Skip to main content
Partner logo
Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link

Feb. 16, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. – 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. South Carolina is 2-1 on the year.

Record: 2-1
SEC: 0-0
Home: 2-1
Away: 0-0

Last Week: 2-1
2/13/15 – College of Charleston (L, 6-3)
2/14/15 – College of Charleston (W, 7-1) (DH)
2/14/15 – College of Charleston (8-3) (DH)

NOTES:
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. South Carolina is 2-1 on the year.

Sophomore right-hander Wil Crowe won game one of the doubleheader 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.

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.

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.

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.

Sophomore Jordan Gore was key in the doubleheader sweep. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 as well.

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.

Junior left-hander Jack 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.

Sophomore outfielder Gene Cone and senior outfielder Connor Bright both produced in the weekend series. Cone was 3-for-12 with a pair of runs and a RBI and Bright went 3-for-10 (.300) with two runs and three RBI. Bright homered in the 7-1 win and was 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI in the 8-3 win.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NEXT WEEK
2/17/15 – vs. Furman – 4 p.m.
2/20/15 – vs. Northeastern – 4 p.m.
2/21/15 – vs. Northeastern – 2 p.m.
2/22/15 – vs. Northeastern – 1:30 p.m.