Feb. 16, 2015
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina hosts Furman on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Carolina Stadium. The Gamecocks enter 2-1 with the Paladins 1-2 on the year.
LIVE COVERAGE
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network affiliates/Flagship WNKT FM 107.5 “The Game” in Columbia. Derek Scott and Tommy Moody will call the action.
Broadcast: SEC Network + (Brad Muller and Trey Dyson). Check cable or satellite provider for streaming availability.
Internet: Live Gametracker stats at GamecocksOnline.com. Additional coverage on Twitter @GamecockBasebll
SEC NETWORK+
The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+. The game will be available through participating TV providers only through WatchESPN. For more information on SEC Network+, please click HERE
South Carolina vs. Furman
Carolina Stadium
Friday, Feb. 17 (4 p.m.)
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Live Stats
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina – Matthew Vogel (So. RHP) N/A
Furman – Billy Greenfield (So. LHP) 0-1, 3.86 ERA, 2.1 IP, 3 BB, 0 SO
SERIES HISTORY
South Carolina leads 111-54-2
LAST MEETING
4/8/2014 – SC defeated Furman 9-2 in Greenville at Fluor Field.
PARKING INFORMATION
Please be aware on game day entrance via car to Williams, Catawba and Wheat Streets will be closed to the public and is accessible only by a valid parking pass.
For the weekday games beginning at 4:00 PM (Feb.17; Feb. 20 and Feb 24) parking in the business lots will be curtailed based on the specific parking lots. Patrons with passes to park in lots 6, 7, 9 and 10 will be relocated to Lot 1 on Williams and Wheat Sts.
We encourage visitors to use public parking lots illustrated on the parking map. The cost is $5/$10 per vehicle. Fans can also park for free at Capital City Baseball Stadium and the Colonial Life area and ride the shuttles for $3.00 round trip to and from the parking lots. We strongly recommend that fans use the Capital City Shuttle over the CLA shuttle for the convenience, spacious parking and less congestion.
Visitors who need handicap parking should park at the Capital City Baseball Stadium lot and ride the handicapped shuttle to the baseball stadium for $3.00
Please see link for additional information.
Parking Information
PARKING SHUTTLE
For the 2015 baseball season, the baseball shuttle is expanding and will be operational at the Capital City Baseball Stadium and in Lot D of the Colonial Life Area parking lot. We strongly recommend that fans use the baseball shuttle from Capital City to Carolina Baseball Stadium over the CLA shuttle for the convenience, spacious parking (800 spaces) and less congestion than at the arena. Please remember that at the arena shuttle, parking will be limited to 50 to 100 spaces because of the student demand for parking in this area. There is a high student demand Monday through Thursday that lasts until 7 p.m. because of classes. For GPS purposes, the address for Capital City Stadium is 301 S. Assembly St., Columbia, SC 29201.
DID YOU KNOW??
Wil Crowe’s 10 strikeouts tied for the highest total by a SEC pitcher on the first weekend.
THE FURMAN SERIES
South Carolina is 111-54-2 against Furman in the series history including a pair of wins last year vs. the Paladins. The Gamecocks won both games last year with a 5-0 win in Columbia and a 9-2 victory at Fluor Field in Greenville.
RANKINGS
South Carolina is ranked in every publication. The Gamecocks are No. 5 by D1Baseball, No. 10 USA TODAY coaches poll, No. 11 by the NCBWA, No. 13 by Baseball America, No. 13 by Perfect Game and No. 20 by Collegiate Baseball.
VOGEL GETS THE BALL
South Carolina sophomore right-hander Matthew Vogel is the scheduled starter for the Gamecocks on Tuesday afternoon. It will be his first appearance for the 2015 season. Vogel appeared in eight games last year with two starts and was 0-1 with a 6.91 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 14.1 innings, opponents hit .218 against him.
