Look back, look ahead: Numbers explain Gamecocks' turnaround season
Boiled down, baseball is first and foremost a game of numbers.
So, while Coach Chad Holbrook points to improved team chemistry and cohesion in the clubhouse and on the field as a major reason for the Gamecocks’ incredible turnaround from not making the NCAA Tournament field a year ago to winning the SEC East this year, the cold, hard numbers tell the tale.
Three returning players – Gene Cone (.348), Alex Destino (.332) and Marcus Mooney (.312) have all significantly raised their batting averages from last season. Mooney is up a robust 99 points over last season when he hit a lowly .213 with Cone batting 91 points higher (.257 in 2015) and Destino 81 points higher (.251 in 2015).
“That’s one of the main reasons we’ve had the turnaround we’ve had,” Holbrook said Monday before the team’s departure for the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. “Our returning players have played at a much high level than a year ago. You can talk about chemistry and cohesiveness all you want, but you have to go out and perform. They did. Much improved from a year ago.”
“Our guys worked very hard in the off season because they were determined not to let (2015) happen again”, Holbrook added. “They understood the jersey they represented. They didn’t want (not making the NCAA Tournament) to happen again on their watch. They took some ownership and helped lead us to this season.”
Still, Holbrook doesn’t discount the fact this year’s players seem to get along much better than last year’s team.
“We’ve played better baseball and had a more cohesive locker room,” Holbrook said. “We have players that held themselves accountable.”
Overall, the Gamecocks’ team batting average is a healthy .290 entering the SEC Tournament compared to just .257 last season. This past weekend, the Gamecocks batted .336 (36-107) with in sweeping Alabama at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
“Hitting is contagious,” Holbrook said. “We got off to a good start and hit the ball very well. Some of our players fed off that success. We had consistent approaches and didn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone. We had our best at-bats with runners in scoring position, which was a change from the previous weekends. We did a good job with situational hitting and had some big two-out hits.”
In addition, newcomers Dom Thompson-Williams (.338), Jonah Bride (.284) and John Jones (.281, 7 HR, 47 RBI) have added a bounce to the batting order, while freshman Chris Cullen (.261) has elevated the offensive punch from the catcher spot.
“We had an influx of new players that didn’t understand what we went through last season because they weren’t a part of it,” Holbrook said. “Luckily, the players we brought in were very talented and were great leaders with great character.”
The pitching is better too. Led by starters Clarke Schmidt, Braden Webb and Adam Hill (combined 25-6) and a bullpen featuring Josh Reagan (11 saves, .164 OBA), Reed Scott (4-1) and Tyler Johnson (9 saves, 42 K, 7 BB in 39.2 IP), the Gamecocks’ team ERA has fallen from 4.20 in 2015 to 3.32 so far in 2016. The OBA has dropped 42 points from .267 last season to .225 through 55 games this year.
“Josh Reagan is much improved,” Holbrook said. “Tyler Johnson is a different animal than he was a year ago. Reed Scott has been terrific."
After sweeping Alabama in Tuscaloosa on the final weekend of the regular season, the Gamecocks are the No. 2 seed for the SEC Tournament, earning USC a first-round bye through to the double-elimination round beginning Wednesday morning at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The Gamecocks will face Georgia or Ole Miss in their first SEC Tourney contest Wednesday at approximately 2 p.m.
USC’s last victory in the SEC Tournament came in 2012 when the Gamecocks beat Auburn.
“Lately, we haven’t played very well in Hoover,” Holbrook said. “Hopefully, we can change that trend and go down there and put ourselves in position to win some games. We will be challenged right out of the gate against either Georgia or Ole Miss. Hopefully, we can stay several days and play more than just two games.
“I’m optimistic because we have been playing well. I feel good about going down there and playing. But I felt good in 2010 and 2011 too. We’re taking a good team down there, but we’re playing good teams too.”
NOTES:
-- Holbrook said he believes the Gamecocks, by winning the SEC East, have done enough to earn one of the eight coveted national seeds. If the Gamecocks get one, they would be guaranteed of hosting a NCAA Regional and a Super Regional if they advance. That’s important because the Gamecocks have never won a Super Regional outside the borders of the Palmetto State.
-- Holbrook hesitated Monday in naming Friday night starter Clarke Schmidt as the Gamecocks’ starter for Wednesday’s SEC Tourney game against Georgia or Ole Miss. If Schmidt takes the hill, he would be working on five days rest, one less than normal.
-- Holbrook hinted Monday at possible future changes to the SEC Tournament format. Currently, 12 teams qualify for Hoover in a single elimination (first round)-double elimination (Weds-Fri)-single elimination (Semifinals and final) format over six days. Could we see the SEC Tourney field reduced to 10 teams? Perhaps.
