WHAT: UNC Greensboro (0-0) at South Carolina (0-0)
WHERE: Founders Park (8,200), Columbia, SC
WHEN: Friday 4 p.m.; Saturday 2 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m. (All Times Eastern)
RADIO/TV: Gamecock Radio Network (107.5 FM in Columbia with Derek Scott, Tommy Moody & Drew Meyer); SEC Network Plus (Burch Antley and Trey Dyson)
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:
Friday: USC Jr. RHP Clarke Schmidt vs. UNCG Jr. RHP Jack Maynard
Saturday: USC RJr. RHP Wil Crowe vs. UNCG Jr. LHP Bryce Hensley
Sunday: USC So. RHP Aaron Hill vs. UNCG So. RHP Matt Frisbee
Opening weekend of the college baseball season is always special for coaches, players and fans alike.
Having said that, this weekend means a little more for junior RHP Wil Crowe, who on Saturday finally returns to the mound for the Gamecocks for the first time in 22 months when he starts the second of a three-game series against UNCG.
Crowe’s comeback is the result of endless months of rehab following Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2015, prematurely ending his season after nine starts and forcing him to the sidelines for the entire 2016 campaign.
Nevertheless, all signs point to Crowe making a triumphant return to the mound this season.
“Will has been terrific,” USC coach Chad Holbrook said Thursday during a press conference at Founders Park. “He worked extremely hard and that’s a tough rehab. His velocity is better, his command is better and his breaking balls have been better. But that has been bullpens and scrimmages. It’s different when you’re facing another team out there. I know he’s excited. He has put a lot of time and a lot of work into this. He is throwing as well as he has ever thrown. I’m excited to watch him throw on Saturday. He’s healthy and he’s throwing his fastball as hard as he’s ever thrown it.”
Crowe will be on a pitch count during the early weeks of the season just like all other Gamecock starting pitchers.
“We’re not going to push the 100-pitch mark in February,” Holbrook said. “But they’ll get up to 80 or 85. We’ll see how they are feeling, but we won’t go much north of that.”
Crowe’s teammates are happy to see the 6-foot-2, 245 pounder from Sevierville, Tenn. back on the mound because he offered a tantalizing glimpse of his potential as a true freshman in 2014 when he earned Freshman All-America honors with a 8-3 record and 2.75 ERA in 91.2 innings pitched.
“I faced him all fall and now in the spring and it’s no fun,” Alex Destino said. “He’s better than I’ve ever seen him. I faced him for two years leading up to his surgery. He’s the best I’ve seen him as far as his arm and the shape he’s in. We’re all very excited for Wil. Having him back is going to be a huge key for our team going forward.”
During his lengthy rehab, Crowe made several appearances for the Lexington County Blowfish last summer. Pro scouts were apparently convinced by what they saw from Crowe because he is now regarded as a high round draft pick – perhaps a first rounder – by most analysts for June’s MLB Draft.
“He pitched for the Blowfish and he has pitched against our hitters, so scouts can gauge where he is from a rehabilitation standpoint and post-injury standpoint,” Holbrook said. “Obviously, he has been very good in that setting. That’s why he is so highly thought of. He has always competed and been a bulldog out there on the mound with the way he goes after hitters. Now he is doing it with a little more zip on his pitches and a little more command of his off-speed pitches.”
Crowe’s biggest obstacle he had to overcome wasn’t physical in nature. Actually, it was the mental hurdle all pitchers face when they finally return to action following Tommy John surgery. Crowe jumped over that hurdle last summer when he pitched for the Blowfish. So, when fall practice began for the Gamecocks last September, he was ready to go full speed ahead.
“He had to get out there and get over that psychological hurdle that comes with Tommy John (surgery),” Holbrook said. “Anytime you have that surgery, the fear of letting it go exists. I don’t care who you are. Pitching for the Blowfish allowed him to get over that big psychological hurdle of competing and believing his arm was OK and he could let it go. Towards the end of the summer he was running it up there in the mid-90’s. That’s when he knew he was healthy and back.”
Along with Opening day starter Clarke Schmidt (second straight Opening Day start) and Sunday starter Aaron Hill, Crowe must deal with a UNCG offense that ranked among the most prolific in the country a season ago. The Spartans return most of their lineup from last year’s club that led the NCAA in hitting with an impressive team batting average of .345.
Among the headliners in the UNCG offense are infielder Ben Spitznagel (.385 BA; ninth in nation with 95 hits in 2016) and junior LF Dillon Stewart (14 homers in 2016) and junior CF Andrew Morita (.400 BA and .454 on-base pct. in 2016).
Embracing the motto of Wee Willie Keeler, UNCG collectively is superb at hitting ‘em where they ain’t.
UNCG is the preseason favorite to win the Southern Conference in the Coaches Poll, and has six selections on the Preseason All-SoCon team.
“We know how difficult (the Southern Conference) is, so we have our work cut out for us,” Holbrook said. “It’s a heckuva challenge. It’s going to take a team effort to beat UNC Greensboro. We look forward to the weekend and know we are going to be challenged in a big time way right out of the gate.”
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
C – Chris Cullen
1B – Matt Williams
2B – L.T. Tolbert
3B – Jonah Bride
SS – Madison Stokes
LF – Alex Destino
CF – T.J. Hopkins
RF – Jacob Olson
DH – John Jones
SEC BASEBALL SCHEDULE (Feb. 17-19)
UNCG at South Carolina
George Washington at Auburn (4 game series)
Kentucky at North Carolina
Miami (OH) at Arkansas
College of Charleston at Georgia
East Carolina at Ole Miss
Tennessee at Memphis
Presbyterian at Alabama
William & Mary at Florida
Missouri vs. Eastern Michigan (4-game series at Fort Meyers, Fla.)
Bowling Green at Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at San Diego
Texas Tech/Western Illinois at Mississippi State
Army/Air Force at LSU (All 3-game series unless noted)