A LOOK BACK
South Carolina opened the 2015 season winning a series against 25th ranked College of Charleston with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday as the Gamecocks defeated the Cougars 7-1 and 8-3.
ON THE FIELD
South Carolina was one of three SEC teams that did not make an error over the weekend, as the Gamecocks were clean in 117 chances with 81 putouts and 36 assists in the field.
K-MART
Senior first baseman Kyle Martin was the Gamecocks’ top hitter over the weekend going 4-for-9 (.444) with a pair of runs, a double and three RBI. Martin went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the 7-1 win and followed that up going 2-for-4 with a run in the 8-3 victory.
Martin elected to return for his final season after being selected in the 20th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Martin was Carolina’s leading hitter last year batting .336 (82-for-244) with 35 runs scored, 11 doubles, five homers and 38 RBI, a .389 on-base percentage and a .443 slugging percentage. He started all 62 games at first base.
Martin averaged 1.32 hits per game last year, tied for highest among SEC returning leaders. His .336 average is second-highest among returning SEC players as well.
A CLOSER LOOK AT WIDENER
Sophomore right-hander Taylor Widener was effective in his first relief appearance of the season as he pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief with six strikeouts to earn a save in the 8-3 win to win the rubber game vs. College of Charleston. Widener tied a career-high with six strikeouts and did not allow a hit to pick up his first career save.
IN THE CROWE’S NEST
Sophomore right-hander Wil Crowe won game one of the doubleheader vs. College of Charleston as he shut down the Cougars going 6.1 innings and allowing just one run on four hits with three walks and a career-high 10 strikeouts. Crowe’s 10 strikeouts tied for the most by a SEC pitcher over the weekend. Crowe bested his previous career mark of nine that he set twice, the last time vs. Vanderbilt on May 17, 2014.
Crowe is among the top sophomores in the country. Crowe earned Freshman All-America honors last year as he went 8-3 with a 2.75 ERA in 15 starts with 59 strikeouts to 19 walks in 91.2 innings pitched. Opponents hit just .228 against him. He did not allow a stolen base either.
Crowe is one of 50 players in the nation to be named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.
GORE IN A GROOVE
Sophomore Jordan Gore was key in the doubleheader sweep vs. College of Charleston. He opened the doubleheader going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI in the 7-1 win and followed that up with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth of the 8-3 win in the night cap. Gore hit .364 (4-for-11) in the series with three runs and four RBI. Gore’s pair of multi-RBI games were the first of his career.
DYNAMIC DESTINO
Freshman Alex Destino made his debut in a Gamecock uniform and he came up with a big hit in the rubber game as his two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth broke a 3-3 tie in the 8-3 victory. Destino was 4-for-12 (.333) for the weekend at the plate.
Destino earned third-team Preseason All-America honors from Baseball America. Baseball America surveys scouting directors and national crosscheckers to vote on the Preseason College All-America team.
MAX IT OUT
Junior infielder Max Schrock was on base a lot as he went 3-for-9 (.333) and drew five walks for a .571 on-base percentage in the three games over the weekend. Schrock scored a team-high four runs as well and drove in a run. Schrock is tied for the league lead in walks after the opening weekend.
STREAKS
Jordan Gore, Gene Cone and Alex Destino hit safely in all three games of the series. Connor Bright and Max Schrock also reached base safely in all three games.
SOME DEBUTS
Three Gamecock freshman right-handers made their debuts on the mound this weekend. Freshmen Tyler Haswell, Brandon Murray and Clarke Schmidt all took to the mound for the first time. Murray went 0.2 scoreless and picked up his first career win in the 8-3 victory. Schmidt pitched one scoreless inning and struck out a batter on Opening Day.
Also making their first appearances in a Gamecock uniform were freshman catcher Hunter Taylor, freshman infielder Madison Stokes, junior college transfer and first baseman Collin Steagall and freshman outfielder Clark Scolamiero. Taylor, Stokes and Steagall each got a start with Stokes driving in a pair of runs with a single in the 8-3 win. Scolamiero scored a run as a pinch-runner in the 8-3 win.
