May 29, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (42-16) opens postseason play on Friday night at the top seed in the Columbia Regional. The Gamecock will face No. 4 seed Campbell (40-19). First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. It will be streamed live on ESPN3 and available on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.”
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.
Internet: Streamed live on ESPN3. Dave Weekly & Chip Fridrich will call the action. Additional coverage on Twitter @GamecockBasebll and Facebook/Gamecocksonline
BASEBALL SHUTTLE LOCATION CHANGE
The South Carolina baseball gameday shuttle location will be moved to Bates House area for the NCAA Columbia Regional. The shuttle move is to alleviate anticipated parking problems associated with high school graduations on campus this weekend. The change in location will ensure that the USC Baseball traffic does not coincide with the graduation traffic.
The shuttle and handicapped parking will be moved to the 1400 block of Whaley Street at the corner of Whaley and Bull Streets.
Shuttle Map Location
http://www.sc.edu/vmps/baseballreg.html
PITCHING MATCHUP
South Carolina – Jordan Montgomery (Jr. LHP) 7-5, 3.52 ERA, 92.0 IP, 29 BB, 86 SO Campbell – TBA
SOUTH CAROLINA & THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
This is South Carolina’s 30th overall appearance in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. The Gamecocks are one of 10 teams from the SEC to make the 2014 NCAA Tournament. South Carolina’s 15 consecutive trips to the NCAA Baseball Tournament is the longest current streak of the 14 SEC schools. Carolina is one of only five schools in the nation that has reached the NCAA Regional in the last 15 consecutive years.
NCAA STREAK
South Carolina is one of five teams that has appeared in the NCAA Regional every year from 2000-present. Teams that have also appeared in every year since 2000 are Cal State Fullerton, Florida State, Miami (Fla.) and Rice.
HOSTING
This marks the 16th time in school history that the Gamecocks will host an NCAA Regional in baseball and the fifth consecutive year that South Carolina has hosted a regional at Carolina Stadium. Since the move to the Regional-Super Regional format in 1999, the Gamecocks have hosted a NCAA Regional 10 times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).
South Carolina is 58-8 (.879) in all-time history in NCAA Regional or NCAA Super Regional games at home in Columbia. South Carolina has won 27 straight NCAA Tournament games at home dating back to game three of the 2002 NCAA Super Regional vs. Miami (Fla.).
POSTSEASON AT CAROLINA STADIUM
South Carolina is 16-0 in postseason history at Carolina Stadium. Here are all 16 wins.
2010 NCAA RegionalJune 4, 2010 Bucknell W, 9-5June 5, 2010 The Citadel W, 9-4June 6, 2010 Virginia Tech W, 10-2
2011 NCAA RegionalJune 3, 2011 Georgia Southern W, 2-1June 4, 2011 Stetson W, 11-5June 5-6, 2011 Stetson W, 8-2
2011 NCAA Super RegionalJune 11, 2011 Connecticut W, 5-1June 12, 2011 Connecticut W, 8-2
2012 NCAA RegionalJune 1, 2012 Manhattan W, 7-0June 2, 2012 Clemson W, 5-4 (12 inn.)June 3, 2012 Clemson W, 4-3
2012 NCAA Super RegionalJune 9, 2012 Oklahoma W, 5-0June 10-11, 2012 Oklahoma W, 5-1
2013 NCAA RegionalMay 31, 2013 Saint Louis W, 7-3June 1, 2013 Liberty W, 19-3June 2-3, 2013 Liberty W, 6-4
40
For the 15th consecutive season, South Carolina has won 40 or more games. South Carolina was the first SEC team to reach the 40-win mark this year. It is the longest current streak among the 14 SEC schools. South Carolina’s 42 victories is the second-highest victory total by a SEC team heading into the tournament as well.
PANKAKE AT THE PLATE
Junior infielder Joey Pankake became the 26th player in school history to tally 200 or more hits with his double in the second inning of the Florida game at the SEC Tournament.
Pankake is now batting .307 (63-for-205) for the year with team-high 49 runs scored and a .396 on-base percentage with 27 walks to 19 strikeouts. Pankake hit .303 (36-for-119) in league games, second-best on the team with 18 RBI and 19 runs scored. Pankake earned SEC All-Defensive team honors fielding .932 at third base.
