May 28, 2015
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina finished the 2015 season with a 32-25 record and a 13-17 mark in the Southeastern Conference.
K-MART
Senior first baseman Kyle Martin earned second-team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball and finished the year leading the Gamecocks in all three of the Triple Crown categories. Martin hit .350 (71-for-203) with 14 HR and 56 RBI. He also scored 50 runs, tallied 12 doubles, tripled twice and stole 11 bases. Martin had a .455 on-base percentage and a .635 slugging mark. Martin had 14 multi-RBI games for the season. Martin was a first-team All-SEC selection. Martin became the 28th player in school history to reach the 200-hit total with a single in the bottom of the eighth inning vs. LSU, his last hit at Carolina Stadium.
Martin was even more impressive in league contests. In 30 SEC games, Martin hit a league-high 11 homers, slugged a SEC-best .794 and totaled a league-best 85 total bases. In addition, he ranked second in the SEC in league games with a .393 batting average, a .504 on-base percentage and 24 walks in conference play.
Senior first baseman Kyle Martin homered in all three games of the Texas A&M series and drove in seven runs for the weekend. Martin’s two-run homer in the ninth inning of Friday’s game lifted the Gamecocks to a 9-7 victory. He would add a solo shot in Saturday’s 15-14 loss and closed out the series with a three-run homer and went 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBI in the 8-7 victory over the Aggies to clinch the series.
Martin homered twice for the first time in a game in his career including a grand slam and drove in seven runs in the 10-1 victory over Auburn. His seven RBI were the most in a single game since Adam Matthews had eight against College of Charleston on March 22, 2011. In addition, they were the most by a Gamecock player in a SEC game since Tim Angiolini drove in seven in a 15-14 win at Florida April 23, 1999. On April 11 at Florida, Martin became the first Gamecock since Brendan Winn on February 14, 2004 to hit for the cycle. It marked only the seventh time that a Gamecock had hit for the cycle and the second time it has happened vs. a SEC team. Martin’s four hits also tied a career-high.
JACK OF ALL TRADES
Junior left-hander Jack Wynkoop went 8-5 with a 3.27 ERA with 16 appearances and 14 starts. Wynkoop pitched a team-high 104.1 innings and struck out 86 batters with just 14 walks. Wynkoop became the 23rd pitcher in school history to reach the 20-win total. Wynkoop currently ranks 17th all-time in career wins with 22 in his three-year career. In league games, Wynkoop was 5-3 in league play with a save and a 3.57 ERA vs. SEC teams as well as 59 strikeouts to eight walks in 70.2 innings.
Wynkoop’s last victory was in a 9-7 win over No. 2 Texas A&M. Wynkoop allowed six runs on 12 hits in eight innings of work with six strikeouts and two walks.
Wynkoop did not allow an earned run in eight innings of work with just eight hits allowed, no walks and 10 strikeouts in the 10-1 victory over Auburn on Friday night.
Wynkoop was solid the week before as he worked 8.1 scoreless innings as the Gamecocks defeated Tennessee 4-0 on Friday night. Wynkoop allowed just seven hits and one walk while striking out five batters to earn the victory. Wynkoop did not allow a leadoff batter to reach base in the first sixth innings. The leadoff batter reached base in the seventh and eighth innings and was retired in a double play. Wynkoop became the 23rd pitcher in school history to reach the 20-win total with the victory.
Wynkoop also put together a tremendous start in a 5-2 win over Vanderbilt. Wynkoop hurled his first career complete game allowing just two runs on 10 hits in nine innings with just one walk and a career-high 12 strikeouts to help lead the Gamecocks to the victory.
Wynkoop earned the Tom Price Award as Gamecock MVP of the Clemson series. Wynkoop worked six-plus innings and allowed just one run in the 4-1 victory vs. the Tigers.
MAX IT OUT
Junior infielder Max Schrock hit .328 (63-for-192) with six HR and 34 RBI. He scored 44 runs, doubled 11 times and tallied two triples. Schrock had a .419 on-base percentage with a .500 slugging mark. He was a second-team All-SEC selection.
GREAT SCOTT
Sophomore right-hander Reed Scott earned a wn in relief vs. top ranked LSU in the 10-7 victory last Thursday as he allowed just one run on three hits in three innings of work. He also pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn a save in a 9-7 win over the No. 2 Texas A&M the week before.
Scott went 2-3 with a 3.20 ERA and two saves in 22 relief appearances. He pitched 50.2 innings and struck out 35 batters. Opponents batted .258 against him.
CALDWELL A HIT
Senior outfielder Elliott Caldwell set a South Carolina single-season record with eight triples on the year. Caldwell finished up batting .328 (64-for-195) with 34 runs scored and 41 RBI as well as a .426 on-base percentage and .482 slugging percentage. Caldwell had a team-high 22 multi-hit games.
