Kershaws Corner: Bucknell
South Carolina vs. Bucknell --- 2014 Opening Weekend
Carolina Baseball Versus Bucknell
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* The only meeting that ever took place between the Gamecocks and Bison came in the 2010 Regional in Columbia. USC defeated Bucknell 9-5.
* Gamecocks scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Bison 9-5. Bucknell led 5-1 going to the bottom of the sixth. The eighth inning charge was led by home runs from Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Adrian Morales.
* Game was delayed for a little over an hour due to rain and lightning in the area.
* The win was credited to Michael Roth. Roth pitched 3.1 innings and faced 10 batters striking out five.
Carolina Baseball Opening Day
* The Gamecocks have not lost a season opener since 1998 when College of Charleston defeated USC 7-6 in Columbia.
* The last two season openers have been decided by one run. USC defeated Liberty 4-3 in 2013 and defeated VMI 2-1 in 2012.
Scouting the Bison
* Located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and have an enrollment of 3,500.
* Bucknell is coached by Scott Heather (Arkansas, 2003)
* Heather is in his second season with the Bison. Bucknell went 16-33 in his first season.
* Bucknell is a member of the Patriot League.
* Bucknell as a team hit 11 home runs last season (Pankake and Dantzler combined for 26 homeruns in 2013) and scored 202 runs.
* No player on the team had more than two home runs.
* 11 of the 33 losses were by one run.
Top Returning Hitters From 2013 (2013 stats)
Corey Furman - Sr. - OF
* Batting Average .291 - 48 GP - 47 GS - 1 HR - 21 RBI - .363 SLG% - .386 OB%
* Third on the team with 21 runs batted in.
* Led the team with 31 runs scored.
* Second on the team with 52 hits.
* Led the team with two triples.
* Hit by a pitch 17 times.
Anthony Gingerelli - Jr. - OF
*Batting Averaging .284 - 33 GP - 28 GS - 13 RBI - .353 SLG%
Returning Pitchers from 2013 (2013 stats)
Dan Wiegel - Sr. - 4.33 ERA - 2-8 - 11 App. - 11 GS - 17 BB - 59 SO
Bryson Hough - Jr. - 4.28 ERA - 12 App. - 11 GS - 3-6 - 24 BB - 39 SO
Andrew Andreychik - So. - 3.37 ERA - 12 App. - 1 GS - 4-3 - 18 BB - 32 SO
Xavier Hammond - Jr. - 4.54 ERA - 15 App. - 3 GS - 0-5 - 20 BB - 22 SO
Max Kra - So. - 3.52 ERA - 2-3 - 18 App. - 2 saves - 12 BB - 13 SO
Jonathan Lucas - Jr. - 1.93 ERA - 4 App. - 4.2 IP - 5 BB - 1 SO
Tom Hrabchak - So. - 4.32 ERA - 6 App. - 8.1 IP - 9 BB - 9 SO
Austin Zimmerman - So. - 6.60 ERA - 12 App. - 15 IP - 8 BB - 8 SO
Tucker Rekucki - Jr. - 9.00 ERA - 5 App. - 5 IP - 4 BB - 5 SO
Dan Keller - So. - 11.57 ERA - 2 App. - 2.1 IP - 2 BB - 3 SO
Preseason Ranked Opponents that the Gamecocks will see in 2014 Regular Season - Baseball America Rankings
Vanderbilt - 10th - 5/15 to 5/17 in Nashville
* Vanderbilt won both games in Columbia in 2013. The third game was cancelled due to weather conditions.
* The Commodores also beat the Gamecocks in the SEC Tournament.
Clemson - 13th - 2/28 in Columbia, 3/1 in Greenville and 3/2 in Clemson
* Carolina won two out of the three against Clemson in 2013.
* USC defeated the Tigers in Columbia and in Clemson while the Tigers took the game in Greenville.
* USC shut the Tigers out in their two wins.
Alabama - 21st - 4/25 to 4/27 in Columbia
*The two teams did not meet in 2013.
Florida - 23rd - 4/11 to 4/13 in Columbia
*The Gators swept the Gamecocks in Gainesville last season.
Arkansas - 25th - 4/3 to 4/5 in Arkansas
*The Razorbacks swept the Gamecocks in Columbia in 2013. USC lost six games at Carolina Stadium in all of 2013 and three were to the Razorbacks.
These SEC Teams are also ranked in the Baseball America Top 25 But Do Not Play USC in the Regular Season
Mississippi State - 8th
* Mississippi State won two of the three in Starkville.
* The Bulldogs also beat the Gamecocks in the SEC Tournament.
LSU - 9th
*The Gamecocks won two of the three games in Baton Rouge in 2013.
Texas A&M - 24th
*Gamecocks swept the Aggies in 2013 in Columbia.
No Place Like Home
* USC is scheduled to play 37 games at Carolina Stadium this season.