GREINER SHINES
Junior catcher Grayson Greiner was named the 2013-14 USC Co-Male Student-Athlete of the Year alongside Gamecock football/basketball standout Bruce Ellington. Greiner has been recognized in the baseball circles as well as he is a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award for the top catcher in college baseball and is on USA Baseball’s Midseason Watch List for the Golden Spikes Award. Greiner earned SEC All-Defensive team honors fielding .995 this year at catcher with just two errors.
Greiner is hitting .328 (65-for-198) with 38 runs scored, a team-high 13 doubles and eight homers as well as 50 RBI, third highest in the SEC. He also has a team-best .403 on-base percentage and a .515 slugging mark. Greiner hit a team-best .327 (37-for-113) in league games with four homers and 24 RBI vs. SEC teams. Greiner was named SEC Player of the Week on March 31 after his play in the Tennessee series. Greiner hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning to lift South Carolina to a 9-6 win over Tennessee. His play along with Jordan Gore’s walk-off homer was No. 1 on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day.
Greiner won the Tom Price award as the MVP for South Carolina in the weekend series vs. Clemson. Greiner hit .400 (4-for-10) for the weekend with four runs scored. His grand slam homer helped lift South Carolina to a 9-6 win. He had a team-high four walks on the weekend as well.
SOME SUPERLATIVES
The Gamecocks are 29-1 when leading entering the seventh inning as well as 34-1 when leading entering the ninth inning. The Gamecocks are 36-4 when outhitting the opponent as well. South Carolina is 9-4 in one-run games and 40-8 when allowing five runs or less. The Gamecocks are 21-1 when scoring six runs or more as well. South Carolina is 20-11 in games decided by three runs or less. The Gamecocks have allowed three runs or less in 41 of 58 games this year with a 38-3 record in those contests.
SEDDON SEALS IT
Junior right-hander Joel Seddon leads the SEC with 14 saves with nine of the 14 vs. league opponents. He earned second-team All-SEC honors. He has been named to the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.
He is 2-1 with a 0.85 ERA. He has limited opponents to just five runs, four earned, on 28 hits in 42.1 innings with 51 strikeouts to nine walks. Opponents are batting .189 against him. He is 14-for-15 in save opportunities. Seddon sits alone at seventh place on the USC Single-Season Top 10 save list. Seddon has not allowed a run in 22 of 25 relief appearances this year.
USC Single-Season Top 10 Save List
1. Blake Taylor (2002) 21 *led the SEC and the nation in saves
2. Matt Price (2011) 20 *led the SEC and the nation in saves
2. Chad Blackwell (2004) 20 *led the SEC and the nation in saves
4. Lee Gronkiewicz (2001) 19 *led the SEC and the nation in saves
5. Tyler Webb (2013) 17 *2nd in the SEC and 7th in the nation in saves
6. Scott Barber (2000) 15 *1st in the SEC and tied for 6th in the nation in saves
7. Joel Seddon (2014) 14 *currently leads the SEC, tied for 6th in the nation in saves
8. Matt Price (2012) 13 *1st in the SEC and 12th in the nation in saves
9. Brian Beatson (1990) 12
9. Brian Beatson (1988) 12
SOUTH CAROLINA BULLPEN
South Carolina’s bullpen is 19-1 with a 1.53 ERA in 212.0 innings pitched this year. The bullpen has 206 strikeouts to 71 walks, opponents batting .200 against the relievers. The relief staff has limited opponents to 41 runs, 36 earned, on 151 hits.
The numbers were impressive in the 30-game SEC slate as the bullpen posted an 8-1 record along with nine saves and 1.01 ERA in 97.2 conference innings pitched. The relievers gave up 15 runs, 11 earned, on 70 hits with 92 strikeouts to 31 walks. Conference opponents hit .205 against the Gamecock relievers.
