March 18, 2013
South Carolina-The Citadel Game Notes 
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina (17-3) is back in action on Tuesday night traveling to Charleston, S.C. for a non-conference contest with The Citadel (14-7). First pitch at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network from IMG College including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.” Live audio broadcast is available at GamecocksOnline.com.
LIVE COVERAGE
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network affiliates/Flagship WNKT FM 107.5 “The Game” in Columbia. Andy Demetra and Tommy Moody will call the action.
Television: None
Internet: Additional coverage on Twitter @GamecockBasebll and Facebook/Gamecocksonline
Live Stats
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina Jack Wynkoop (Fr. LHP) 3-0, 0.64 ERA, 14.0 IP, 2 BB, 8 SO
The Citadel Logan Cribb (Jr. LHP) 1-1, 3.18 ERA, 17.0 IP, 9 BB, 14 SO
DID YOU KNOW??
South Carolina has allowed just three stolen bases in only seven attempts in 20 games this year.
GAMECOCKS IN THE RANKINGS
South Carolina is ranked for the sixth straight week. The Gamecocks remain No. 5 by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball and No. 6 in this week’s USA Today coaches’ poll.
A LOOK BACK
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.
BELCHER BRINGS IT
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.
Belcher pitched the first complete game shutout of his career in the 8-0 victory vs. Clemson. Belcher allowed just three hits and no walks while striking out seven batters in the win. Only one base runner reached third base the entire game for the Tigers. It is the first complete game shutout by a Gamecock pitcher since Sam Dyson on May 15, 2010 in a 5-0 win at Arkansas. Belcher’s complete game shutout was also the first by a Gamecock pitcher in the Clemson series since May 4, 1986 when Rodney Richey hurled a four-hit complete game shutout in a 5-0 victory vs. the Tigers at Sarge Frye Field.
TJ TOPS THE LIST FROM LAST WEEK
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.
EVAN ALMIGHTY
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.
Beal was effective in his first start of the year and only his second career start as a Gamecock. Beal worked six scoreless innings in the 2-0 win y over Rider with just one hit and two walks allowed while striking out six batters. At one point in the contest, he retired 14 consecutive batters.
PANKAKE SIZZLING
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.
Pankake was named “Louisville Slugger’s” National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball and was also named SEC Player of the Week on March 11. Pankake belted four homers, scored seven runs and knocked in nine runs for the Gamecocks the week of March 4-10 and he hit .438 (7-for-16).
Pankake was the second Gamecock player this year to earn SEC Player of the Week honors. LB Dantzler was an honoree by the conference on Feb. 25.
Tyler Webb MAKES HIS MARK
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.
Webb has 88 appearances in his Gamecock career, tied for third all-time in school history. The record is 102 set last year by Matt Price (2009-12). He has pitched in relief in 76 of those appearances, with 61 relief appearances without allowing a run (80.2 percent). In career relief appearances he is 8-1 with 10 saves.
Appearances102 Matt Price 2009-10-11-1294 Michael Roth 2009-10-11-1288 Tyler Webb 2010-11-12-13
GREINER NAMED TO JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST
South Carolina sophomore catcher Grayson Greiner is one of 48 catchers in the nation to be named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List as announced by the Greater Wichita Sports Commission and presented by BaseballSavings.com.
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.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 16, 2013. Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 4, 2013. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series.
All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 15th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 27, 2013.
JACK OF ALL TRADES
Freshman left-hander Jack Wynkoop retired the first 16 batters in the 10-0 win over Ball State. Wynkoop allowed just two hits in six innings of work with no walks and struck out five batters to earn the win.
The 5-2 win over Furman featured the first career start and victory for Wynkoop. Wynkoop hurled 5.1 scoreless innings, scattered five hits with no walks while striking out a pair of batters.
Wynkoop is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 14.0 innings pitched with eight strikeouts and two walks.
SCHROCK DRIVES THEM IN
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.
START ME UP
Two Gamecock position starters have started all 20 games: First baseman LB Dantzler and infielder Max Schrock.
DANTZLER AT THE BAT
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.
Dantzler was named SEC Player of the Week after the Albany series when he went 9-for-13 (.692) at the plate with two doubles, two homers, six runs scored and 10 RBI. He had 17 total bases for the weekend with a .733 on-base percentage as well as a 1.308 slugging percentage. In an 8-3 win, Dantzler tallied a career-high four hits and career-high five RBI with a home run. He followed that up with a 2-for-4 game with three runs and four RBI in the 14-1 win and closed out the weekend 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in the 6-4 victory.
ON BASE WITH CHASE
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.
AT THE PLATE & ON THE FIELD
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.
ON THE MOUND
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.
SOME SUPERLATIVES
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.
BRITT SHOWS VERSATILITY
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. He also had a pinch-hit single in the final game of the Missouri series.
SEDDON SETTLES IN
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.
WESTMORELAND EFFECTIVE IN RELIEF
Senior left-hander Adam Westmoreland earned his first career save in the 9-5 win over Ball State. Westmoreland worked 3.2 scoreless innings without allowing a hit and walking just one while striking out three batters.
He is 1-0 with one save in six relief appearances with a 1.06 ERA. He has 16 strikeouts in 17 innings. Opponents batting average against him is .200.
A BRIGHT SPOT
Sophomore outfielder Connor Bright has 14 starts this year. Bright hit a solo home run in the 9-5 win over Rider. He is hitting .279 (12-for-43) with six runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a homer and five RBI.
