Oral history: Inside South Carolina's perfect run to a title
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL
Nine years ago around this time, the Gamecocks were staring down the barrel of yet another national championship, one year removed from their miracle run to shut down Rosenblatt Stadium.
It might be a new stadium, but it was the same result as the Gamecocks continued their dominant win streak, rattling off 10-straight victories en route to a second-straight national title.
In part two of this three-part series, GamecockCentral looks at the drama-filled 2011 national title run to see what it took to come out as champions of college baseball yet again.
South Carolina’s trip back to Omaha and a second straight title didn’t start in the fall though, it started just hours after winning it all in 2010.
Tommy Moody, radio color analyst: I always go back to the trip at the airport in 2010 after we had beaten UCLA. The euphoria was still going on and Coach Tanner instructs the bus driver to go from our hotel to the venue where we would be playing next year if we got to Omaha. We go to the site where they’re constructing the new ballpark TD Ameritrade and Coach (Ray) Tanner instructs the bus driver to pull up right here. It got real quiet and he speaks to the team saying something to the effect of, “See this stadium they’re building? We’re coming back next year and we’re going to do it again.” I’ll never forget that.
The Gamecocks blew through the majority of the competition they faced that year, winning over 50 games and earning a national seed in the tournament. But, it wasn’t all roses with the Gamecocks having to play a really good Georgia Southern team that was headlined by Victor Roache, who finished that year with 30 home runs.
Jerry Meyers, pitching coach: Georgia Southern had a guy leading the nation in home runs and he was up at the end of the game in a one-run game. It’s one of those glad he didn’t swing at it called strike threes at the end of the game. I certainly remember that. If you want to categorize that as a challenge, it was a pretty good one.
Patrick Sullivan, pitcher: We almost felt slighted that year coming in as national champions and you’re going to load up our regional and UConn had George Springer and the pitcher. By no means were they trying to reward us. They were trying to get out of there as quick as possible.
They’d get by the Eagles and win the regional easily before cruising past UConn by a combined score of 13-3 over two games.
Billy Anderson, strength coach: We went down 2-0 in the first game and came back to win so in the next game UConn went up 2-0 again and you know what everyone in the dugout did? They say, “Yes, they’re up again.” They were excited. They did not care.
Michael Roth, pitcher: UConn was a really good team and I don’t necessarily remember thinking that. You look at some of those guys and they were a good team with George Springer and a few other guys and we were able to beat them and move on pretty easily. We felt like we were in cruise control, but we beat some really good teams to move on.
Walking it off in Omaha
Their first game out in Omaha was against Texas A&M and it was an unusually rocky start.
Adrian Morales, third baseman: Roth gives up four in the first and we score four in the first. I punch him in the chest and tell him, “No more runs. No more runs.” He said, “You got it,” and didn’t give up another run and we win 5-4.
Jerry Meyers: You sit there and you don’t say, “Oh boy, I’m worried now,’” but you’re like, “Geez, I haven’t seen this all year.” You start to get plan B ready but we didn’t need plan B. Michael Roth was plan A and plan B.
Roth gives up four runs in the first inning before tossing 6.1 shutout innings after that and the Gamecocks walk it off behind doubles from Robert Beary and Scott Wingo, both of which were close to leaving the park.
Robert Beary, catcher: The only thing I told myself was I wanted to hit a home run at Rosenblatt or at the World Series and I came three feet from that. You can’t always get what you want.
Scott Wingo, second baseman: (Ray Tanner) didn’t tell me to take strike one but he basically told me to take strike one. First pitch was right down the middle. I’ll never forget. I obviously never want to show coach up but I kind of wanted to look at coach and say, “Coach, that’s right down Broadway there.” That’s the first one right down the middle and it’s gone. I want to say 0-1 he went fastball in and I was ready to hit but I was late a little bit. Then 0-2 he went fastball away but on 1-2 he tried to come back in because I was a little late but I was ready for it and luckily got the barrel to it.
Holding out hope against Hultzen
They’d win that game and beat down Virginia 7-1 before having to face the Cavaliers again with their first-round draft pick Danny Hultzen on the mound, who was pitching with the flu.