-- Schmidt has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, presented by Easton Foundations and awarded by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The award is given to the top player in collegiate baseball.
-- Schmidt became the first Gamecock pitcher since Michael Roth in 2011 to reach the single-season 100 strikeout total. He was joined the next day by freshman Braden Webb. Schmidt is second behind teammate Braden Webb (109 K) with 108 strikeouts, is tied for fourth in wins, fifth in innings pitched and ninth in ERA. Schmidt has been particularly strong in SEC games with a 5-2 record and a 3.72 ERA. He has 76 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched against SEC foes.
-- Webb became the 31st pitcher in Gamecock history to reach 10 or more single season wins with a victory in USC’s 4-2 win over Alabama May 20. Webb is 10-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 83.2 IP. He has allowed 37 runs on 65 hits with a SEC-leading 109 strikeouts to 42 walks. Opponents are batting .212 against him. Webb is tied for second in the SEC in wins.
-- Sophomore INF Madison Stokes had USC’s best weekend offensively at Alabama as he hit .778 (7-for-9) with three doubles, a pair of RBI and three runs scored. Stokes was 3-for-3 in Thursday’s 6-4 win over the Crimson Tide and closed out the series going 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI in the 9-7 win.
-- Closer Tyler Johnson recorded three saves at Alabama, giving him eight of his nine saves in league play, most by any SEC reliever. Johnson is 1-2 with nine saves and a 2.95 ERA in 26 relief appearances totaling 41.0 IP. He has struck out 42 batters and walked just seven, and opponents are batting just .187 against him.
-- How effective has the Gamecocks bullpen been this season? USC is 38-1 when leading after six innings. The only loss came April 29 against Florida when a pair of solo homers in the top of the ninth off Josh Reagan stunned USC in a 5-4 setback.
-- Defensively, the Gamecocks are fielding .980 as a team with just 40 errors in 55 games on the year, second-best in the conference.
-- The Gamecocks are ranked in the Top 10 of the official NCAA RPI and every major national poll:
Official NCAA RPI - No. 5
Collegiate Baseball – No. 4
USA Today Coaches – No. 9
Baseball America – No. 9
D1 Baseball – No. 9
NCBWA – No. 8
-- Seven of the top 11 teams in the official NCAA RPI are from the SEC: Florida (2), Texas A&M (4), Gamecocks (5), Ole Miss (6), Vanderbilt (8), LSU (9) and Mississippi State (11).
-- USC finished with the best home record in the SEC (30-4), percentage points ahead of Vanderbilt (31-5).
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
May 17 vs. The Citadel, W 16-4
May 19 at Alabama, W 6-4
May 20 at Alabama, W 4-2
May 21 at Alabama, W 9-7
(All times Eastern)
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
Wednesday vs. Georgia or Ole Miss, Approx. 2 p.m. (SEC Tourney)
Thursday/Sunday – TBA
(All Times Eastern)
FINAL SEC EAST STANDINGS (As of May 23)
South Carolina 20-9
Florida 19-10
Vanderbilt 18-12
Kentucky 15-15
Georgia 11-19
Missouri 9-21
Tennessee 9-21
SEC TOURNAMENT SEEDING
1. Mississippi State 21-9*
2. South Carolina 20-9*
3. Texas A&M 20-10
4. Florida 19-10
***********************************
5. LSU 19-11
6. Vanderbilt 18-12 (Wins tie-breaker over OM)
7. Ole Miss 18-12
8. Kentucky 15-15 (Wins tie-breaker over Alabama)
9. Alabama 15-15
10. Georgia 11-19
11. Missouri 9-21 (Wins tie-breaker over Tennessee)
12. Tennessee 9-21
************************************
13. Auburn 8-22
14. Arkansas 7-23
*Division Winners
NOTE: Division winners are automatically seeded No. 1 and No. 2 for the SEC Tournament. The remainder of the 12-team field is seeded based on winning percentage. The Mo. 13 and 14 teams do not qualify for the SEC Tournament. The top four seeds receive first round byes.
SEC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (Tuesday and Wednesday)
Tuesday, May 24 (Single Elimination)
10:30 p.m. – Vanderbilt vs. Missouri (SEC Network)
2 p.m. (Approx.) – Ole Miss vs. Georgia (SEC Network)
5:30 p.m. – Kentucky vs. Alabama (SEC Network)
9 p.m. (Approx.) – LSU vs. Tennessee (SEC Network)
Wednesday, May 25 (Double Elimination Begins)
10:30 p.m. - Texas A&M vs. Vanderbilt/Missouri Winner
2 p.m. (Approx.) – South Carolina vs. Ole Miss/Georgia Winner
5:30 p.m. – Mississippi State vs. Kentucky/Alabama Winner
9 p.m. (Approx.) – Florida vs. LSU/Tennessee winner
(All Times Eastern)
