Gamecock Baseball Notebook
Feb. 18, 2018
COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team opened the 2018 campaign with a series win over VMI, taking the final two contests by 7-2 and 9-0 scores.
Record: 2-1
Home: 2-1
Streak: W2
Last Week:
2/16/18 – VMI (L, 7-6)
2/17/18 – VMI (W, 7-2)
2/18/18 – VMI (W, 9-0)
NOTES:
The opening to the 2018 season was the beginning of Head Coach Mark Kingston’s tenure as the Gamecocks’ mentor. This is Kingston’s ninth season as a head coach and he improved his overall record to 255-181-1 after the series.
The South Carolina bullpen did not allow a run in 12.1 innings of work in the three games. John Gilreath threw four innings of relief in Friday’s contest. He struck out four and allowed just three hits while not walking a batter. Logan Chapman and Sawyer Bridges combined to strike out five in 3.1 innings on Saturday while a trio of Gamecocks kept the Keydets scoreless on Sunday, including Gage Hinson, who struck out a pair in two innings.
The South Carolina pitching staff struck out 30 batters in three games, as all three starters (Adam Hill, Cody Morris and Ridge Chapman) struck out six batters in their outing. The pitching staff held VMI to a .167 batting average and just six extra-base hits.
South Carolina committed just one error in 104 chances over the weekend. Jonah Bride and LT Tolbert had five assists apiece while Hunter Taylor collected 22 putouts.
Senior Madison Stokes had an impressive start to 2018, going 5-for-9 with three doubles and two home runs, which is good for a 1.556 slugging percentage. He also walked four times to improve his on-base percentage to .692.
The Gamecocks had a power surge over the weekend, belting six home runs, two from Stokes and one apiece from Hunter Taylor, Chris Cullen, Justin Row and Jacob Olson. The team currently is slugging .510 with 12 extra-base hits.
Eleven players made their debut in a Gamecock uniform. Noah Campbell started all three games, while Jordan Holladay played at first base in the last two contests. On the mound, Ridge Chapman earned the start on Sunday, one of seven pitchers to make a Carolina debut.
Four players (Madison Stokes, Hunter Taylor, Jonah Bride and LT Tolbert) had hits in all three games this weekend. Those four are joined by Noah Campbell and Carlos Cortes as players to reach base safely in all three games.
South Carolina scored multiple runs in the first inning in all three games, including four in the opener. The Gamecocks’ put up nine of their 22 runs in the first frame.
Next Week
2/20/18 – North Florida – 4 p.m.
2/21/18 – Winthrop – 4 p.m. (SECN+)
2/23/18 – Charleston Southern – 4 p.m. (SECN+)
2/24/18 – Charleston Southern – 2 p.m. (SECN+)
2/25/18 – Charleston Southern – 1:30 p.m. (SECN+)
