March 18, 2013

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina continued the 2013 season with four wins last week as the Gamecocks defeated USC Upstate and Davidson in midweek play with two victories as well at Missouri in the first conference series of the year. The Gamecocks are now 17-3 on the year with a 2-1 record in the league. South Carolina travels to The Citadel on Tuesday night and then returns home to host Arkansas for a three-game SEC series.

Record: 17-3
SEC: 2-1
Home: 14-1
Away: 3-1
Neutral: 0-1

This Week: 4-1
3/12/13 – vs. USC Upstate (W, 12-3)
3/13/13 – vs. Davidson (W, 12-4)
3/15/13 – at Missouri (W, 4-1)
3/16/13 – at Missouri (W, 2-0)
3/16/13 – at Missouri (L, 4-0)

NOTES:
Senior left-handed pitcher Nolan Belcher has pitched 26.1 consecutive scoreless innings on the mound for the Gamecocks. Belcher worked 8.1 scoreless innings in the 2-0 victory vs. Missouri on Saturday afternoon. He did not allow a runner to reach second base in the entire contest. Belcher limited the Tigers to just five hits and struck out six batters while walking none. He has not allowed a walk since the Liberty game on opening weekend, a span of 31.1 innings. For the season, Belcher is 4-1 with a 1.25 ERA in 36.0 innings pitched. He has 36 strikeouts to just one walk on the year. Opponents are hitting .206 against him.

Sophomore outfielder TJ Costen was the Gamecocks’ top hitter last week. Costen hit .429 (6-for-14) in five games with a pair of doubles, two RBI and four runs scored. Costen had a key two-run single and a pair of hits in the 4-1 win over Missouri last Friday. He also went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored in the 12-3 win over USC Upstate. The hits, doubles and runs scored were all career highs.

Senior left-hander Tyler Webb had a pair of perfect outings in the two victories at Missouri. Webb went 1.1 perfect innings with two strikeouts in the 4-1 win and followed that up with 0.2 perfect innings with a strikeout in the 2-0 victory. Webb has seven saves in 10 appearances on the year and has not allowed a run in 11.1 innings with just three walks and five hits allowed while striking out 18 batters. Opponents are hitting just .139 against him.

Sophomore shortstop Joey Pankake continues to raise his season average as he went 6-for-17 (.353) with four runs scored and three RBI in five games last week. Pankake is the team’s second best hitter on the year with a .333 average (21-for-63) with four homers, 15 runs scored and 17 RBI. He reached base in all five plate appearances in the 12-3 win over USC Upstate with three hits and two walks as well as a RBI and two runs scored. Pankake has reached base safely in 12 straight games.

Sophomore right-hander Evan Beal was stellar in his second consecutive Friday night start. Beal allowed just one run on eight hits in 6.1 innings of work with one walk and a career-high 10 strikeouts in the 4-1 win over Missouri. Beal’s 10 strikeouts are also the most by a Gamecock pitcher this season. Beal is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in 16.0 innings with just three walks to 21 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .203 against him.

Senior first baseman LB Dantzler continues to lead the Gamecocks at the plate with a .362 batting average (25-for-69) for the season with a team-high six homers and 23 RBI as well. Dantzler had a RBI and his first career triple in the 12-3 win over USC Upstate. He followed that up with a pair of homers and six RBI in the 12-4 win over Davidson. It was Dantzler’s first two-homer game at South Carolina and a career-high in RBI as well. It is also the most RBI by a Gamecock player in a game this season.

Freshman left-hander Jack Wynkoop improved to 3-0 on the year with a win in relief in the 12-3 victory over USC Upstate. Wynkoop allowed just one run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in 2.2 innings pitched. For the season, Wynkoop is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 14.0 innings. He has eight strikeouts to just two walks.

Freshman infielder Max Schrock has raised his batting average to .267 (20-for-75) for the season with 15 runs scored and 16 RBI. Schrock was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a pair of runs in the 12-3 win over USC Upstate. He followed that up with another 2-for-3 day and two runs in the 12-4 win over Davidson. Schrock leads the Gamecocks with seven multi-hit games.

Freshman right-hander Curt Britt earned his first career victory in the 12-4 win over Davidson. Bright worked two scoreless innings of relief without allowing a hit. Britt is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings of work. Opponents are hitting just .182 against him.

Senior third baseman Chase Vergason hit a key solo homer in the 2-0 victory over Missouri. Vergason is hitting .306 (19-for-62) with 10 RBI and 13 runs scored. He has three doubles and three homers. He has a .449 on-base percentage as well.

Sophomore right-hander Joel Seddon was stellar in his first start of the year as the Gamecocks defeated Davidson. He pitched four scoreless innings with just two hits allowed while striking out a career-high six batters. Seddon is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA on the year in 6.1 innings with 10 strikeouts.

Sophomore catcher Grayson Greiner homered, tallied two hits and had two runs scored as well in the 4-1 win over Missouri. Greiner is hitting .236 (13-for-55) with six runs scored and 10 RBI. He has 126 putouts eight assists, no errors and 13 starts behind the plate.

South Carolina has allowed five runs or less in 18 of 20 games played this season. The Gamecocks are 16-2 when allowing five runs or less with a 16-0 record when leading after the sixth inning. South Carolina is 8-2 in games decided by three runs or less.

The Gamecock pitching staff owns a 2.08 ERA in 177.0 innings pitched with 175 strikeouts to 51 walks. Opponents are hitting .213 against the Gamecock pitching staff.

South Carolina is hitting .287 as a team (185-for-645) with 16 homers and 130 runs scored. The team has a .393 on-base percentage with 103 walks and 19 hit by pitches to 116 strikeouts. The team is fielding .981 as a team with just 14 errors for the season, that leads the SEC. South Carolina did not commit an error in the Missouri series and has 12 errorless games for the season.

Next Week:
3/19/13 – at The Citadel (7 p.m.)
3/22/13 – vs. Arkansas (7:30 p.m.) (CSS)
3/23/13 – vs. Arkansas (3:15 p.m.) (Fox Sports Carolinas/Fox Sports South)
3/24/13 – vs. Arkansas (1:30 p.m.)
All times are Eastern