* The Gamecocks are 157-30 at Carolina Stadium since the stadium opened in 2009. (26-9, 30-6, 36-4, 32-7, and 31-6)
Not a Baseball Note but Take a Moment to Think About this with Home Field Advantage
* Current Rankings - Football (4), Women's Basketball (5) and Baseball (7).
* Since the Fall of 2011, these three teams are a combined 122-20 (.859) at home.
* Football is 20-1 over the last three seasons at Williams-Brice Stadium. (6-1, 7-0, 7-0)
* Women's Basketball is 39-6 at Colonial Life Arena since the 2011-12 season. (12-3, 13-3, and 14-0)
* Baseball is 63-13 at Carolina Stadium since the Spring of 2012. (32-7 and 31-6)
Fielding
* Gamecocks were 31-9 last season when they committed one or no errors in a game. When they committed two or more they were 12-11.
* USC made three errors in each game of the Super Regional against UNC. The Tar Heels won Games 1 and 3 by one run. Nine of the North Carolina's 11 runs were earned. Both unearned runs were allowed in the first game.
Gamecocks in the NCAA Tournament Since 2010
* The Gamecocks are 34-6 in NCAA Tournament play since 2010. (11-1, 10-0, 9-3, and 4-2)
* USC is 16-0 in NCAA Tournament play at Carolina Stadium.
40+ Win Seasons
The Gamecocks have won at least 40 games in each season since 2000. Carolina won 50 games in five seasons since 2000 including the two years that they won the College World Series.
Coach Holbrook
* Holbrook went 43-20 in his first season as the Head Coach of The Gamecocks.
* Advanced to the Super Regional against North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Gamecock Coaches in Their First Year at Carolina Since 1957
2013 Holbrook 43-20
1997 Tanner 33-24
1977 Raines 43-12-1
1970 Richardson 14-20
1967 Powers 21-8
1966 Weldon 15-8
1964 Reising 15-12
1957 Grugan 9-9
Gamecock Coaches Since 1957 in Their Second Year at Carolina & Their Difference in Wins
2014 Holbrook 0-0
1998 Tanner 44-18/+11
1978 Raines 31-14/-12
1971 Richardson 18-12/+4
1968 Powers 14-11/-7
1965 Reising 16-12/+1
1958 Grugan 7-14/-2
Probable Weekend Starters
Montgomery - 6-1, 13 Starts, 1.48 ERA, 60 strikeouts and 18 walks
Wynkoop - 7-3, 17 appearances, 11 starts, 36 strikeouts and 11 walks
Crowe --- True Freshman
Closer
Seddon - 1-1, 11 appearances, two starts, 18 innings pitched, 20 strikeouts and nine walks
Kyle Martin
* Martin hit .288 last season. (23 of 80) In the 2013 NCAA Tournament, he hit .391.
* In the first four games of the NCAA Tournament he had nine hits in 17 at bats.
* Made 13 starts at first base in 2013.
Joey Pankake
* Could play third base or left field after making 61 starts at shortstop in 2013.
* Led the team with 74 hits in 2013.
* Second on the team in 2013 with .311 batting average, 11 homeruns and 42 runs batted in.
* Tied for the team lead in 2013 with 21 multi-hit games. (Schrock 21)
* Hit in the third spot in 56 of his starts.
Grayson Greiner
* Third on the team in 2013 with a .298 batting average.
* Second on the team last season with nine multi-RBI games. (Dantzler 12)
* Started 49 games at catcher.
* Hit between fifth and eighth in the lineup. The most coming in the five spot with 26 starts.
* Went five of nine with five runs scored in the 2013 Columbia Regional.
Max Schrock
* Hit .282 as a freshman and started in 61 games with 60 coming at second base.
* Third on the team in 2013 with 39 runs batted in and also third on the team with 95 total bases.
* Led the team with 163 assists and had a fielding percentage of .969.
* Led the team with 14 stolen bases.
* Tied for the team lead with Pankake with 21 multiple hit games.
* Started in the leadoff position in eight games, hit in the two hole 12 times, 26 times in the five spot and 14 times at the six spot.
DC Arendas
* Played in 13 games last season with one start.
* Totaled 13 assists and seven put outs.
* Battling for the shortstop position with Marcus Mooney.
Tanner English
* Hit .283 last season with one home run and 25 runs batted in.
* Recorded 150 put outs and two assists.
* Played in 54 games with 50 starts. All 50 starts were in centerfield.
* Led the team with eight sacrifice hits.
* Hit in the nine spot in 41 starts.
Connor Bright
* Hit .288 in 52 games played with 49 starts.
* 45 of the 49 starts came in right field. Started one game at second and three in left field.
* Second on the team with 11 doubles.
Brison Celek
* Hit .307 with in 30 games played.
* 24 starts with all coming as the designated hitter.
* Hit in the six (9) or seven (11) spot in 20 of his 24 starts.
On Deck After Bucknell
The Gamecocks play Presbyterian on Tuesday, February 18 at 4:00pm and then will play a weekend series at Carolina Stadium against Eastern Kentucky. (3/4/1:30)