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June 5, 2012

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior right-handed pitcher Matt Price has been selected in the seventh round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Price was the No. 222 overall pick in the draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Price is the second current Gamecock player to be selected in this year’s draft. The Orioles earlier today in the 4th round also selected junior first baseman Christian Walker. Price is the all-time saves leader at South Carolina with 40 as well as appearances with 97 for the Garnet & Black. Price is just one save shy of the SEC record of 41 set by Joshua Fields of Georgia (2005-08).

Price earned second-team All-SEC honors this year and is 4-4 with a 3.68 ERA in 22 games with 10 saves. Nine of his 10 saves came in SEC play. Price earned All-America honors last year and was named to the CWS All-Tournament Team. He has served as closer for the Gamecocks since his redshirt freshman season in 2010.

The Baltimore Orioles have several former Gamecocks currently in the organization. Steve Pearce (2004-05) and Steve Tolleson (2003-05) are both currently in, “The Show,” with the Orioles right now with Brian Roberts (1999) on the disabled list. Justin Dalles (2009) is also a member of the organization at the Single-A level in Frederick of the Carolina League.

Matt Price’s Career Highlights
2012 – Captain … Golden Spikes Award Watch List … Earned second-team All-SEC honors … Holds South Carolina career school records in saves (40) and appearances (97) … No-decision in 5-4 win over Clemson in NCAA Regional (6/2); allowed one run on two hits in 3.1 innings with two walks and four strikeouts … Earned 10th save of the year allowing one run on two hits in 2.2 innings with no walks and four strikeouts in 5-3 win over Auburn at SEC Tournament (5/24) … Worked three innings to earn a save and allowed just one run on three hits while striking out seven batters in 5-4 win over LSU (5/18) … One scoreless inning of relief and struck out two batters for eighth save of the year in 3-0 win at Georgia (5/11) … Picked up win with 3.2 innings of relief in the 10-7 win at Arkansas (5/6) … One perfect inning of relief to earn a save in the 8-6 win at Arkansas (5/4) … 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts to earn a save in the 2-1 win over Davidson (5/2) … Set appearance record with one perfect inning of relief and a save in 1-0 win over Alabama (4/27) … Closed out 11-7 win at Auburn with 0.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts (4/22) … Earned fourth save of the year with two innings of work in 5-3 win at Auburn (4/21): allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts … Two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and just two hits allowed to earn save in 5-3 win over Mississippi State (4/14) … Perfect inning of relief to earn a save in 7-6 win over Mississippi State (4/13) … Impressive relief outing to keep the Gamecocks in the game in 6-4 win over Vanderbilt in 13 innings; hurled six innings of relief, allowed one run on one hit with four walks and seven strikeouts, pitched scoreless frames from 7th-11th … First save of the season as he set career record at South Carolina with 31 career saves in 8-3 win over Vanderbilt; three scoreless innings with no hits and just one walk while striking out five batters … Returned to bullpen and earned win in relief in 9-3 victory over Florida (3/22); allowed one run, unearned, on no hits with three walks and three strikeouts … Won second game of the season allowing just one run on four hits in six innings of work with six strikeouts in 6-1 victory over Princeton (3/10) … No-decision in 9-6 win vs. Clemson (3/3) … worked 4.1 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks … Five scoreless innings with just one hit allowed to earn first win of the year in 3-2 win over Elon (2/25); tied career-high with eight strikeouts as well … In first start since 2009, hurled five-plus innings of no-hit ball, allowed two runs on three walks and three hit by pitches while striking out six batters in 3-2 win over VMI (2/18).