LOOKING CLOSER AT GAMECOCK RELIEVERS
2014 – 19-1, 1.53 ERA, 212.0 IP, 151 H, 41 R, 36 ER, 71 BB, 206 SO, Opp BA .200
2013 – 19-10, 3.24 ERA, 225.1 IP, 219 H, 104 R, 81 ER, 69 BB, 221 SO, Opp BA .249
2012 – 21-10, 2.76 ERA, 250.2 IP, 197 H, 83 R, 77 ER, 105 BB, 270 SO, Opp BA .217
2011 – 23-4, 2.42 ERA, 249.1 IP, 201 H, 81 R, 67 ER, 115 BB, 241 SO, Opp BA .223
2010 – 26-5, 3.37 ERA, 264.2 IP, 207 H, 117 R, 99 ER, 105 BB, 289 SO Opp BA .216
HOME SWEET HOME
South Carolina has eight sellouts this year and 38 in school history at Carolina Stadium. South Carolina has totaled 279,043 in attendance in 37 home games for an average of 7,541 per contest.
South Carolina is 187-37 in all-time games at Carolina Stadium, a winning percentage of .835. That is the best winning percentage of all 14 SEC schools since opening the facility.
AT THE PLATE, ON THE MOUND AND IN THE FIELD
South Carolina is hitting .279 (548-for-1961) as a team with a .360 on-base percentage and a .375 slugging percentage. The .279 average is fourth-best in the league.
The Gamecocks own a SEC-best 2.37 ERA in 521.0 innings with 444 strikeouts to 148 walks, opponents batting .228 against the squad. The Gamecocks also have a 3.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio that ranks sixth best in the nation. The ERA ranks eighth in the nation. Carolina is fielding .975 on the year, second-best in the SEC. South Carolina owned a 2.80 ERA in the 30-game SEC schedule, best in the league this year as well.
CARDIAC GAMECOCKS
The Gamecocks have won seven games this season when trailing entering the seventh inning including five wins when trailing entering the ninth inning. South Carolina is outscoring opponents 97-33 from the seventh inning through extra innings on the year. From the sixth inning to the end, South Carolina is also outscoring opponents 153-50.
MONTGOMERY GETS IT STARTED
Junior left-hander Jordan Montgomery leads the way on the pitching staff with a 7-5 record and a 3.52 ERA in 92.0 innings pitched. He has struck out a team-high 86 batters and opponents are batting .250 against him. Montgomery ranks sixth in the SEC in strikeouts.
Montgomery has been very successful in the postseason for the Gamecocks. He has a career postseason record of 4-0 with a 0.59 ERA, surrendering just two runs on 15 hits over 30.2 innings. He has allowed just three walks while fanning 26 batters in wins over Clemson and Arkansas in 2012 and Liberty and North Carolina in 2013.
JACK OF ALL TRADES
Sophomore left-hander Jack Wynkoop is another successful southpaw for the Gamecocks. He sports a 7-5 record as well with a 2.71 ERA in 86.1 innings. Wynkoop has 57 strikeouts to just 10 walks on the year. Wynkoop made a pair of starts last year in the postseason and finished with two no-decisions.
CROWE MAKES AN IMPACT
South Carolina freshman right-hander Will Crowe has been a workhorse for the Gamecocks in his first year. In his most recent start, he made an impact as he worked seven-plus innings and allowed three runs on four hits in the rubber game of a three-game series vs. nationally-ranked Vanderbilt in Nashville. Crowe did not allow a batter to even reach in six of the innings he worked on his way to his seventh victory of the season. Crowe did not walk a batter and tied his career-high with nine strikeouts, the most he had in a game vs. an SEC opponent this year. The win helped solidify the Gamecocks as a top four seed at the SEC Tournament.
Crowe is 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA on the year in 82.2 innings. He has 55 strikeouts to 19 walks, opponents batting .239 against him.
Crowe was honored twice by the Southeastern Conference in the first two weeks of the regular season. On February 24, he earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors after working 6.1 scoreless innings in a 6-0 win over Eastern Kentucky with just four hits allowed and one walk to pick up his second win of the season.
The first week, Crowe was SEC Pitcher of the Week. He had an impressive debut as he hurled 6.1 hitless innings in his first career start. Crowe walked just one and hit one batter while finishing with five strikeouts to earn his first career win in a Gamecock uniform. Bucknell had just one runner reach second base and none reach third base while Crowe was on the mound. Crowe retired 13 consecutive batters in a row before coming out of the game as he reached his pitch count total.
