Leftover Hot Dog: 2/15/09

Saturday, February 21, 2009

USC baseball wins Game 1

USC Baseball has began the 09 season with a win today vs. Duquesne with a shut out....13-0. Gamecock starting pitcher Sam Dyson went 5 innings gave up 1 hit, struck out 6 and walked 2. OF Mack and C Dalles each had a HR. Bangs and Mack each had 3 RBIs.

Go Cocks! The above pic is the first pitch at the new ballpark.

Game 2 vs. Duquesne is on Sunday

Related news -
Making history: USC cruises at new home

Gamecock Baseball Begins Today

The 2009 season begins this weekend as South Carolina opens Carolina Stadium with a three-game series vs. Duquesne. First pitch for the opener is 2 p.m. USC will start sophomore RHP Sam Dyson today.

The Gamecocks find themselves in a different position to begin the season as none of the four major collegiate baseball polls have the team ranked to start of the year. It is the first time Carolina has not been preseason ranked since 1997.

USC’s probable lineup

LF DeAngelo Mack: Junior outfielder who earned NCAA All-Tourney honors in 2008
CF Whit Merrifield: Lone regular outfield starter to return, played in Cape Cod league
RF Jackie Bradley Jr.: Freshman who earned all-state honors in Prince George, Va.
1B Jeffery Jones: JUCO transfer who showed strong hitting ability in fall camp
2B Scott Wingo: Starter 43 games as a freshman last fall and had just five errors
SS Bobby Haney: Junior college player from Manatee CC who adds left handed bat
3B Andrew Crisp: Only returning senior in fielding lineup, spent last fall mostly at 2B
C Justin Dalles: JUCO who has battled FSU transfer Brady Thomas and Kyle Enders
DH Parker Bangs: Named a top prospect in Coastal Plain League, can pitch and field

---Other JC transfers expected to contribute include infielder Nick Ebert, infielder Casey Rihn.

STARTING ROTATION

Blake Cooper: One of team’s most experienced arms, was 5-6 with 3.94 ERA in ‘08
Sam Dyson: Moves from mid-week hurler to weekend rotation, ’07 All-American
Adam Westmoreland: Freshman left-hander from Lexington High School
Nolan Belcher: Another freshman lefty excepted to make immediate impact

CLOSER

P Matt Price

COACHES

Head Coach: Ray Tanner (540-243 in 13th season).
Assistants: Chad Holbrook (first season), Mark Calvi (fifth season), Sammy Esposito (second season).

Related News Links ---

USC baseball reloads for postseason run
Unranked USC has a lot to prove
2009 looks to be a season of change for Crisp, USC
USC opens new era at Carolina Stadium
USC's Jeff Davis drives stadium to completion
Pitching rotation welcomes all sizes
Dyson aims to ace opening day start
Ranking the SEC's baseball stadiums
Parking headaches at stadium likely

USC Basketball to take on the Hogs

South Carolina (18-6, 7-4 SEC) will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (13-11, 1-10 SEC) at home tonight after the baseball game. Play begins at 7pm and the gamecocks look to overcome the MSU loss.

Arkansas leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 12-8. The series is tied at 4-4 in games played in Columbia. USC is 14-1 at home and Ark-Kansas is 1-6 on the road.

The gamecocks must focus on this game and not let this one turn into a loss as this team has showed signs of good play, granted it was to start the season with wins over OU and Texas. Nonetheless, USC come out fighting and play the entire game. MSU they started out hot but came out slow in the 2nd half. Can not do that again. SC must slow the play of Preseason All-SEC forward Michael Washington as he can be a beast. Another area that USC must control is the Hogs backcourt as junior guard Stefan Welsh (12.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and freshman guard Rotnei Clarke (11.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg) join Fortson in a backcourt that contributes nearly 38 points per game. So Zam and Devan time to play some serious D and don't give up open looks. Contest each shot.

