Published Apr 8, 2021
Where South Carolina ranks statistically in SEC currently
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Collyn Taylor  •  GamecockScoop
Beat Writer
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@collyntaylor

College baseball is in full swing and the Gamecocks are approaching the midway point of their season, so it's time to take a look at how things have gone so far.

The Gamecocks are 19-8 and 6-3 in the SEC while being projected as a regional host by both D1Baseball and Baseball America.

D1Baseball has the Gamecocks as the No. 13 seed, paired with a Texas Tech regional, and hosting Georgia Tech, Liberty and USC Upstate. Baseball America has them as the No. 12 seed hosting Georgia Tech, Charlotte and USC Upstate and paired with Texas.

There's still a long way to go this year, but before week four continues a look at how the Gamecocks are fairing statistically.

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South Carolina currently ranks as one of the better pitching staffs in the conference, sitting at eighth in team ERA (3.49) but top five in opponent batting average and strikeouts.

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Opponents are hitting .213 against South Carolina's pitching, fourth-best in the SEC and the staff's 349 strikeouts are third-best in the conference.

Brannon Jordan has the third-lowest opponent batting average, allowing teams to hit just .141 against him, and is tied for second in fewest hits allowed (18) and is fifth in total strikeouts.

In three SEC starts he's second in strikeouts (29) behind Vanderbilt's Jack Leiter.

Will Sanders is off to a good start to his freshman season, sitting at eighth in the league among pitchers with an ERA of 2.22. He's tied for third in wins (5) and fourth for fewest runs allowed (8).

Sanders and Brett Kerry have allowed two walks allowed in SEC play, which is tied for the third-fewest since league play started.

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As a pitching staff over the last three weekends the Gamecocks' are second in ERA (3.69) and opponent batting average (.208), both behind Vanderbilt. Their 118 strikeouts are the best in SEC play.

Offensively, the Gamecocks are slashing .267/.360/.477 this season, which is the 11th-best batting average, 12th-best on-base percentage and the fourth-highest slugging percentage in the league.

They've hit the third-most home runs (45) among SEC teams this season and have scored 171 runs, 11th-best in the league.

Their 252 strikeouts are the fourth-highest in the league.

Offensively the Gamecocks have three hitters at the top of their order in the top 15 of the league's hitters in slugging percentage. Wes Clarke leads the league slugging .809, Brady Allen is 11th at .604 and Braylen Wimmer is tied for 13th while slugging .600.

Clarke also ranks first in runs scored (33) and home runs hit (15). He's tied for fifth in the SEC in RBI (33) and is eighth in on-base percentage (.460).

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Allen is seventh in runs scored (28) and tied for eighth in doubles (8) while Wimmer is tied for second in doubles (10) and tied for fourth in sacrifice bunts (4).

Andrew Eyster (tied for fourth) and Colin Burgess (tied for 11th) are in the rankings for most hit by pitches this season with eight and six, respectively.

George Callil is third in the SEC with five sacrifice bunts and Heinrich is tied with Wimmer with four sac bunts.

The Gamecocks host Missouri for a three-game series starting Friday night at 7 p.m. with Thomas Farr on the mound.