MINCEY WITH AN APPEARANCE
Junior right-hander Cody Mincey is 5-0 on the year with a 1.04 ERA. He leads the Gamecocks with 28 appearances. Mincey has 44 strikeouts in 34.2 innings. He has not allowed a run in 25 of 28 appearances this year.
MAX IT OUT
Sophomore infielder Max Schrock has battled injuries the entire year with an ankle injury, illness and now a back injury. In a limited role this year, Schrock owns a .270 average (30-for-111) with a .450 slugging percentage.
Despite his back, Schrock played on Thursday at Vanderbilt and went 2-for-5 with a key game-tying single in the top of the 9th of South Carolina’s 4-3 come-from-behind win. He would sit out games two and three in Nashville. Schrock returned vs. Wofford and also played in the Missouri series. He added three hits and a RBI in the 8-2 win over Missouri, tallied a RBI in the 3-1 win vs. the Tigers and scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in the 2-1 series finale after leading off with a triple.
Schrock had a flair for the dramatic in the Ole Miss series. Despite a sprained ankle, Schrock came on in a pinch-hit role and without taking batting practice before the game, launched a two-out two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the 9th to help the Gamecocks rally to a 5-4 10-inning win over the Rebels. The previous day, Schrock tied a career-high with four hits including a homer as well as two RBI and two runs scored in the 6-4 loss.
STARTERS
Two Gamecock players have started all 56 games this year, junior first baseman Kyle Martin and junior center fielder Tanner English.
K-MART
Junior first baseman Kyle Martin has tallied four hits in a game four times this year including the most recent time on May 16 at Vanderbilt. Martin also had two hits and a RBI single in the 6-3 win the next day.
Martin owns a .329 average (75-for-228) with 34 runs scored, nine doubles, five homers and 33 RBI. Martin leads the Gamecocks with 22 multi-hit games.
A LITTLE BIT OF ENGLISH
Junior outfielder Tanner English has manned the center field position the entire year. English is hitting .280 (56-for-200) with 27 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple, a homer and 24 RBI. He has a .347 on-base percentage and leads the team with 18 stolen bases for the season. He was named to the SEC All-Defensive team.
MOONEY IN THE MIDDLE
Sophomore shortstop Marcus Mooney is a spark plug at the plate and in the field. He is up to a .268 average (53-for-198) at the plate. He has scored 29 runs and driven in 20 runs as well. Mooney has 12 of his 20 RBI with two outs this year.
Mooney has led off 36 times, the most of anyone on the team this year and has started 53 of 58 games at shortstop with a .954 fielding percentage.
DC DELIVERS
Sophomore infielder DC Arendas has been a versatile key to the Gamecocks this year. Arendas has played in 51 games with 46 starts. Arendas has been all over the field but is primarily at second base with 30 starts at that spot this season. He also has nine starts at third, five at shortstop and two as designated hitter.
Arendas has been solid at the plate with a .269 average (45-for-167) to go along with a .365 on-base percentage. Has 26 RBI and 30 runs scored. Arendas is fielding .975 with just five errors.
CLUTCH CONE
Freshman outfielder Gene Cone has 18 RBI in 26 starts and a .362 on-base percentage with 20 hits and 22 walks on the year. He also leads the team with two triples.
Cone had two of the biggest hits in the weekend series vs. Alabama. Cone reached base in all four plate appearances in a 9-3 win with three walks and a key three-run triple. He followed that up with two-out two-run single that would give the Gamecocks a lead they would not relinquish in Sunday’s 9-3 win. Cone had a team-high five RBI and two runs scored vs. the Crimson Tide. Cone came through for the Gamecocks in both victories at Auburn two weeks ago. He belted a career-high three hits including a game-tying RBI double in the top of the ninth inning to help South Carolina rally for a 3-2 win at Auburn on Saturday. He then followed that up on Sunday going 1-for-3 with game-winning RBI sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of South Carolina’s 4-3 win at Auburn. Cone tied his career-high with three hits in Wednesday’s 6-1 win over USC Upstate.
