Sunday, March 19, 2017

Palmetto State Baseball team of the week, March 13-19: South Carolina

South Carolina (3-0 for the week)
(went 3-0 at Tennessee in opening SEC series)

South Carolina entered the season as a consensus Top 5 team nationally, but the Gamecocks' first month of the season was nothing to turn the head of the casual fan of college baseball. Perhaps the most notable thing on USC's resume was that it was unable to hold a late lead in a pair of losses to Clemson.

On the eve of their SEC-opening series at 12-2 Tennessee, the Gamecocks learned Friday night ace Clarke Schmidt would miss his start with a minor oblique strain. Coach Chad Holbrook's team responded with a there-game sweep, pounding the Vols twice around an opportunistic 6-4 victory in 10 innings on Saturday when the bats weren't producing.

Adam Hill and Wil Crowe were their usual effective selves and three freshman combined to handcuff the Vols in the series finale. Six different Gamecocks hit a home run in the series.

USC (14-5, 3-0) returns to action with a Wednesday home game against Charleston Southern.

Also considered (record for week)

Clemson (4-1) - won two of three over Virginia in showdown of ranked ACC teams
Coker (2-1)
Erskine (3-1)
Florence-Darlington Tech (4-0)
Lander (3-1)
Newberry (4-0)
USC Lancaster (3-0)
USC Sumter (2-0)

Previous winners
Jan. 28-Feb. 5: USC Lancaster
Feb. 6-12: Erskine
Feb. 13-19: USC Salkehatchie
Feb. 20-26: Clemson
Feb. 27-March 5: North Greenville
March 6-12: USC Aiken

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