2011 – 2011 MLB Draft Selection (6th round/Arizona Diamondbacks) … Earned All-America honors from Baseball America, CollegeBaseballInsider.com, NCBWA and PerfectGame … Finalist for 2011 NCBWA Stopper of the Year award … First-team All-SEC honors as a relief pitcher … College World Series All-Tournament Team … One of the nation’s top closers as he finished with a 7-3 record and a 1.83 ERA along with 20 saves in 59.0 innings pitched; opponents hit just .213 against him, he also compiled 75 strikeouts … Did not allow a run in 31 of 36 relief appearances … 2-0 with two saves in five CWS appearances; hurled nine scoreless innings with eight strikeouts … 20th save of the season came in 5-2 win over Florida to clinch national championship; 1.1 perfect innings with a strikeout (6/28) … Earned 19th save of the season with one scoreless inning and a strikeout in 2-1 win in 11 innings vs. Florida in game one of Championship Series at CWS (6/27) … Earned win with 5.2 scoreless relief innings in 3-2 win over Virginia at CWS; struck out five batters (6/24) … 0.2 perfect innings to earn win in 5-4 win over Texas A&M at College World Series (6/19) … Two scoreless innings of relief to earn 18th save of the year with four strikeouts in 8-2 win over Connecticut in NCAA Super Regional (6/12) …… Save with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts in 8-2 win over Stetson to clinch NCAA Regional (6/5) … 1.2 perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts in 2-1 win over Georgia Southern in NCAA Regional (6/3) … Two scoreless innings of relief with just two hits allowed, two strikeouts and a walk in 4-2 loss to Georgia (5/27) … Earned 15th save of the year with 1.1 hitless innings of relief with two strikeouts in 3-2 win at Alabama (5/21) … Earned 14th save of the year with three innings of work in 6-3 win at Alabama (5/20); allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts … Picked up win with 2.1 innings of work allowing two runs on two hits with four strikeouts in 6-5 win over Arkansas (5/14) … Two scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts to earn 13th save of the year in 7-3 win over Auburn (5/1) … One perfect inning of relief with two strikeouts to earn a save in 9-6 win vs. Liberty (4/26) … 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in 13-4 win over Mississippi State, allowed just two hits and struck out four batters … Two appearances in two wins vs. No. 1 Vanderbilt with a win and a save; 11 of 13 outs recorded were via strikeout … Season-high three scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and a season-high seven strikeouts to pick up the win in 5-3 victory vs. Vanderbilt (4/17) … Struck out all four batters he faced to pick up save in 3-1 win vs. Vanderbilt (4/15) … 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts to pick up a save in 2-1 win at Tennessee (4/9) … Struck out lone batter he faced to pick up a save in 2-0 win at Tennessee (4/8) … 1.1 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed and a strikeout in 4-0 win at Tennessee to pick up a save (4/7) … Earned victory with two perfect innings of relief and a pair of strikeouts in 4-3 win over Kentucky in 10 innings (4/2) … Earned seventh save of the year with one scoreless inning of relief in 3-1 win over Kentucky (4/1) … Picked up sixth save of the year with one perfect inning of relief with a pair of strikeouts in 6-4 win over The Citadel (3/30) … Picked up second win of the year with 2.1 scoreless innings out of the pen and just one hit allowed with one strikeout in 4-3 win over Florida (3/27) … Earned fifth save of the year with two scoreless innings with four strikeouts in 8-3 win over Georgia (3/20) … Picked up first victory of the year with one scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts in 2-1 win over Georgia (3/19) … Pitched one scoreless inning of relief with a strikeout in 8-4 win over Wofford (3/16) … Worked 0.2 perfect innings with a strikeout in 5-2 win over CSU Bakersfield (3/12) … Earned fourth save with one scoreless inning of relief with a strikeout in 5-4 win over Clemson (3/8) … Picked up third save of the year with 1.2 perfect innings of relief in 6-3 win vs. Clemson, struck out the side in the top of the ninth as well (3/4) … One scoreless inning of relief with a strikeout in 14-1 win over Furman (3/1) … Earned second save of the year with 0.2 perfect innings with one strikeout in 10-6 win over Southern Illinois (2/25) … Picked up first save of the season with 1.1 hitless innings of relief in 2-1 win over Santa Clara (2/19).

2010 – Freshman All-America selection by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball … Earned second-team All-SEC honors and named to SEC All-Freshman Team … Picked up win 2-1 victory over UCLA that clinched the national championship; hurled 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with just one hit and one walk allowed and struck out three batters (6/29) … Earned victory in 4-3 win over Clemson at College World Series that sent Gamecocks to national championship series (6/26); allowed one run on three hits in 2.1 innings with three strikeouts … Three no-hit innings of relief in 3-2 win over Oklahoma at the College World Series with five strikeouts (6/24) … Hurled 1.2 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts in 11-4 win over Arizona State at College World Series (6/22) … One perfect inning of relief to earn a save with a strikeout in 10-9 win over Coastal Carolina in NCAA Super Regional (6/13) … Two scoreless innings of relief to earn a save in 4-3 win over Coastal Carolina in NCAA Super Regional (6/12) … Earned a save with 1.2 scoreless innings of relief and two strikeouts in 9-4 win over The Citadel in NCAA Regional (6/5) … Quality outing out of bullpen despite a loss in 3-1 defeat vs. Auburn at SEC Tournament (5/27); allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in 3.1 innings with five strikeouts … Closed out 11-6 win vs. Florida with 2.2 innings of work allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks (5/22) … Earned a save with a perfect 1.1 innings of relief in 5-3 win at Arkansas (5/16) … Earned a save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts in 3-2 win at Arkansas (5/14) … Picked up a save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts in 13-9 win at Kentucky (5/7) … Key relief performance in 20-15 win over Alabama (5/2); allowed three runs on four hits with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work … 1.1 perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts in 5-4 loss to Ole MIss (4/18) … 0.1 scoreless inning of relief with a walk and a strikeout in 9-5 win over Ole Miss (4/18) … Pitched two perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts in 2-0 win at Vanderbilt (4/11) … Pitched 0.2 perfect innings of relief with a strikeout in 3-2 win at Vanderbilt (4/9) … Strong relief performance to earn win vs. Mississippi State (4/4); pitched five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while striking out six batters in 14-2 victory (4/4) … Hurled a perfect inning of relief and struck out the side in 10-1 win over The Citadel (3/30) … Pitched 1.1 perfect innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts in 2-0 win at Auburn to earn save (3/27) … Pitched two perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts and earned first career save in 4-0 win vs. Tennessee (3/21) … One scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts in 8-4 win over Brown (3/13) … Picked up second win of the season with four scoreless innings of relief with just one hit and one walk allowed and a career-high eight strikeouts in 7-3 victory over Valparaiso (3/10) … Earned win with one inning of relief with two strikeouts and one run allowed on two hits in 7-5 victory over Clemson (3/6) … Pitched one scoreless inning of relief in 15-0 win over Presbyterian (3/3) …. Hurled one inning of relief and allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 10-3 win over Duquesne (2/19).

2009 – Received a medical redshirt after sustaining a fractured right wrist at The Citadel on a fielding play that resulted in missing the rest of the season (3/31) … Career-high seven scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts in 2-1 win over Georgia Southern (3/25) … Two scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts in 6-0 win vs. Davidson (3/17) … Three scoreless innings of relief allowing just three hits in 13-3 win vs. Old Dominion (3/10) … Earned first career win after 2.2 innings of relief, allowed just one run on two hits with three strikeouts in 7-5 victory over Long Beach State (3/7) … Pitched one inning of scoreless relief with one strikeout in 6-0 win vs. Duquesne (2/23) … Named to 2009 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.