Caldwell tallied three multi-hit games vs. Texas A&M and hit .429 (6-for-14) for the series. Caldwell went 2-for-5 with a RBI, a run scored and two stolen bases in Friday’s 9-7 win, he then went 2-for-5 with two RBI, a homer and three runs scored in the 15-14 loss and closed the weekend out going 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored in the 8-7 win over Texas A&M.
Caldwell hit .357 (5-for-14) in the Missouri series with a pair of RBI. He was 2-for-5 with a RBI on Saturday and on Sunday vs. the Tigers. Caldwell made ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays on Saturday with the No. 8 play of the day with a diving catch in left field.
Caldwell’s best weekend was when he hit .636 (7-for-11) in the Kentucky series with four runs scored, a triple, two homers and four RBI. Caldwell went 2-for-4 in the 10-1 win, followed that up going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a two-run homer in the 4-3 victory over the Wildcats and went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI including a game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth inning in Sunday’s 6-4 10-inning win. Caldwell’s homer on Saturday was the first of his career in a Gamecock uniform.
MURRAY IN RELIEF
Freshman right-hander Brandon Murray picked up his second save of the year allowing just one run on three hits in 2.2 innings with a walk and two strikeouts in the series-clinching 8-7 win at Texas A&M. Murray went 5-0 with a 4.36 ERA in 33.0 innings. Opponents hit .258 against him.
CONE LEADS IT OFF
Sophomore outfielder Gene Cone started all 57 games in center field for the Gamecocks. He was the only Gamecock to have started all 57 games. Cone batted .257 (55-for-214) with 48 runs scored and 13 stolen bases.
VINNY
Junior left-hander Vince Fiori had a team-high 25 appearances on the year. Fiori went 3-1 with a 4.02 ERA in 31.1 innings with 32 strikeouts and opponents batting .227 against him.
MOONEY IN THE MIDDLE
South Carolina junior infielder Marcus Mooney played in 34 games with 32 starts.
Mooney earned SEC Player of the Week honors after the Gamecocks won the Texas A&M series. Mooney returned from a hamstring injury and had a phenomenal weekend in College Station. Mooney hit .700 (7-for-10) in the Texas A&M series with three runs scored, two doubles, a homer and five RBI. He also walked three times. At one point in the weekend, Mooney had reached base in nine consecutive plate appearances. Mooney hit a three-run homer, his first career home run in Friday’s 9-7 win over the Aggies. He followed that up with a 4-for-4 day at the plate with two walks in the 15-14 loss at Texas A&M. He closed the series out going 2-for-3 with a RBI in the 8-7 series-clinching victory.
REAGAN FROM THE LEFT
Sophomore left-hander Josh Reagan went 2-2 with a 4.72 ERA in 47.2 innings with 10 walks to 34 strikeouts. Reagan made 15 appearances with seven starts.
A LOOK BACK AT TEXAS A&M SERIES
South Carolina had a tremendous offensive weekend at Texas A&M as the Gamecocks hit .350 (41-for-117) with 31 runs scored. South Carolina had a team on-base percentage of .430 with seven doubles and seven homers for the weekend. The Gamecocks also stole nine bases. In addition, the Gamecock defense was strong with no errors committed in the entire series. The .350 batting average was the second-highest for the Gamecocks in a weekend series this year and the highest in SEC play.
DYNAMIC DESTINO
Freshman designated hitter Alex Destino had a season-high eight-game hitting streak snapped in the last game of the LSU series. Destino hit .251 (42-for-167) with six homers and 35 RBI and a .395 slugging percentage.
DC DELIVERS
Sophomore infielder DC Arendas was among league leaders with 38 walks on the year and owned a .388 on-base percentage. Arendas had a team-high seven sacrifice flies and hit .215 (31-for-144) with 21 RBI and 22 runs scored as well as three homers.
A CLOSER LOOK AT WIDENER
Sophomore right-hander Taylor Widener went 1-5 on the year with a 4.78 ERA in 32.0 innings with 44 strikeouts. Opponents hit .264 against him. He also has nine saves, which ranks tied for fourth-best in the SEC. Widener was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List.
HUNTER WITH CAREER-HIGH
Freshman catcher Hunter Taylor came on late and was driving in a lot of runs in the last two weeks of play. Three of the last seven games, Taylor tied a career-high with three RBI. He was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the 10-7 win over LSU and had three RBI in the 17-0 win over USC Upstate. He also had a three-run homer in a 15-14 loss at Texas A&M. Taylor hit .238 (19-for-80) with 15 RBI in 26 starts.
SOLID PLAY FROM SCOLAMIERO
Freshman outfielder Clark Scolamiero had a career day in a 15-14 loss at Texas A&M going 4-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and two RBI. Both hits and RBI were career-highs. He was 3-for-5 vs. USC Upstate. Scolamiero hit .214 (12-for-56) in 13 starts with six RBI and nine runs scored.
ON THE MOUND
For the season, South Carolina pitchers finished with a 4.20 ERA. The Gamecocks allowed 278 runs, 237 earned, on 5517 hits in 507.1 innings with 206 walks to 456 strikeouts. Opponents hit .267 against the Gamecocks.
