March 25, 2013
South Carolina-College of Charleston Game Notes 
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina (18-6) is back in action on Tuesday night at College of Charleston (13-10). First pitch from Patriots Point is scheduled for 6 p.m. and is available on the Gamecock Radio Network from IMG College including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.” It can also be heard at GamecocksOnline.com on the All Access Channel.
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
Live Stats
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina – Colby Holmes (Sr. RHP) 1-2, 5.16 ERA, 22.2 IP, 11 BB, 17 SO
CofC – Nathan Helvey (Fr. RHP) 2-1, 3.42 ERA, 23.2 IP, 7 BB, 16 SO
DID YOU KNOW??
College of Charleston head coach Monte Lee served as assistant coach on former Gamecock head coach Ray Tanner’s staff at South Carolina from 2003-08.
GAMECOCKS IN THE RANKINGS
South Carolina is ranked for the seventh consecutive week. The Gamecocks are No. 14 by Collegiate Baseball and in the USA Today coaches’ poll with a No. 17 ranking by Baseball America.
A LOOK BACK & A LOOK AHEAD
South Carolina continued the 2013 season with a non-conference win last Tuesday at The Citadel and three losses vs. No. 17 Arkansas in a weekend series at Carolina Stadium. The Gamecocks are now 18-6 on the year with a 2-4 record in the SEC. South Carolina travels to College of Charleston Tuesday night and then returns back to Carolina Stadium hosting Texas A&M in a three-game SEC series beginning on Thursday night with the SEC Game of the Week on ESPNU.
Tyler Webb MAKES HIS MARK
South Carolina senior left-hander Tyler Webb allowed his first runs of the season and saw a streak of 31.0 consecutive innings dating back to last year without yielding a run snapped in Sunday’s 5-3 loss in 11 innings vs. the Razorbacks. Webb was valiant in relief with 4.2 innings of work and allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts. For the season, Webb is 0-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 12 relief appearances with eight saves. He leads the conference with his eight saves. He has 26 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched with opponents hitting only .150 against him.
Webb has 90 appearances in his Gamecock career, third all-time in school history. The record is 102 set last year by Matt Price (2009-12). He has pitched in relief in 78 of those appearances, with 62relief appearances without allowing a run (79.4 percent). In career relief appearances he is 8-2 with 11 saves.
Appearances
102 Matt Price 2009-10-11-12
94 Michael Roth 2009-10-11-12
90 Tyler Webb 2010-11-12-13
BELCHER BRINGS IT
Senior left-hander Nolan Belcher pitched well despite a loss in Saturday’s 4-2 contest to the Razorbacks. A streak of 31.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run this year was snapped when Arkansas scored in the sixth inning against him. Belcher went 7.1 innings allowing four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts. With the loss, Belcher is now 4-2 on the year. He has a 1.45 ERA in six starts with 43.1 innings pitched on the year. Belcher leads the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 42 strikeouts and just one walk. Belcher has gone a span of 38.2 innings without allowing a walk. His ERA is fourth best in the SEC.
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.
EVAN ALMIGHTY
Sophomore right-hander Evan Beal was stellar in a start at Missouri. 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 2-1 with a 4.12 ERA in 19.2 innings with just seven walks to 27 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .243 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 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 has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games and has six multi-hit games, second best on the team, as well three multi-RBI contests. Pankake hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs in the 9-5 win over The Citadel on Tuesday night. He is hitting .329 (26-for-79) with five homers and 20 RBI. He has also scored 17 runs.
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.
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.
Sophomore catcher Grayson Greiner homered and drove in three runs in the 9-5 win over The Citadel. Greiner reached base four times as well in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Razorbacks with a single and three walks. He has not made an error in 17 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 made two starts last week and earned a win and a no-decision on the mound. Wynkoop is 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 24.0 innings pitched with five walks to 17 strikeouts. He allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings in the 9-5 win over The Citadel. In a no-decision vs. Arkansas, he went 4.2 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.
DANTZLER AT THE BAT
Senior first baseman LB Dantzler is the only Gamecock player to have started all 24 games this year. Dantzler hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season in Tuesday’s 9-5 win over The Citadel. Dantzler leads the Gamecocks with a .337 average (28-for-83) with a team-high seven homers and 26 RBI as well. He is tied with Pankake for the team lead in runs scored with 17 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 infielder Chase Vergason is among the team leaders in on-base percentage with a .417 mark. He has 14 walks and six hit by pitches and is hitting .267 (20-for-75) as well.
AT THE PLATE & ON THE FIELD
South Carolina is hitting .269 (208-for-773) as a team with a .375 on-base percentage. Carolina ranks second in the SEC with 19 home runs. The Gamecocks have a .978 fielding percentage with just 20 errors for the season.
ON THE MOUND
The Gamecock pitching staff boasts a 2.76 ERA in 215.0 innings with 214 strikeouts and 65 walks. Opponents batting average is .227 against the Gamecocks. The Gamecocks lead the league with 11 saves.
SOME SUPERLATIVES
South Carolina is 17-0 this season when leading after six innings and 13-0 on the year when out-hitting the opponent. Carolina has allowed five runs or less in 21 of 24 games played this season. The Gamecocks are 17-4 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 8-4 in games decided by three runs or less.
BRITT SHOWS VERSATILITY
Freshman right-hander Curt Britt hurled 1.2 scoreless innings of relief in the 5-3 loss to Arkansas. He yielded just one hit and one walk and struck out a pair of batters. For the season, he is 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 11.1 innings. Opponents are hitting .184 against him.
Britt earned his first career victory in the 12-4 win over Davidson. Bright worked two scoreless innings of relief without allowing a hit.
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 5.00 ERA on the year. He has 12 strikeouts in nine innings pitched.
WESTMORELAND EFFECTIVE IN RELIEF
Senior left-hander Adam Westmoreland worked 1.2 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts in the 4-2 loss to Arkansas on Saturday. He is 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA in seven relief appearances with a save. He has 18 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. Opponents are hitting .197 against him.
A BRIGHT SPOT
Sophomore outfielder Connor Bright has 18 starts this year with 17 in the outfield. He is hitting .273 (15-for-55) with nine runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a homer and six RBI.
IN A PINCH WITH MARTIN
Sophomore Kyle Martin continues to be a hot bat off the bench as he had a pair of quality pinch-hit base hits last week. Martin had a key pinch-hit double in the 9-5 win over The Citadel as well as a single in the 5-3 loss to Arkansas. He is batting .292 (7-for-24) for the season.
