Baseball Notebook

April 10, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina went 2-2 last week with a non-conference win vs. Furman and a win vs. Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks are 21-10 on the year and 7-5 in SEC play, one game back of first place in the league.

Record: 21-10
SEC: 7-5
Home: 15-7
Away: 6-2
Neutral: 0-1

Last Week: 2-2
4/4/17 ââ’¬” Furman (W, 6-1)
4/6/17 ââ’¬” Vanderbilt (L, 7-6)
4/7/17 ââ’¬” Vanderbilt (L, 5-3, 13 inn.)
4/8/17 ââ’¬” Vanderbilt (W, 6-1)

NOTES:
South Carolina pitchers continue to lead the SEC with a 2.74 ERA with a .217 opponents batting average that ranks second in the league. The Gamecocks have allowed 102 runs, 87 earned, on 226 hits in 285.2 innings with 320 strikeouts to 104 walks. The 320 strikeouts ranks third in the SEC. Carolina’s 2.88 ERA in 12 SEC games also leads the SEC. The Gamecocks tied a Founders Park record this weekend for strikeouts in a three-game series as the Carolina pitchers combined for 39 strikeouts in the three games vs. Vanderbilt.

South Carolina is hitting .274 (290-for-1058) for the season with a .357 on-base percentage and a .411 slugging percentage. The Gamecocks have 27 homers on the year. South Carolina has equaled or out-hit its opponent in 23 of 31 games this year. South Carolina is fielding .979 for the season with 15 games without an error. South Carolina is 12-3 when not committing an error. Carolina is hitting .254 (105-for-414) in SEC games, that ranks fifth in league contests.

South Carolina is 17-5 on the year when scoring first in a game and 17-3 when entering the seventh inning with a lead and 20-3 when entering the ninth inning with the lead. The Gamecocks are 13-2 when scoring six or more runs and 20-6 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 10-9 in games decided by three runs or less. Eight of South Carolina’s first 12 SEC games have been decided by three runs or less with the Gamecocks 3-5 in those contests. South Carolina is 9-0 in five-plus run games.

Sophomore right-hander Adam Hill carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the 6-1 win vs. Vanderbilt last Saturday. Hill improved to 2-3 allowing one run in six-plus innings of work with five walks and tying a career-high with 11 strikeouts. Hill owns a 2.23 ERA in seven starts. He has allowed 12 runs, 10 earned, on 28 hits in 40.1 innings with 17 walks to 48 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .199 against him. Hill is eighth in the SEC in opponents batting average and eighth in the SEC in ERA.

Sophomore infielder LT Tolbert continues to lead the Gamecocks in hitting with a .324 average (34-for-105) in 28 games played with 27 starts. Tolbert tied his career-high three times this past week in RBI as he drove in three runs in the 6-1 win over Furman, hit a three-run homer in the 7-6 loss to Vanderbilt and hit another three-run homer in the 6-1 win over the Commodores. Tolbert is hitting .410 (16-for-39) in his last 10 games with 13 of his 21 RBI this season coming in that span. Tolbert is also South Carolina’s leading hitter in SEC games batting at a .319 clip (15-for-47) in conference play.

Despite a no-decision in Friday’s 5-3 loss, junior right-hander Clarke Schmidt gave the Gamecocks a quality start. Schmidt allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings with a walk and 11 strikeouts. For the season he is 4-0 with a 1.15 ERA in seven starts. Schmidt has allowed just nine runs this year, six earned, on 32 hits in 47.0 innings with 14 walks to 57 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .193 against him. Schmidt ranks second in the SEC in ERA as well as sixth in opposing batting average and sixth in strikeouts. His 1.29 ERA in league games is fourth best as well.

Sophomore catcher Chris Cullen is on an eight-game hitting streak heading into the week. Cullen hit .375 (3-for-8) in a pair of starts vs. the Commodores with three runs scored. He is batting .303 (23-for-76) for the year with 15 RBI and 16 runs scored as well as four homers and five doubles and a .404 on-base percentage.