JACK OF ALL TRADES
Junior left-hander Jack Wynkoop returns to the weekend rotation for a third straight year. He has made 28 starts in his career, that is second-highest among all returning SEC pitchers.
Wynkoop was the Opening Day starter for the Gamecocks, the fifth consecutive year a left-hander has been the first to get the ball for the Gamecocks. Wynkoop allowed four runs on eight hits in five-plus innings with a walk and two strikeouts.
A BRIGHT SPOT
Senior outfielder Connor Bright homered in the 7-1 win vs. College of Charleston and was 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI in the 8-3 win.
One of five seniors on the squad, Bright is back for one more season with the Gamecocks. Bright saw action in 44 games with 42 starts in right field, but battled back issues in the last half of the season. Despite his injury, he hit .311 (50-for-161) with 24 RBI and 25 runs scored. Bright is expected to start in right field on Opening Day. He has 116 career starts with the Garnet & Black, that is the highest total on the active roster for the Gamecocks.
MINCEY IN THE MIX
Senior right-hander Cody Mincey is coming off a very strong performance out of the bullpen last year. Mincey made a team-high 29 relief appearance in 2014 and went 5-0 with a 1.04 ERA and a save. He allowed just four runs on 20 hits in 34.2 innings with 17 walks and 44 strikeouts, opponents hit .171 against him. Mincey did not allow a run in 25 of 29 relief appearances. Mincey tied for the league lead as well with 16 relief appearances in SEC games.
MOONEY IN THE MIDDLE
Junior infielder Marcus Mooney is back and will factor in the middle infield positions. Mooney played 58 games with 57 starts in 2014. He hit .274 (59-for-215) with 32 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple and 22 RBI, also a .380 on-base percentage.
VINNY
Junior left-hander Vince Fiori went 2.2 scoreless in the 7-1 win over College of Charleston and allowed just one walk as he retired six of seven batters he faced.
CONE LEADS IT OFF
Sophomore outfielder Gene Cone Cone was 3-for-12 with a pair of runs and a RBI vs. College of Charleston.
Cone is coming off a solid summer that saw him earn Coastal Plain League Hitter of the Year, as voted on by the CPL head coaches. Cone hit a league-best .385 (62-for-161) for the Florence RedWolves during the regular season in 43 starts with 18 doubles, a pair of triples, 25 RBI and 40 runs scored. An All-Star selection as well during the summer season, Cone collected a .468 on-base percentage with 26 walks to 17 strikeouts. Cone continued to swing a hot bat during the playoffs to help lead the RedWolves to the CPL Petit Cup Championship Series. He hit .314 in eight playoff games.
Cone came on late for the Gamecocks and made 30 starts last season as a freshman and finished with a .371 on-base percentage. He scored 22 runs and made just one error in the outfield.
REAGAN ON THE LEFT
Sophomore left-hander Josh Reagan made just his second career start in Saturday’s 8-3 win. Reagan went 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts. The stint was the longest of Reagan’s career besting his previous mark of five vs. Stetson last year on Mar. 4, 2014.
DC DELIVERS
Junior infielder DC Arendas had a team-high .625 on-base percentage in two starts and went 1-for-4 with a run scored, two walks and two hit by pitches in two games played.
AT THE PLATE & ON THE MOUND
South Carolina hit .261 as a team (24-for-92) with a .384 on-base percentage in the series. South Carolina’s 17 walks at the plate was fourth-highest among the league this weekend. The pitching staff went 27.0 innings and allowed 10 runs on 26 hits with 13 walks and 24 strikeouts. College of Charleston hit .260 against the Gamecocks.
PRODUCTION
All nine Gamecocks in the starting lineup reached base at least once in the 7-1 win vs. College of Charleston with eight of nine tallying at least one hit in the 8-3 victory vs. College of Charleston as well.
