Baseball Notebook

May 8, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina is 27-19 and 11-13 in the SEC. South Carolina has played 28 games this season against teams ranked in the Top 25, the second-highest total in the SEC with 12 wins vs. Top 25 teams on the year, the fourth-highest win total in the conference as well. The Gamecocks have played 25 of 46 games this year vs. RPI Top 50 teams with 10 Top 50 RPI wins. The 10 RPI Top 50 wins ties for seventh-most among SEC schools. The Gamecocks are fourth in the SEC Eastern Division and tied for ninth in the league with six SEC games remaining.

Record: 27-19
SEC: 11-13
Home: 19-11
Away: 8-6
Neutral: 0-2

Last Week: 2-2
5/3/17 ââ’¬” Wofford ââ’¬” W, 9-5
5/5/17 ââ’¬” at LSU ââ’¬” W, 3-2
5/6/17 ââ’¬” at LSU ââ’¬” L, 5-2
5/7/17 ââ’¬” at LSU ââ’¬” L, 7-6 (10)

NOTES:
South Carolina has only lost four games this year by four or more runs. South Carolina is 13-15 in games decided by three runs or less. 16 of South Carolina’s 24 SEC games have been decided by three runs or less this year. The Gamecocks are 5-11 in those contests.

The South Carolina pitching staff ranks seventh in the SEC in earned run average. The Gamecocks own a 3.63 team ERA with 195 runs allowed, 168 earned, on 355 hits in 417.0 innings pitched. The Gamecocks have struck out 429 batters to 176 walks. Opponents are batting .232 against the Gamecocks. South Carolina ranks sixth in the SEC in opposing batting average as well as seventh in strikeouts. South Carolina’s 3.76 ERA in SEC games is fourth in the conference as well. The Gamecocks have 195 strikeouts in 218.0 innings during conference play.

South Carolina is hitting .264 (410-for-1554) for the season with a .347 on-base percentage and a .398 slugging percentage. The Gamecocks have 40 homers on the year. South Carolina has equaled or out-hit its opponent in 30 of 46 games this year. South Carolina is fielding .976 for the season with 19 games without an error. South Carolina is 13-6 when not committing an error. South Carolina ranks fifth in the SEC in fielding.

South Carolina is 21-9 on the year when scoring first in a game and 21-5 when entering the seventh inning with a lead and 26-3 when entering the ninth inning with the lead. The Gamecocks are 15-3 when scoring six or more runs and 26-9 when allowing five runs or less. South Carolina is 13-15 in games decided by three runs or less. South Carolina is 10-3 in five-plus run games.

Junior outfielder/designated hitter Alex Destino was South Carolina’s top hitter in the LSU series hitting .500 (3-for-6) with a pair of runs scored, a three-run homer in Sunday’s 7-6 loss and four RBIs. Destino also had a two-run homer in Wednesday’s 9-5 win vs. Wofford. He is batting .265 (41-for-155) for the season with a team-high seven homers and is tied with a team-high 31 RBIs as well. Destino owns a team-high 10 multi-RBI games as well.

Senior left-hander Josh Reagan was effective in relief in a pair of games at LSU. Reagan earned the win in relief in Friday’s 3-2 win at LSU with three scoreless innings of work with a pair of strikeouts. He followed that up with a solid 3.2 innings of relief in Sunday’s 7-6 loss allowing just one run on five hits. For the season, Reagan leads the Gamecocks in wins with a 5-1 record and a 2.40 ERA in a team-high 22 appearances with two saves. He has struck out 39 in 45.0 innings with opponents batting .225 against him. Four of Reagan’s five wins have come in SEC play.

Sophomore outfielder TJ Hopkins hit .417 (5-for-12) in the LSU series with three runs scored, a double and a RBI. Hopkins is third on the team in hitting with a .289 average (43-for-149) with 32 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, four homers and 15 RBIs. His top game at LSU was in Sunday’s 7-6 loss as he went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a double. Hopkins is South Carolina’s top hitter in the last 10 games with a .333 average (11-for-33) with seven runs scored in that span.