Senior left-hander Josh Reagan had a pair of scoreless outings vs. the Commodores. Reagan pitched 0.2 scoreless in the 5-3 loss to Vanderbilt and followed that up with three scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts for a save in the 6-1 win vs. the Commodores. Reagan is 3-1 with two saves in 13 relief appearances. He owns a 2.73 ERA. He has allowed nine runs, eight earned, on 22 hits in 26.1 innings with 27 strikeouts and just seven walks.

Freshman outfielder Carlos Cortes hit .333 (4-for-12) in the Vandy series with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Cortes’ average is up to .276 (16-for-58) with five runs scored and 12 RBI in 14 starts. Cortes is hitting .393 (11-for-28) with three runs scored and 10 of his 12 RBI this season in the last 10 games. Cortes has hit .375 (9-for-24) in SEC play.

Junior right-hander Wil Crowe worked into the seventh inning of a 7-6 loss vs. Vanderbilt on Thursday. Crowe allowed seven runs, four earned, on 11 hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Crowe is 3-2 with a 3.33 ERA in eight starts. He has struck out 52 in 48.2 innings pitched with opponents batting .237 against him. Crowe is 11th in the SEC in strikeouts and innings pitched.

Junior outfielder Alex Destino drove in a pair of runs in the 6-1 win vs. Vanderbilt and also hit a solo homer, his fifth round tripper of the year in Thursday’s 7-6 loss vs. the Commodores. Destino is batting .277 (33-for-119) and leads the team with 25 RBI. He has a team-high eight multi-RBI games as well.

Senior right-hander Colie Bowers was effective in relief in the 5-3 loss to the Commodores in 13 innings. Bowers allowed just one run on one hit in four innings with two walks and five strikeouts. Bowers is 2-0 with three saves in 13 relief appearances with a 0.83 ERA. He has allowed four runs, two earned, on nine hits in 21.2 innings with seven walks to 25 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .123 against him.

Sophomore outfielder TJ Hopkins was 2-for-4 with a double a RBI and a run scored in the 6-1 win vs. Vanderbilt. Hopkins is hitting .265 (27-for-102) with a team-high 25 runs scored. He is tied with Jacob Olson for the team-high in extra base hits with 12 as he has six doubles, two ripples and four homers. Hopkins has 14 RBI for the season.

Freshman right-hander Cody Morris improved to 2-0 with a win in the 6-1 victory over Furman. Morris allowed just one run on four hits in five innings of work with no walks and three strikeouts. Morris is 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in four starts. He has 21 strikeouts to four walks in 16.2 innings with opponents batting .172 against him.

Sophomore outfielder Jacob Olson is third on the team in hitting with a .298 average (34-for-114) with 18 RBI and 23 runs scored. Olson leads the Gamecocks in slugging percentage at .500 for the season. He is tied with Hopkins for the team lead in extra base hits with 12 as he has six doubles, a triple and five homers. Olson has reached base in 20 straight games.

Sophomore right-hander Graham Lawson pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts in the 7-6 loss to the Commodores. Lawson has 14 strikeouts in 16.2 innings with opponents batting .226 against him. He is 2-0 on the year.

Junior infielder Madison Stokes hit .333 (4-for-12) in the Vanderbilt series with a RBI and two runs scored. He was 2-for-5 with a run scored in the 5-3 loss to the Commodores.

Junior infielder Jonah Bride is second on the team in hitting with a .306 average (33-for-108) with 15 RBI and 17 runs scored. Bride is second on the team in on-base percentage with a .406 mark with 13 walks to eight strikeouts. Bride and Alex Destino are the only two Gamecocks to have started all 31 games this year.

Freshman right-hander Colby Lee pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief in the 6-1 win vs. Furman and followed that up with 0.2 scoreless in the 5-3 loss to Vanderbilt. Lee is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in six appearances. He has 12 strikeouts in 14.0 innings with opponents batting .180 against him.

South Carolina is outscoring its opponent 85-25 in the middle innings (4-5-6) this year.

NEXT WEEK
4/11/17 ââ’¬” vs. North Carolina (Charlotte, N.C. BB&T Ballpark) ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
4/14/17 ââ’¬” Mississippi State ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
4/15/17 ââ’¬” Mississippi State ââ’¬” 4 p.m.
4/16/17 ââ’¬” Mississippi State ââ’¬” 4 p.m. (SEC Network)