AT THE PLATE & ON THE FIELD
South Carolina hit .257 (484-for-1882) as a team with 315 runs scored, a .350 on-base percentage and a .375 slugging mark. The Gamecocks are fielding .972 for the year.
SUPERLATIVES
South Carolina was 28-7 on the year when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina was 29-4 on the year with a lead entering the seventh innings. The Gamecocks were 25-7 when allowing less than 10 hits, 14-5 when recording double-digit hits and 19-2 when out-hitting its opponent. South Carolina was 18-13 in games decided by three runs or less. South Carolina was 20-2 on the year when scoring six or more runs.
MORE ON A&M SERIES
In Saturday’s 15-14 loss, South Carolina’s 21 hits were the most by the Gamecocks in a game since South Carolina tallied 21 hits at Tennessee on April 7, 2013. The Gamecocks also finished with a season-high four homers, the most home runs in a game in the Holbrook era and the most since Carolina hit four vs. College of Charleston, March 22, 2011.
KEY HITS FROM KOCH
Sophomore catcher Logan Koch was 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI in Friday’s 10-1 win vs. Auburn. The two hits tied a career-high. Logan Koch hit a two-run homer in a 4-0 win at Tennessee. The homer was Koch’s second of the season and the first of his career vs. a SEC opponent.
Koch drove in his first run in conference play with a game-winning two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth in a 3-2 win over Vanderbilt. Koch also hit a game-winning two-run homer in a 2-0 win over Miami and followed that up with a two-run single with the bases loaded in a 7-0 win.
IN THE CROWE’S NEST
Sophomore right-hander Wil Crowe was 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. Crowe’s 59 strikeouts are sixth highest in the SEC on the year. Crowe underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the 2015 season after the Florida series due to an injury to his right elbow.
Crowe earned SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors as announced by the league office on March 16 after a win vs. Kentucky. Crowe was phenomenal allowing just one run, unearned, on one hit with three walks and 10 strikeouts in seven innings of work in the 10-1 victory vs. Kentucky. His 10 strikeouts tied a career-high. Crowe allowed just a single in the first inning to the Wildcats, who came into Columbia this weekend riding an 11-game winning streak and hitting .312 at the plate.
Crowe is the first Gamecock this season to earn a conference weekly honor. The league office twice recognized him in 2014, once as SEC Pitcher of the Week and once as SEC Freshman of the Week.
SCHMIDT CONTRIBUTES
Freshman right-hander Clarke Schmidt pitched in 18 games with 10 starts. His 10 starts was second-highest on the team. Schmidt went 2-2 with a 4.81 ERA in 58.0 innings with 55 strikeouts.
GORE IN A GROOVE
Sophomore infielder Jordan Gore reached base three times in the 10-1 win over Auburn going 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. He would add a hit and a run scored in Saturday’s 6-2 loss as well.. Gore hit his first homer of the year in the 4-3 loss at Tennessee. He had a three-run double also in Tuesday’s 17-0 win over USC Upstate. Gore hit .255 (41-for-161) with 20 RBI and 27 runs scored.
MINCEY MAKES HIS MARK
Senior right-hander Cody Mincey made 18 relief appearances for 28.0 innings with 27 strikeouts. Opponents hit .247 against him.
STOKES HAS SUCCESS
Freshman infielder Madison Stokes had a career-high three hits and a pair of RBI in Tuesday’s 17-0 win over USC Upstate. Stokes hit .207 (17-for-82) with six runs scored and nine RBI in 21 starts.
PRESTON WITH PRECISION
Junior right-hander Preston Johnson pitched 1.1 perfect innings in the 17-0 win over USC Upstate. He recorded a strikeout for all six outs he tallied in Saturday’s loss to Georgia. Johnson is 2-0 with 13 strikeouts to just four walks in 11.2 innings of work. Johnson retired all 11 batters he faced for 3.2 perfect innings with five strikeouts and earned his first career win in his first career appearance in the 11-3 victory over High Point. He followed that up with 2.1 innings of work to earn his second win of the year in a 13-3 victory over Penn State. Johnson went 2-0 with a 4.80 ERA in 15.0 innings with 15 strikeouts.
HASWELL PITCHES WELL
Freshman right-hander Tyler Haswell pitched four scoreless innings in his second career start in the 2-0 win at The Citadel.
Haswell had a 4.15 ERA in 8.2 innings with nine strikeouts and opponents hitting .200 against him.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE
South Carolina senior outfielder Patrick Harrington is the last remaining active Gamecock player that was a member of the 2011 national championship team. Harrington saw action in 26 games last year with 16 starts and compiled a .333 on-base percentage with five runs scored and two RBI.
GAMECOCK NEWCOMERS
South Carolina baseball’s recruiting class was ranked as high No. 5 in the nation as announced by Baseball America. It was the second consecutive year the Gamecocks have brought in a Top 5 class as last year’s group was ranked No. 3 in the country by Baseball America.