HARRINGTON HIGHLIGHT
Junior outfielder Patrick Harrington has a knack for finding his way on base. Harrington owns a .324 on-base percentage in 24 games played with 16 starts.
Harrington tallied a RBI single in the 2-1 win vs. Missouri and went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the 3-1 win the day before. Harrington set a career-high in the 15-1 win vs. Wofford with three RBI as well.
A JOLT FROM JORDAN
Freshman infielder Jordan Gore reached base in all five plate appearances in a 6-3 win at Vanderbilt going 2-for-2 with two walks and reaching on an error on a sac bunt.
Gore tallied his first career multi-RBI game going 3-for-4 with a RBI and a sacrifice in the 9-3 win on Sunday vs. Alabama. Gore came up with his second game-winning hit of his career with a RBI single in the ninth inning of South Carolina’s 3-2 win over Auburn. Gore also had a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 14th in a 3-2 win over Tennessee.
WIDENER UTILIZED ON THE MOUND & AT THE PLATE
Freshman Taylor Widener has been solid both on the mound and at the plate this year for the Gamecocks. Widener is 3-0 on the mound with a 2.12 ERA in 20 appearances. He has 32 strikeouts in 34.0 innings; opponents are batting .180.
GREAT SCOTT
Freshman right-hander Reed Scott has been effective in a middle relief role for the Gamecocks as well as a spot starter. He struck out a career-high seven batters in a career-high seven innings in 10-1 win over The Citadel. 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 vs. Tennessee.
Scott is 2-0 with a 1.34 ERA on the year. He has allowed just six earned runs on 30 hits in 40.1 innings, opponents hitting .210 against him.
REAGAN SUPPLIES RELIEF
Freshman left-hander Josh Reagan pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to Georgia. Reagan has been very effective this year with a 3-0 record and a 0.36 ERA in 25.0 innings with 24 hits allowed. He has 21 strikeouts to four walks as well.
VINNY
Junior left-hander Vince Fiori has not allowed only two earned runs in 16 relief appearances. Fiori has a 0.98 ERA in 18.1 innings pitched with 18 strikeouts to nine walks. Opponents own a .206 average against him.
A BRIGHT SPOT
Before hyperextending his elbow vs. Florida, junior outfielder Connor Bright was a staple in the Gamecock lineup in right field.
Bright sports a .331 batting average (48-for-145) with 10 doubles, 23 RBI and 25 runs scored. Bright has a .371 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage. He owns 14 multi-hit games
A HIT VS. ALABAMA
The Gamecocks hit .323 (32-for-99) in the Alabama series, the best average by the Gamecocks in SEC play this year. Sunday’s 17-hit outing was the highest total of hits in a SEC game this year and the second-highest total by the Gamecocks all season, just one short of the season-high 18 set vs. Brown on Mar. 8.
SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE SEC
With a second place finish in the Eastern Division, South Carolina has finished in the top three places of the SEC East18 of 23 seasons since joining the league.
SERIES HISTORY VS. CAMPBELL
South Carolina is 10-2 all-time vs. Campbell including a 10-2 win in the last meeting between the two schools on Feb. 22, 2000. Marcus McBeth homered, tripled and drove in four runs and Brandon Pack added a three-run homer as the Gamecocks defeated the Fighting Camels at Sarge Frye Field. Scott Barber earned the win allowing two runs on eight his in 5.1 innings of work. Barber, Lee Gronkiewicz and Jamie Poston combined to strikeout 15 batters as well.
SERIES HISTORY VS. MARYLAND
South Carolina meets Maryland for the first time since a 3-1 victory on March 16, 1980. Maryland leads the series 25-16 dating back to 1920.
SERIES HISTORY VS. OLD DOMINION
South Carolina is 19-4 vs. Old Dominion including a 13-3 win on March 10, 2009, the last time the two schools played. Current Gamecock associate head coach Jerry Meyers was the head coach of the Monarchs at the time. The Gamecocks scored nine runs in the first innings with home runs from Nick Ebert, Justin Dalles and Andrew Crisp on the way to the win.
