Baseball Notebook

March 27, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina went 3-1 last week with a non-conference win vs. Charleston Southern and two of three wins in the weekend series vs. Alabama. The Gamecocks are 17-6 on the year and 5-1 in SEC play, tied for first in the conference after two weeks of play.

Record: 17-6
SEC: 5-1
Home: 13-5
Away: 4-0
Neutral: 0-1

Last Week: 3-1
3/22/17 ââ’¬” Charleston Southern (W, 3-0)
3/24/17 ââ’¬” Alabama (L, 4-2)
3/25/17 ââ’¬” Alabama (W, 6-5, 10 inn.)
3/26/17 ââ’¬” Alabama (W, 4-2)

NOTES:
The pitching staff continues to put up solid numbers as the staff finished with a team ERA of 2.73 on the weekend with 56 strikeouts in 56. 0 innings pitched. Alabama hit .238 for the weekend as the Gamecocks earned the series victory. For the season, South Carolina’s pitching staff has a 2.82 team ERA. The Gamecocks have allowed 76 runs, 66 earned, on 166 hits in 211.0 innings with 237 strikeouts to 84 walks and opponents hitting .215 against them. South Carolina is second in the SEC in ERA, third in opposing batting average and fifth in strikeouts. Carolina’s 2.73 ERA in six SEC games is second-best in the league as well

South Carolina is hitting .272 (208-for-764) for the season with a .363 on-base percentage and a .414 slugging percentage. The Gamecocks have 21 homers on the year. South Carolina has equaled or out-hit its opponent in 17 of 23 games this year. South Carolina is fielding .978 for the season.

South Carolina is 14-3 on the year when scoring first in a game and 13-2 when entering the seventh inning with a lead and 16-1 when entering the ninth inning with the lead. The Gamecocks are 9-1 when scoring six or more runs and 16-4 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 10-5 in games decided by three runs or less.

Junior infielder LT Tolbert was South Carolina’s top hitter in the Alabama series batting .364 (4-for-11). Tolbert tied a career-high with three hits in Saturday’s 6-5 win. Tolbert is second on the team in hitting with a .301 average (22-for-73) on the year with eight runs scored and eight RBI. He is fielding 1.000 as well with 24 putouts and 49 assists, primarily at second base. Tolbert’s seven multi-hit games leads the team.

Despite a no-decision, junior right-hander Wil Crowe turned in another quality start in Saturday’s 6-5 win vs. Alabama. Crowe allowed two runs on five hits in 6.1 innings with two walks and five strikeouts. For the season, he is 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA in six starts. He has allowed 11 runs on 26 hits in 36.0 innings with 13 walks and a team-high 41 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .195 against him. He is tied for eighth in the SEC in strikeouts, ranks 10th in opposing batting average and is 15th in innings pitched.

Junior first baseman Matt Williams has reached base safely in 21 straight games. He is South Carolina’s leading hitter with a .358 average (24-for-67) with 12 runs scored, two doubles, a homer and 10 RBI. He owns a .489 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging mark. Williams ranks sixth in the SEC in on-base percentage and 12th in batting average.

Junior right-hander Clarke Schmidt returned to the rotation this weekend after sitting out last week with a mild oblique strain. Schmidt was effective in a no-decision in Sunday’s 4-2 win. He allowed one run on just three hits in six innings with no walks and five strikeouts. Schmidt is 3-0 on the year with a 1.12 ERA. He has allowed seven runs, four earned, on 22 hits in 32.0 innings with 10 walks and 36 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting only .190 against him. Schmidt is sixth in the SEC in ERA and ninth in opposing batting average.

Freshman first baseman Riley Hogan got the start at designated hitter and delivered for the Gamecocks in Sunday’s 4-2 win going 2-for-3 with a RBI double and reaching base in three of four plate appearances. Hogan raised his season average to .294 (5-for-17) with a .400 on-base percentage.

Sophomore right-hander Adam Hill was solid despite a loss in Friday’s 4-2 win to the Crimson Tide. He allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings with a walk and set a season-high with nine strikeouts. Hill is 1-3 with a 2.15 ERA in five starts. He has allowed nine runs, seven earned, on 23 hits in 29.1 innings with 11 walks and 34 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .217 against him. Hill is 13th in the SEC in ERA. Hill also has 14 strikeouts in two league games, tied for fourth-best in the conference.

Sophomore outfielder TJ Hopkins put together a multi-hit game in Friday’s loss vs. Alabama and a multi-RBI game in Saturday’s win vs. the Crimson Tide. Hopkins was 2-for-5 on Friday and 1-for-3 with two RBI on Saturday. He is hitting .282 (20-for-71) with a team-high 20 runs scored and 11 RBI. His .507 slugging percentage leads the team.

Senior left-hander Josh Reagan earned a win in relief in Saturday’s victory vs. Alabama allowing three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Reagan is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 10 relief appearances with a save as well. Opponents are hitting .209 against him. Reagan is one of five pitchers in the SEC with two league wins.

Junior infielder Jonah Bride has reached base in 11 straight games. Bride drove in runs in both Saturday and Sunday’s victories vs. Alabama. Bride is hitting .273 (21-for-77) with 13 runs scored and 11 RBI to go along with a .380 on-base percentage. He has walked 10 times to just five strikeouts.

Senior right-hander Colie Bowers picked up his third save of the season with 0.2 scoreless innings of relief in Sunday’s 4-2 win vs. Alabama. Bowers has a 0.54 ERA in 11 relief appearances as well as two wins. He has 18 strikeouts in 16.2 innings, opponents batting .138 against him.

Junior catcher Hunter Taylor was 1-for-4 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored in the 6-5 win vs. Alabama. He was also 2-for-3 with a RBI double in the 3-0 win vs. Charleston Southern. Taylor is hitting .343 (12-for-35) with seven runs scored and three RBI as well as four doubles and a .455 on-base percentage. He has reached base in nine straight games.

Junior left-hander John Parke earned the win in relief in Sunday’s 4-2 win with two scoreless innings of relief. Park is 1-1 on the year with a save in four relief appearances.

Sophomore catcher Chris Cullen reached base three times in the 6-5 win vs. Alabama going 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. Cullen is hitting .259 (14-for-54) with four homers, 13 RBI and a .385 on-base percentage.

Senior right-hander Reed Scott pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief in the 4-2 loss to Alabama. Scott is 1-1 with two saves in nine relief appearances and a 2.70 ERA. Opponents are batting .227 against him in 23.1 innings of work.

Junior outfielder Alex Destino went 2-for-4 with a RBI in the 3-0 win vs. Charleston Southern. Destino is batting .291 (25-for-86) with 12 runs scored and a team-high 19 RBI. He has a .367 on-base percentage and a .477 slugging. Destino is tied for team lead with four homers as well.

South Carolina’s on-base percentage went up this weekend, partly due to 23 walks in the three-game series. Carolina walked six times in the opener followed by nine times in Saturday’s win and eight more on Sunday.

NEXT WEEK
3/28/17 ââ’¬” at The Citadel ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
3/31/17 ââ’¬” at Auburn ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
4/1/17 ââ’¬” at Auburn ââ’¬” 6 p.m. ââ’¬” (ESPNU)
4/2/17 ââ’¬” at Auburn ââ’¬” 2 p.m.