Two quick bits of news today:

1) Gamecocks third baseman LB Dantzler will be one of eight participants in the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby in Omaha. The derby will take place July 3rd, but it will be televised on CBS from 2-3 ET on July 7th. In the 2012 season, LB went yard 10 times, including once in the CWS.

2) New SEC member Texas A&M is reportedly interested in bringing current USC AD Eric Hyman in to fill the same role in College Station. Hyman is in his seventh year in Columbia and has played a major role in improving Gamecock athletics. He was said to be in consideration for the AD position at UNC, his alma mater, last year, but he chose to stay at USC.

A statement released by the university today said Hyman would not comment on the matter. His current contract with South Carolina ends in June 2015.

It was a good day to be South Carolina.

After the NCAA released its ruling and the university found out they’ll face no further sanctions, the baseball team got down to business, resuming their game from yesterday which was postponed due to weather.

LB and Reptar took questions following Game 2. Seriously.

The Cocks were hitless when the game resumed in the eighth inning, but Adam Matthews changed all that with a solo homer to lead off the inning. That one run was all the scoring either team would do, and USC hung on for a 1-0 victory over the Tide.

Michael Roth pitched all seven innings on Thursday, surrendering no runs on four hits. He walked four batters and struck out five. Tyler Webb, who pitched a perfect eighth inning, got the win and is now 4-0 on the season. Matt Price hurled a flawless ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the year. Bama’s Jon Keller took the loss and fell to 1-3.

Game 2 had all the hits and runs the first game was lacking. South Carolina defeated Alabama 12-11 thanks to a bottom-of-the-ninth rally, and the teams combined for 27 hits.

The Crimson Tide got on the board early, taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Christian Walker smacked a ball out of the park to make it 4-2 in the bottom of the inning, but Bama responded with a two-run shot of their own. Matthews hit another solo bomb in the second inning and Grayson Greiner went yard to bring in three runs in the fourth. The Gamecocks led 9-7 after the fourth inning, but the Tide weren’t done.

Bama held an 11-9 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, when Sean Sullivan stepped up to save the day. After Evan Marzilli struck out, Greiner brought in Walker from second with a single, and TJ Costen doubled to put runners at second and third. LB Dantzler was intentionally walked, which loaded the bases for Sullivan. He hit a blooper into left-center, and a fielding flub allowed Costen to make it across home plate.

» Continue reading “Yardcocks Take Series Over Bama, Jeffery Drafted By Bears”

After too many days without Gamecock baseball, the boys will be back on the diamond tomorrow night to begin a series against Alabama.

We’ve now passed the midway point of SEC play, so it’s crucial that the Cocks keep up the success they’ve had against conference teams recently. They’ll have to do it without pitcher Colby Holmes, though, after Ray Tanner confirmed that Holmes strained a muscle during practice today.

That means that Michael Roth and Jordan Montgomery will start Thursday and Friday as planned, but the Saturday starter is still unknown. It could be Matt Price, especially if he isn’t used much in the first two games. Roth has struggled a bit as of late, so hopefully can get back on track.

Freshmen were key in the sweep against the Tigers last weekend and if they’re still hot this weekend, that can only mean good things for South Carolina. After losing plenty of low scoring games, USC rolled over AU 12-5 and 11-7. Hopefully that’s an indication that things on finally coming together and the offense will no longer be MIA.

Carolina is 30-11 overall so far this season and 11-7 in SEC play. They’re tied with Florida for second in the East, with Kentucky as the top team. At 17-25 overall and 6-12 in the conference, the Tide aren’t doing so hot, and are in fact last in the West. That being said, if the Gamecocks don’t play quality baseball, they could find themselves on the wrong side of an upset, and worse yet, dropping games they really need to win.

The first pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 7:30 ET at Carolina Stadium. This is also the SEC Game of the Week on ESPNU. Friday’s game will get started at 7 ET, and Saturdy’s contests is set for 1:30 ET.

» Continue reading “Yardcocks Look To Keep Things Rolling Against Bama”