I feel USC can win this game if they continue to play as a team, be aggressive on D but limit the hogs on easy baskets. Also USC needs to cut out the TOs! Also it would be nice to see some FTs being made and a hot hand behind the arc today.

I put this game on the shoulders of Archie, Muldrow and Holmes. Devan and Zam will get theirs but the other 3 must step up today to ensure a letdown is not given to the gamecock nation.

I say SC by 9 today....?

News related links -

USC Baseball Schedule for 2009

USC’s 2009 baseball schedule

February: Today, Duquesne; Sunday, Duquesne; Monday, Duquesne; 28, at Clemson.

March: 1, Clemson; 3, Georgia State; 4, Charleston Southern; 6, Long Beach State; 7, Long Beach State; 8, Long Beach State; 10, Old Dominion; 11, Wofford; 13, at Mississippi State; 14, at Mississippi State; 15, at Mississippi State; 17, Davidson; 18, at Furman; 20, LSU; 21, LSU; 22, LSU; 24, at College of Charleston; 25, Georgia Southern; 27, at Kentucky; 28, at Kentucky; 29, at Kentucky; 31, at The Citadel.

April: 1, Furman; 3, Arkansas; 4, Arkansas; 5, Arkansas; 7, Presbyterian; 8, at Clemson; 10, at Ole Miss; 11, at Ole Miss; 12, at Ole Miss; 14, College of Charleston; 15, The Citadel; 17, Auburn; 18, Auburn; 19, Auburn; 21, at USC Upstate; 22, Clemson; 24, at Florida; 25, at Florida; 26, at Florida.

May: 1, Vanderbilt; 2, Vanderbilt; 3, Vanderbilt; 6, at Wofford; 8, at Tennessee; 9, at Tennessee; 10, at Tennessee; 12, USC Upstate; 14, Georgia; 15, Georgia; 16, Georgia; 20-24, at SEC Tournament.

Week 7 SEC Basketball Power Poll

SEC Power Poll Results at Ghost of Chucky

This was my ballot for week 7 -

1. LSU
2. USC
2. MSU
4. UK
4. UF
6. UT
7. Auburn
8. Vandy
9. Ole Miss
10. 'Bama
11. Arkansas
12. UGa

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Opening day is getting close for the Gamecocks

Saturday marks the opening of the new Carolina baseball field. This will be a monumental occasion that I know maybe gamecock fans have been looking forward to for many years. Darius Rucker will performing the national anthem before the game. There will also be a couple celebrations before the game. USC is asking fans to come early as parking is limited around the new field. First pitch will be thrown out by USC President Dr. Harris Pastides and former Gamecock coaches Bobby Richardson and June Raines. Commemorative coins will also be given out to the first 4,000 fans to enter the stadium.

tough loss for gamecocks vs msu

Cold start to the 2nd half mixed in with some poor defense and numerous mental errors like not guarding 3 pt shots by msu and missed free throws....well all that leads to a loss for the gamecocks by 5 points to the bulldogs. MSU seemed to want it more at the end.

Road proves unkind to Gamecocks

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Tonights starting line ups for USC v MSU

Starting Lineups

Gamecocks

F 6-7 Dominique Archie 11.7 ppg
F 6-7 Mike Holmes 11.3ppg
C 6-9 Sam Muldrow 6.3ppg
G 5-9 Devan Downey 19.9ppg
G 6-0 Zam Fredrick 15.6ppg

Bulldogs

C 6-9 Jarvis Varnado 13.4ppg
G 6-7 Ravern Johnson 12.1ppg
G 6-2 Barry Stewart 11.4ppg
G 6-2 Dee Bost 11.0ppg
G 6-3 Phil Turner 8.2ppg

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Gamecock Football Recruiting Class Rankings over the years

Using Rivals.com (listed 1st) and Scout.com, let's look at the USC class rankings since 2002 -

2002: 11th/18th
2003: 8th/15th
2004: 35th/28th
2005: 23rd/20th
2006: 24th/33rd
2007: 6th/7th
2008: 22nd/34th
2009: 11th/12th