Baseball Faces James Madison to Open Raleigh Regional

FOR STARTERS

• South Carolina makes its 35th appearance in NCAA Tournament play as the Gamecocks head to the NCAA Raleigh Regional starting Friday, May 31 against James Madison.
• The Gamecocks face the Dukes at 2 p.m. at Doak Field at Dail Park.
• The game will be televised on ESPN+ with Dani Wexelman and Roddy Jones on the call.
• Friday’s game also will be on the Gamecock Sports Network presented by Learfield with Derek Scott and Stuart Lake on the call.

SCOUTING JAMES MADISON

• The Dukes come into the Raleigh Regional with a 34-23 overall record and a 17-13 record in Sun Belt play.
• Fenwick Trimble leads JMU with a .371 batting average with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 61 RBI.
• Jason Schiavone has a team-best 18 home runs and Mike Mancini has 29 stolen bases, part of the 100 for the Dukes as a team.
• On the mound, Max Kuhle has four wins on the mound and 67 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched.
• Marlin Ikenberry is in his ninth season as head coach at James Madison.

SERIES VS. JAMES MADISON

• This will be the 11th meeting overall between Carolina and JMU. The Gamecocks own a 9-1 all-time record over the Dukes.
• The last meeting between the two teams was in the 2008 Raleigh Regional, which was a 7-5 Gamecock win. Justin Smoak hit a pair of home runs and Blake Cooper struck out nine in 8.1 innings to earn the win.
• Carolina and James Madison will play in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time. The Gamecocks won in the 1988 Atlantic Region Tournament in Coral Gables, Fla., by a 3-2 count.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

• Carolina is 140-73 all-time in NCAA Tournament play.
• The Gamecocks will play in the NCAA Tournament for the 35th time, having made 11 trips to the College World Series.
• Carolina won the 2023 NCAA Columbia Regional, defeating Central Connecticut State, NC State and Campbell at Founders Park.
• Carolina faced James Madison in the 2008 Raleigh Regional, defeating the Dukes, 7-5.

GAMECOCKS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• Ethan Petry was 7-for-19 with five runs scored, a home run and three RBI in the five NCAA Tournament games for the Gamecocks last season. He was named to the NCAA Columbia Regional All-Tournament team.
• Talmadge LeCroy earned NCAA Columbia Regional team honors and had two doubles and six RBI in the five postseason games.
• Eli Jones did not allow a run in 4.1 innings, striking out three in two appearances.
• Chris Veach picked up a save in the win over NC State and struck out four in 3.1 innings in both the regional and super regional.
• Parker Noland (Vanderbilt) and Blake Jackson (Charlotte) both played in the NCAA Tournament last year with their former teams.

MESSINA EARNS ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS

• Cole Messina was named to the All-SEC Tournament team after Sunday’s championship game.
• Messina was 9-for-16 with nine runs scored, a double, four home runs, a tournament record 16 RBI and eight walks to go with three stolen bases.
• Messina had a grand slam on Thursday against LSU and hit two home runs in the win over Arkansas on Wednesday.
• Messina became the first Gamecock since LT Tolbert in 2018 to earn All-Tournament honors.
• Messina now is hitting. 330 on the season with 20 home runs and 69 RBI.

SEC TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS

• Carolina went 3-2 in the SEC Tournament, defeating Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky.
• Parker Marlatt struck out six in 3.2 innings of relief in the 6-5 win over Kentucky on Friday. Marlatt allowed just two hits and a run to pick up his third win of the season.
• Chris Veach earned the win in relief on Tuesday against Alabama. He did not allow a run in 5.2 innings of relief while striking out six in helping the Gamecocks to the double elimination round.
• Dalton Reeves belted Carolina’s first grand slam of the season in the Alabama win, then hit a three-run home run on Satruday against LSU. Reeves had six hits and eight RBI in the tournament.
• Blake Jackson scored 10 runs in five games of the SEC Tournament. Jackson went 7-for-15 with five walks and three hit-by-pitches.
• Matthew Becker struck out eight batters in 5.2 innings, earning a save in the Kentucky win.
• Carolina hit 10 home runs in the five tournament games, part of a record-breaking tournament that saw 46 round trippers in 17 games.

MESSINA NAMED SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC

• Cole Messina was named to the All-SEC second team at catcher on May 20.
• This is the second straight year that Messina has earned all-conference honors.
• Messina leads the Gamecocks with a .330 batting average to go along with 19 doubles, 20 home runs and 69 RBI.
• Messina was named SEC Player of the Week after going 9-for-14 with seven runs scored and two home runs in a series win over Missouri.
• Messina is Carolina’s first two-time All-SEC awardwinner since Matt Price and Christian Walker were named to the All-SEC teams in 2011 and 2012. Price was a three time selection, earning honors in 2010.

PETRY: 30 FOR (44)

• Sophomore Ethan Petry hit a home run in the 10-5 win over Alabama on May 21, his 44th career home run as a Gamecock.
• Petry is now a tie for fifth place on Carolina’s all-time home runs list and is the 29th Gamecock to hit 30 or more home runs in a career.
• Petry needs one more home run to tie Jeff Parnell (1990-93) for fourth place on Carolina’s all-time list.

MESSINA GETS TO THE 30 MARK

• Cole Messina belted his 30th career home run in the 10-2 win over Missouri on May 3.
• Messina now has 37 career home runs after his homer on May 23 vs. LSU. He’s the 30th Gamecock to hit 30 or more home runs in his career.
• He is currently in 14th place on Carolina’s all-time list and is one back of Eric Stanton for a tie for 13th place.

MILESTONE CENTRAL

• Head Coach Mark Kingston earned his 200th win at South Carolina in the Presbyterian game on March 26. Kingston now has 216 wins at Carolina and 489 wins overall.
• Ethan Petry recorded his 100th career RBI in the Presbyterian win. Petry now has 127 RBI in only 122 career games. Cole Messina joined Petry in the 100-RBI club on April 20 against Arkansas. Messina has 135 RBI in his Gamecock career.
• Cole Messina recorded his 100th career hit at Carolina March 26 vs. Presbyterian. Messina now has 146 hits, joining Talmadge LeCroy (123) and Ethan Petry (147) in the 100-hit club at Carolina.
• Ty Good recorded his 300th career strikeout March 30 at Alabama. Good has 344 strikeouts between the College of Charleston and Carolina.
• Kennedy Jones and Parker Noland both are in the 200-hit club in college. Jones has 232 hits between UNC Greensboro and Carolina while Noland has 242 hits between Vanderbilt and Carolina.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
South Carolina Eli Jones (Jr. RHP) 3-4, 5.32 ERA, 64.1 IP, 19 BB, 52 SO
James Madison Todd Mozoki (Jr. RHP) 5-1, 6.80 ERA, 47.2 IP, 22 BB, 42 SO