Junior right-hander Wil Crowe had a no-decision in Friday’s 3-2 win at LSU. He allowed two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings with three walks. Crowe is 4-4 in 12 starts with a 3.59 ERA. He has 63 strikeouts to 25 walks in 72.2 innings with opponents batting .257 against him.

Sophomore infielder LT Tolbert leads the Gamecocks in hitting with a .310 average (48-for-155) with 20 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, three homers and 31 RBIs. Tolbert hit .333 (3-for-9) in the LSU series with three walks. He was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in Sunday’s 7-6 loss at LSU. Tolbert is batting .299 (26-for-87) in SEC play with 10 runs scored and 18 RBIs in league contests.

Sophomore right-hander Adam Hill suffered the loss in Saturday’s 5-2 loss at LSU. He allowed five runs on six hits in six innings with three walks and six strikeouts. For the season, Hill is 3-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 11 starts. He has struck out 68 in 60.2 innings pitched with opponents batting .203 against him. Hill is 3-2 in SEC play with a conference ERA of 3.32 for the year with 48 strikeouts in 43.1 innings pitched in league play. Conference opponents are batting .222 against him.

Freshman outfielder Carlos Cortes continues to be South Carolina’s top bat in SEC play. Cortes leads the Gamecocks in hitting in conference contests with a .324 average (24-for-74) with 12 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, six homers and 21 RBIs. Cortes was 2-for-4 with a run scored in Sunday’s 7-6 loss at LSU. For the season, Cortes is hitting .282 (33-for-117) with 16 runs scored and 26 RBIs.

Junior right-hander Tyler Johnson earned his eighth save of the season in Friday’s 3-2 win at LSU. Johnson pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief in the victory. Johnson is 0-2 with a 3.12 ERA in 13 relief appearances. He has 25 strikeouts in 17.1 innings with opponents batting .250 against him.

Sophomore outfielder Jacob Olson registered his seventh assist from the outfield in the 7-6 loss at LSU. His top game last week was in the 9-5 win vs. Wofford when he went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Olson is batting .297 (52-for-175) with 30 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple, five homers and 23 RBIs with a .446 slugging percentage.

Sunday’s game at LSU marked senior right-hander Reed Scott’s 84th career appearance and ninth career start for the Gamecocks. It was his first start since April 21, 2015 at Furman and his second career start vs. a SEC opponent. Scott’s only other SEC start was vs. Georgia on March 28, 2015. Scott allowed four runs on seven hits in four-plus innings of work. Scott is 1-2 on the year with a 3.86 ERA and a pair of saves in 19 relief appearances. He has 35 strikeouts in 42.0 innings with opponents batting .259 against him.

Freshman first baseman Riley Hogan hit his first career homer and was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs in the 9-5 win vs. Wofford. Hogan is batting .262 (11-for-42) with five runs scored and four RBIs.

Senior right-hander Colie Bowers pitched two scoreless innings of relief in Saturday’s 5-2 loss at LSU. Bowers is 3-1 with three saves in 19 relief appearances with a 1.95 ERA. He has struck out 30 batters in 27.2 innings with opponents batting .151 against him.

Junior third baseman Jonah Bride is fourth on the team in hitting with a .275 average (44-for-160) with 24 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, two homers and 20 RBIs.

Junior infielder Madison Stokes drove in three runs in the LSU series. He is batting .225 (34-for-151) for the season with 18 runs scored, nine doubles, three homers and 17 RBIs on the year.

NEXT WEEK
5/9/17 ââ’¬” Presbyterian ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
5/10/17 ââ’¬” Liberty ââ’¬” 7 p.m.
5/12/17 ââ’¬” at Missouri ââ’¬” 7:30 p.m. ET
5/13/17 ââ’¬” at Missouri ââ’¬” 3 p.m. ET
5/14/17 ââ’¬” at Missouri ââ’¬” 2 p.m. ET