Evan Marzilli, outfielder: He was untouchable. It was very hard to see with the shadows, never mind on top of that he’s arguably a top five pitcher in the entire NCAA that year...He punched out like eight guys in a row and we put a ball in play and we’re all like, “There we go! Sweet!” I’ve never been on a team that’s like that.
Meyers: The way started that game out, if he had the flu I’d hate to see him when he didn’t have the flu. Our dugout when nuts—and Michael Roth was the guy that started it—when we fouled one off him. He was like, “Yeah, we’re on him,” because he had mowed for the first time through the lineup.
Wingo: When I’m overmatched I try to bunt on a guy and I can usually make contact with a bunt or square it up and try to get it down. I whiffed on a bunt attempt. For me, that told me I could hardly see anything up there.
Roth: We’re over there celebrating when we foul tipped a ball because of how he was throwing. Then we look up and he’s out of the game and we look at each other like, “What the hell?”
Morales: He came out with a stomach bug and Christian Walker played with a broken hand. That’s the difference. That goes back to not wanting to let your teammates down. Maybe Hultzen couldn’t go but maybe he could have and it wouldn’t have been a question for us.
Dodging danger
They’d get to the Cavs after that, plating two runs and the game ultimately ended up in extras before Matt Price loaded the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, Price got exactly what he wanted: a liner to second.
Wingo: It’s almost perfect. When you have a team like that and all the guys are trusting you to make the play; we knew we were going to make the play. I remember flipping to Mooney and I jumped up as high as I could because I knew he was out. That moment was awesome.
That prompted Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor to toss the cup of water he was drinking on the field and curse Wingo back to the dugout.
Ray Tanner, head coach: I think he threw a cup of water. I probably would have too.
Brady Thomas, catcher: My mom, they were out there but set everything to record. I remember going back and watching some film with them and she would get so tickled when she saw him just chuck that water on the field.
Tyler Webb, pitcher: It was pretty funny at the time. I mean, we were doing the same thing but we weren’t mad about it.
Matthews makes magic in extras
They’d break through the next half inning with Brady Thomas singling and Adam Matthews pinch running for him. After two bunts and two throwaways by Virginia’s pitching staff, Matthews found himself sprinting home as the winning run.
Wingo: Matthews was on second and slid in (to third) and I don’t think he knew where the ball was. (Chad) Holbrook was yelling, “Go home, go home, go home!” we needed him to run, and obviously Matthews can fly. It wouldn’t matter if the guy picked it up, he’d still be safe.
Adam Matthews, outfielder: It’s something when I think about my baseball career I look back on. Regardless of what was going on in the game or World Series, it meant so much to me because I had an injury that whole year, a hamstring injury. That was my comeback. I had tried so hard all year to make a comeback and always fallen so short. I remember making it to second base and it didn’t feel so bad. Then having the opportunity to score that winning run was just the pick me up moment I needed personally that season.
Waiting on Walker
The win didn’t come without a price though with offensive sparkplug Christian Walker breaking his hamate bone in that game, leaving serious doubts on if he’d play in the national championship series against Florida.
Christian Walker, first baseman: I went to take batting practice on the team workout day and one swing almost brought me to tears in terms of the pain. At that point I figured there’s no way I could do this. I remember Adrian Morales coming in and sitting next to me in the dugout in Omaha after the team workout and basically giving me a pep talk saying the team wants me out there and wanted me on the field regardless of where I was at percentage-wise. That was important for me to hear that at the time. Looking back, it was a drop in the bucket but in the momentum it felt like worst-case scenario and to hear the type of teammate come in and pick you up and tell you we want you in the lineup, that was a big moment for me. Luckily the support staff and doctors got me to a place where the pain was manageable. There was a lot of adrenaline but luckily it worked out.
Marzilli: I was thinking, That was the first time I’d seen Christian cry...I remember thinking, "Are we’re going to lose Christian?” If we do, we’re effed.
