March 30, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina went 1-3 last week with a win vs. Georgia to close out the weekend series. The Gamecocks are 19-9 with a 5-4 conference mark. The Gamecocks are tied for third overall in the SEC and in the SEC Eastern Division. South Carolina has played some close games as of late with 10 consecutive games decided by three runs or less with a 4-6 mark in those contests.

Record: 19-9
SEC: 5-4
Home: 17-5
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 1-0

Last Week: 1-3
3/24/15 – at Coastal Carolina (L, 9-8, 11 inn.)
3/27-28/15 – Georgia (L, 6-5, 11 inn.)
3/28/15 – Georgia (L, 4-3)
3/29/15 – Georgia (W, 8-5)

NOTES:
Senior first baseman Kyle Martin continues to perform at a high level. Martin was 5-for-10 in the Georgia series with a pair of homers, five RBI and three runs scored for the Gamecocks. He had two RBI in the first game, went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and first career triple on Saturday and was 2-for-3 with a homer in Sunday’s 8-5 victory. Martin leads the Gamecocks with a .392 average (40-for-102) with 26 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple, six homers and 29 RBI. He owns a .472 on-base percentage and a .657 slugging percentage. Martin also leads the Gamecocks with six stolen bases. Martin owns a team-high 15-game hitting streak and has reached base 18 consecutive games. Martin’s 67 total bases are second best in the SEC. Martin’s batting average and slugging percentage ranks fourth best in the SEC with his on-base percentage fifth-best in the league. He is also fourth in RBI and tied for fourth in home runs. Martin is hitting .429 in SEC games with an .800 slugging percentage that ranks third-best in the league through nine conference contests.

Sophomore right-hander Wil Crowe had a quality start in a no-decision on Friday vs. Georgia. Crowe allowed three runs on six hits in six innings with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts. Crowe is 3-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 44.1 innings. He is third in the SEC with 54 strikeouts to just 14 walks. Opponents are hitting .226 against him.

Sophomore outfielder Gene Cone hit .615 (8-for-13) in the Georgia series with four runs scored and a RBI. Cone raised his batting average to .317 (32-for-101) for the year with a .448 on-base percentage. Cone tied a career-high in hits with three in the 4-3 loss to Georgia and three more in Sunday’s 8-5 victory over the Bulldogs.

Junior left-hander Jack Wynkoop came on in relief twice for the Gamecocks this weekend. With Friday’s game halted, Wynkoop pitched three innings of relief on Saturday and followed that up with 2.1 innings to earn his first career save in Sunday’s 8-5 win. Wynkoop struck out eight batters in his two relief stints in a combined 5.1 innings pitched. For the season, Wynkoop is 4-2 with a 2.30 ERA in 47.0 innings with just six walks to 41 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .224 against him.

Freshman catcher Hunter Taylor hit his first career homer and added a sacrifice fly to tie a career-high with two RBI in Sunday’s 8-5 win over Georgia. Taylor was 3-for-6 (.500) in the Georgia series with a run scored as well. He is hitting .270 (10-for-37) with four runs scored and five RBI in 12 starts.

Sophomore right-hander Reed Scott tied a career-high with seven innings pitched in Saturday’s 4-3 loss. The start was only Scott’s third of the season. He allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Scott is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 26.2 innings with 11 walks to 17 strikeouts.

Sophomore infielder Jordan Gore hit .455 (5-for-11) in the Georgia series with three runs scored and a RBI. Gore was 3-for-5 with two runs in the 6-5 loss and 2-for-3 with a run scored in the 4-3 loss. He had a RBI in the 8-5 victory. Gore is up to .295 (28-for-95) with 18 runs scored and 13 RBI on the year.

Freshman right-hander Brandon Murray improved to 3-0 with a win in Sunday’s 8-5 victory. Murray worked 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with just a hit batter on Sunday. He also had a perfect inning of relief on Friday vs. Georgia. Murray is 3-0 with a save and a 1.20 ERA in 15.0 innings. Opponents are hitting just .176 against him.

Junior infielder Max Schrock had a two-run single in the 6-5 loss to Georgia and added a sacrifice fly in the 8-5 win vs. the Bulldogs. Schrock is hitting .247 (24-fo-97) with a .382 on-base percentage. Schrock leads the Gamecocks with 23 walks to 10 strikeouts.

Junior right-hander Preston Johnson recorded a strikeout for all six outs he tallied in Saturday’s loss to Georgia. Johnson is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 13 strikeouts to just one walk in 8.1 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .167 against him.

Freshman infielder Madison Stokes started at third base in Sunday’s 8-5 win and belted a two-run double in the victory, tying a career-high two RBI that he set on February 14 vs. College of Charleston.

Freshman right-hander Clarke Schmidt set down 10 consecutive batters at one point and struck out a career-high eight batters in five-plus innings of work in Sunday’s 8-5 win over Georgia. Schmidt is 2-0 with a 3.14 ERA in nine appearances with four starts. He has 30 strikeouts in 28.2 innings.

Freshman outfielder Clark Scolamiero made his first career start in Sunday’s 8-5 win over Georgia. Scolamiero had a sacrifice fly and RBI in the victory.

Junior left-hander Vince Fiori made two appearances vs. Georgia and leads the Gamecocks with 15 on the year. Fiori is 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA and two saves in 19.2 innings. He has 21 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .182 against him.

For the season, South Carolina pitchers own a team ERA of 2.80. The Gamecocks have allowed 100 runs, 80 earned, on 214 hits in 257.0 innings with 98 walks to 249 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .227 against the Gamecocks. South Carolina’s ERA ranks third-best in the SEC with batters struck out third-highest and opposing batting average fifth-best as well. South Carolina’s 3.01 ERA in SEC games is also third-best in the conference.

South Carolina is hitting .261 (239-for-917) as a team with 165 runs scored, a .361 on-base percentage and a .375 slugging mark. The Gamecocks are fielding .970 for the year.

South Carolina is 19-3 on the year when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 17-3 on the year with a lead entering the seventh innings. The Gamecocks are 16-3 when allowing less than 10 hits, 8-2 when recording double-digit hits and 12-1 when out-hitting its opponent. South Carolina is 10-7 in games decided by three runs or less.

THIS WEEK
3/31/15 – at The Citadel – 7 p.m.
4/2/15 – at Mississippi State – 8 p.m.
4/3/15 – at Mississippi State – 7:30 p.m.
4/4/15 – at Mississippi State – 3 p.m.
All times are eastern