GamecockCentral.com - USC-Davidson Diamond Extra: Dantzler on fire

March 13, 2013

Ron Aiken
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer

For a player as accustomed to big hits, big numbers and big games as LB Dantzler, it takes a lot for a regular-season game to stand out.

After a career-high six RBIs in a 12-4 win over Davidson in which he went 3-for-3 with two home runs, it's safe to say that Wednesday stood out.

"I was seeing the ball well; it's pretty cool," said Dantzler, who raised his team-leading RBI total to 23, his team-leading average to .429 and his team-leading home run total to six. "But I've always said you can't drive in runs if guys aren't on base, and Joey (Pankake) was on base for both of (the home runs). It was cool, but I'm just glad to get the win."

Dantzler also raised his team-leading slugging percentage to .839 and is tied for the team lead in walks with 14.

MIZZOU ROTATION SET: Coach Chad Holbrook said the rotation for the SEC-opening series at Missouri will be Evan Beal on Friday, Nolan Belcher on Saturday and Colby Holmes on Sunday.

MONTGOMERY HEALING: Holbrook said that injured left-handed sophomore Jordan Montgomery will be seen by doctors in six or seven days after the team returns from Missouri.

"He's feeling better," Holbrook said. "He's having a lot less pain symptoms than when the injury occurred. But you're dealing with a stress reaction, and you can't rush that.

"We have to think about the rest of the season and the young man's future. We're not going to rush him back."

Holbrook said in all likelihood, the earliest Montgomery would return would be the week after the Texas A&M series.

"That's the best-case scenario, the week after Texas A&M," he said. "We'll see what the evaluation looks like when we come back from Missouri."

ENGLISH NEARS RETURN: Holbrook said that centerfielder Tanner English took batting practice for the first time since his injury on Wednesday and should return to the lineup this weekend.

"Tanner is getting better," Holbrook said. "I'm much encouraged. I don't think he's going to be in the starting lineup Friday night, but if he has a great workout tomorrow when we get to Missouri, I could change my mind on that.

"I think he could help us in some capacity this weekend, whether it's starting, a defensive replacement or a pinch-runner, I think he'll be in some games. He's come a long way in the last 48 hours."

FAMILIAR FACES, PART I: Davidson coach Dick Cooke and USC athletic director Ray Tanner coached together on the 2000 USA Olympic team and the 2003 U.S. Pan American Games team.

Cooke is in his 23rd year at Davidson, and in his time there the Wildcats have finished with a winning record only twice, going 28-25 in 1992 and 26-24 in 2005.

FAMILIAR FACES, PART II: Besides getting the start against Davidson on Wednesday, sophomore Joel Seddon also got the start against the Wildcats last season, hurling the Gamecocks to a 2-1 win.

FAMILIAR FOES: Davidson and USC are no strangers on the diamond, with the teams having met 66 times prior to Wednesday's game. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series 45-21-1, with wins in the last 20 games. The last Wildcat win was a 4-3 decision on April 22, 1975, against a USC team that went 51-6-1 and made the College World Series for the first time in school history under coach Bobby Richardson, losing in the final to Texas 5-1 on June 14 to become national runner-up.

The Gamecocks' only other losses that season were to Stetson (7-6) and Seton Hall (4-3) on the same day (March 22) in a tournament in Deland, Fla. (USC had beaten both teams earlier in the tournament.), Georgia Southern (6-2, April 18) and Texas (twice in Omaha).

CARSON SHINES: Outfielder Shon Carson, who had started the previous two games in center as English continues to heal, pinch-hit in the bottom of the seventh and collected his first career double, knocking the first pitch he saw into the left-field corner.

AROUND THE SEC
South Carolina 12, Davidson 4
Arkansas 13, Alabama A&M 0
Appalachian State 8, Georgia 5
Vanderbilt 4, Buffalo 2
Tennessee 5, Alcorn State 4
Alabama 4, Memphis 2
Ole Miss 8, Louisiana-Monroe 3
LSU 9, Nicholls State 3
Missouri 14, Truman State 4

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