Morales: He was such a tough kid and competitor that even if I didn’t tell him, he would have found a way to play. All I did was we sat down in the dugout and I told him, “We need you in the lineup. We need you in the lineup. It doesn’t matter if you’re hurt or not, you’ll find a way.” I think he had two base hits in the game with his hamate bone broken. That’s who he was, and that’s who we needed. We needed him in the lineup; it’s not the same when he’s not there. Jackie (Bradley Jr.) wasn’t at full strength and we needed that big scary threat if Walker wasn’t in the lineup.
Thomas: We didn’t know, and I couldn’t really move laterally because I had fractured my foot in that Arkansas series…They put me in a freaking walking boot and made me some special orthotics for my cleats to take pressure off that fifth metatarsal. Somebody gave me a first baseman’s glove and told me to go take ground balls. I’m like, “Are you kidding me?”
Tanner: We were getting on the bus after practice and the bus was kind of quiet, we felt really bad for Walker. Morales gets on the bus and he does not like what he hears. It’s not vibrant and energetic. He immediately leaps into me and to Walker saying, “You’re going to play, you’re not going to sit out. I don’t care if your hand’s broke, you’re going to play; tape it up. This is the national championship.” I was thinking, “Adrian, cool it.” But he was sincere. He was going to make him play. I was thinking this guy was nuts.
With Walker’s hand numbed, he became a game-time decision to see if he could even suit up against the Gators.
Tanner: I remember he slept with his hand taped up against the wall for blood flow reasons…then he comes out, takes a couple swings the next day and gets a full swing in and makes contact and that’s it. He jumps out of the cage and he said he’s not going to use anymore. That’s one of the most impressive attempts to play a game from a guy that’s hurt. That’s number one on my list.
Webb: Doctors were everywhere and I remember them taping his hand into his glove pregame.
Anderson: He had to take BP in the cages and it was just a game-time decision. It was up to him if he could play or not. He’s in the cages by himself with the door shut and everyone’s walking by peaking in…He came out and said, “I’m playing.” And at that point everyone’s like, “We got this.”
Dodging danger, part two
With Walker in the lineup, the Gamecocks found themselves tied at one in the ninth and the Gators had bases loaded with no outs, needing a ball to the outfield to win the game.
That’s when there was a liner to Wingo, then another 4-2-3 grounder to get out of the jam and preserve the tie.
Meyers: It was John Taylor. I go out there and go, “Don’t worry about it. He’s going to hit you a come-backer and we’re going to go 1-2-3,” and it was like boom it happened… Coach Tanner was the one who could tell the future. I think I just got lucky on that one.
Wingo: Before I dove, I saw the spin so when I dove it wasn’t a normal dive, reach and hope you catch it; it was more of I knew this ball had topspin on it so when I dove I had to give with it a little bit…It was inches away from hitting that mask. If it does, that’s an E4 and it’s 1-0 Gators in the series.
Anderson: Did you see what was out in front of the plate? Beary’s mask. You’re not supposed to do that; you’re supposed to throw your mask to the side. We’re lucky the ball didn’t hit the mask.
Beary: I’m not going to stick it in the way of an athlete coming into slide. That’s something Clemson would do…The best part about it was he told me I’d never catch for him…He told me I just didn’t receive the ball well enough and I said I can keep it in front of me and I can throw them out at second. The pitcher throws it in the strike zone; I can frame it up enough to get that strike call.
Dodging danger, part three
Then, in the tenth it was more defensive heroics with Jake Williams throwing out the game-winning run at home plate with two outs.
Sullivan: Jake probably has the worst arm of anybody we’ve ever played with and he’d be the first one to tell you that. Out of all people it’s like a damn Angels in the Outfield moment. The angel came out of thin air and just pushed it to the damn plate.
Roth: I pulled back…I remember thinking we just lost and I stepped back and see it in the air and was like, “Oh my god he’s going to throw him out.” And it was right on the money…We all just lost it.
