcia and Dana Hathorn both posted doubles, while Lauren Lackey and Julie Sarratt also had singles. Kayla Braud led Alabama with a 3-for-4 day, which included a double and a grand slam. Lunceford went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored, while Jackey Branham was 1-for-2, scoring twice while driving in two with a home run.
A strong pitching battle ultimately tipped in favor of Alabama on Sunday, as the Crimson Tide took home a 1-0 win over South Carolina in front of another overflow crowd of 737 fans at Beckham Field. Gamecock pitchers Audrey Broyles and Sarratt combined to hold the Tide to five hits and force them to leave nine on base. Broyles allowed the only run on three hits and three walks in four innings, striking out two while taking the tough loss. Sarratt fanned two and gave up two hits in three innings of relief work. But Alabama senior Kelsi Dunne tossed a brilliant game, no-hitting the Gamecocks while striking out 10 and walking two. Alabama got the only run of the game in the first. Braud drew a leadoff walk, stole second and moved to third on Jennifer Fenton’s sacrifice. Whitney Larsen followed, hitting a ball toward the left side that Gamecock shortstop Garcia dove for and stopped, but the speedy Braud broke on contact and scored to give the Crimson Tide the 1-0 advantage.
South Carolina vs. Ranked Opponents
In history against foes ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, South Carolina has an 91-204-1 (.309) mark. When facing SEC teams that are ranked, SC is 38-146 (.207). On April 24, 2011, the Gamecocks snapped a 34-game losing streak against ranked teams, defeating No. 20 Kentucky in the final game of the series.
