March 31, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina won all five games this past week with non-conference wins vs. College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina and a three-game sweep of 20th ranked Tennessee. The Gamecocks are 24-3 and 6-3 in the SEC. The 6-3 record is tied for the best in the SEC with Alabama, Florida and Mississippi State through the first three weeks of the season.

Record: 24-3
SEC: 6-3
Home: 21-1
Neutral: 1-0
Away: 2-2

This Week: 5-0
3/25/14 – College of Charleston (W, 4-2)
3/26/14 – Coastal Carolina (W, 4-0)
3/28-29/14 – Tennessee (W, 3-2 (14 inn.)
3/29/14 – Tennessee (W, 9-6)
3-30/14 – Tennessee (W, 8-0)

NOTES:
Junior infielder Joey Pankake extended his hitting streak to 15 games as he hit safely in all five contests this past week. Pankake hit .462 (6-for-13) in the Tennessee series with five runs scored and three RBI. He is hitting a team-best .432 (16-for-37) in SEC contests with nine RBI a pair of homers and 11 runs scored. For the season, Pankake owns a .344 average (33-for-96) with 18 RBI and 30 runs scored. Pankake averages 1.20 runs per game. He owns a .421 on-base percentage and a .490 slugging mark. He went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI in the 8-0 win over Tennessee as well as 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored in the 9-6 win and 2-for-6 with a run scored in the 3-2 win over the Volunteers. He is now tied for the team-lead with 11 multi-hit games.

Freshman right-hander Wil Crowe improved to 6-0 with a win in Sunday’s 8-0 victory. Crowe pitched 7.1 scoreless innings with just eight hits allowed, no walks and three strikeouts. Crowe has a 1.37 ERA in a team-high 46.0 innings with seven runs allowed on 34 hits. He has 28 strikeouts to six walks. Opponents are hitting .214 against him.

Junior catcher Grayson Greiner hit a walk-off grand slam in Saturday’s 9-6 win over Tennessee. It was his second grand slam of the season and fourth homer of the year. Greiner followed that up with a 2-for-5 day at the plate with a double and two RBI in the 8-0 win over Tennessee. Greiner’s .356 average (32-for-90) is tied for the team lead. He leads the Gamecocks with a .544 slugging percentage and 29 RBI. His 29 RBI is tied for third-highest in the SEC and is just four behind the league leaders.

Sophomore left-hander Jack Wynkoop made his first relief appearance in the resumption of Friday’s halted game. Wynkoop pitched three scoreless innings on the way to the 3-2 win over the Volunteers. He is now 5-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings with 37 strikeouts to five walks.

Junior first baseman Kyle Martin has reached base in 15 straight games. Martin went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored in the 9-6 win over Tennessee. He is hitting .340 (35-for-103) with 15 RBI and 22 runs scored. Martin has a .408 on-base percentage.

Freshman right-hander Reed Scott has been effective in a middle relief role for the Gamecocks. Scott pitched six scoreless innings of relief to earn his first career win in a Gamecock uniform and kept the Gamecocks alive in a 9-6 come-from-behind victory. Scott has not allowed a run in six relief appearances. He has allowed just seven hits and three walks in 16.1 innings while striking out 14 batters. Opponents are hitting only .132 against him.

Junior outfielder Elliott Caldwell hit .462 (6-for-13) in the Tennessee series and has raised his season average to .304 (24-for-79). Caldwell went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI in the 8-0 win over the Volunteers.

Junior left-hander Jordan Montgomery had his best start in SEC play last week in a no-decision. Montgomery allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits in seven innings with two walks and six strikeouts. He is 3-2 with a 4.30 ERA in 37.2 innings with 38 strikeouts.

Junior right-hander Joel Seddon has not allowed a run in 16.0 innings of relief in 12 appearances this season. Seddon has yielded just four hits and three walks while striking out 23 batters. Opponents are hitting 0.77 against him. Seddon pitched 2.1 scoreless in the 3-2 win over Tennessee.

Freshman infielder Jordan Gore hit his first career homer and drove in his first career run with a walk-off solo homer in the 14th inning of South Carolina’s 3-2 win over Tennessee.

Junior right-hander Cody Mincey leads the Gamecocks with 15 relief appearances. Mincey picked up his first save in the 4-2 win over College of Charleston. He followed that up with 1.2 scoreless in the 3-2 win over Tennessee and a 1.2 scoreless in the 8-0 victory. Mincey has allowed one run on nine hits in 20.1 innings this year with 29 strikeouts. Opponents own a .136 average.

Junior outfielder Tanner English was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI in the 8-0 win over Tennessee. English is hitting .300 (27-for-90) with 13 runs scored and 17 RBI.

Junior left-hander Vince Fiori has not allowed an earned run this season. Fiori has made nine appearances with 11.2 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .205 against him.

Sophomore infielder DC Arendas went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the 8-0 win over Tennessee. Arendas has driven in 14 runs and scored 14 runs this year. He is hitting .256 (20-for-78).

Junior right-hander Evan Beal made his first appearance of the year with a start on Wednesday vs. Coastal Carolina. Beal pitched four hitless innings with just one walk allowed and three strikeouts in the 4-0 win.

Sophomore infielder Max Schrock hit his team-leading fifth home run, a two-run shot in the 9-6 win over Tennessee.

The Gamecocks hit .302 (38-for-126) in the Tennessee series

With two shutouts this week, the Gamecocks have raised the season total for shutouts to 11 on the year, just three shy of the school record 14 set in 1974.

The Gamecocks are 22-1 on the year when allowing five runs or less in a game. Additionally, South Carolina is 12-0 when scoring six or more runs. South Carolina is 11-2 in games decided by three runs or less. The Gamecocks are 19-1 on the year when scoring first in a game and 22-2 when out-hitting the opponent.

South Carolina is hitting .301 (280-for-931) as a team with a .376 on-base percentage and a .420 slugging percentage. All three of those marks are among SEC leaders. The pitching staff leads the league with a 1.75 ERA. The Gamecocks have 230 strikeouts in 247.0 innings. Opponents are hitting .207 against the Gamecocks. South Carolina has fielded .977 as a team with only 23errors.

NEXT WEEK
4/1 – Appalachian State (7 p.m.)
4/3 – at Arkansas (8 p.m.) (ESPNU)
4/4 – at Arkansas (7:35 p.m.)
4/5 – at Arkansas (7 p.m.) (CST)