Sammy Esposito, assistant coach: He made a throw earlier in the game that barely got to our cutoff man. It almost rolled to Adrian. Then the ball gets out there and he throws a strike to home plate. It’s like he had some help coming in behind him. You sit there and the throw he made before that and then that throw, it’s like a different person made that throw.
You’re almost hoping the guy trips. And if you go back and look at it, he had a terrible turn at third.
Walker wins it
Then, in the 11th, Tanner gambles with Walker on first, putting him in motion with the best player in the country, Mike Zunino behind home plate, who threw a ball away that ultimately led to Walker scoring after the centerfielder throws the ball into the stands.
Tanner: What people don’t know was it was a hit and run. You get to a point as a coach where you’re going to try and win the game. You’re doing a lot and nobody’s going to expect Christian Walker to go to second, right? Sometimes you’re good and sometimes you’re lucky and good.
Walker: I knew the throw was high once I saw the fielder leave the ground but it was just a matter of how high: did it get by him or did he keep it in front? It all happened pretty quick; maybe it was the crowd or I noticed the centerfielder running for it but I knew I had to get to third and get us in a better position to win. In the moment, it’s crazy and things worked out for us.
Tanner: I’ve never seen him throw one away before then or after then. He was that good. He was one of the all-time greats in college baseball.
Ryan Fischer, equipment manager: The guy who is the best catcher in college baseball goes and throws a ball into centerfield and never thought that, then the guy throws the ball away at third. You can’t script it. It’s movie-script kind of stuff.
Walker: It’s hard to put into words. Your body almost goes numb. The crowd’s screaming; the dugout’s screaming for you and your teammates are there. It’s the postseason and you know what that moment means. For me it was really exciting and I’m just glad I could be a part of it.
Twice as nice
The second game wasn’t as close with the Gamecocks jumping out to a quick lead and holding on for a 5-2 win and finishing the postseason a perfect 10-0.
Anderson: “We scored three runs in that game to go up 3-0, and I’ll say it. Everyone knew that game was over; we knew it was over, Florida knew it was over and the whole stadium knew it was over. There was no way you were beating South Carolina. It’s not happening. We knew we were about to win our second title.”
Esposito: I think I might have accidentally right hooked Jerry in the dugout hugging each other.
Meyers: It was awesome and there was almost this sense of relief because I was the new guy and if we didn’t win it, it was going to be my fault now. People always ask which one I liked more 2010 or 11 and I always say, “I liked 2011 a little bit better because in 2010 I was at Old Dominion.” It was awesome.
Sullivan: It was expected but it was reassurance for us that it wasn’t just a complete fluke. So many things just happened the year before but to win it two years in a row you know you’re doing something special. Everyone around the country, whether they wanted to or not, feared us and they respected us.
Making history
The win marks the first national champion crowned at TD Ameritrade Park, and it just so happened to be the last champion at Rosenblatt.
Anderson: That won’t get taken away from us. One day they’re going to close down TD Ameritrade and I highly doubt whoever wins at TD Ameritrade will win wherever they make it the next year. That’s amazing for that to happen. That’s what made it so special. You can never take that way from us.
Matthews: That’s something that’s in the storybooks forever. We ended the old and started the new in back to back to years. It’s still kind of breathtaking.
Esposito: That’s one thing that’ll never get taken away from us. You win the last one at Rosenblatt and the first at TD Ameritrade? That’s pure happiness; it’s Christmas Day all over again.
A different kind of celebration
The celebration was very similar to every other bus ride back to the team hotel with the team singing at the top of their lungs.
Anderson: “Any time we won a game, all the coaches’ kids would ride back on the bus as kind of a reward…They always did the national anthem, then it was lots of rap songs and whatever college kids listened to. The language wasn’t great at all. We weren’t going to stop them. They were having a blast; we were winning. Kevin O’Connell was on the bus and he’d just turn around, smile and shake his head.
Fischer: “We’d sing Fix You by Coldplay. Christian Walker was always good at singing the solo and then we’d all come in at the chorus.”
Tanner: What I remember was I was really thankful the bus rides to the hotel were so short.
Roth: After we won the whole thing we sang our songs as loud as we could just screaming and screaming.”