usc1
02-03-2008, 10:13 PM
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Given the opportunity to choose between the offense and the weather Sunday afternoon, South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner would probably side with Mother Nature.
The Gamecocks' only question mark – their pitching – turned into an exclamation point Sunday afternoon at Sarge Frye Field in the third scrimmage of the pre-season.
Practice officially began Friday. The 2008 season opener is set for Fri. Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. against East Carolina.
Sunday's six-inning affair ended in a Bud Selig-like 1-1 tie. Both runs would have arguably been unearned, but without an official scorer, one can only guess.
There were highlights, of course, but they came modtly from the guys standing 60 feet, six inches from home plate, most notably redshirt freshmen Sam Dyson and senior Brandon Todd, who awed the scouts on hand with a lively fastball.
Dyson, who sta out last season after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum, looked crisp in his first visit to the hill against live hitters.
The Tampa, Fla. native topped out at 96 mph once in high school, leaving scouts concerned about his power arm. He answered the questions by consistently hitting 91 and 92 mph, until unloading a 94 mph fastback to strike out freshman outfielder Graham Couch.
Brandon Todd looked even more dominant, as the redshirt senior from Ocala, Fla. ended the game by striking out some of USC's best hitters, including Reese Havens, James Darnell and Justin Smoak.
Todd compiled a 4.63 ERA in 11.2 innings of work in 2006, allowing 15 hits and eight run with nine strikeouts and five walks. He did not pitch last season.
By the time Justin Smoak had turned away rom the plate after strike three, all three scouts sitting around the press box as well as some fans asked almost in unison, "Who's that kid?"
But, it's still early February and the first regular season game isn't for another three weeks. Typically, in a scrimmage setting, with regular season line-ups not in tact and younger pitchers getting most of the work, a sluggish offensive display is more likely than not.
NOTEBOOK:
-- Freshman Scott Wingo remains the favorite to fill in for the injured Andrew Crisp at second base until Crisp is healthy. Wingo looked sharp in the field Sunday, surprising no one as his glove was deadly in fall practice.
-- Freshman Justin Hopper, a local product from Lexington High School, looks to have won the starting left field job from Jose Rodriquez and others. Hopper is nursing a sore hamstring, but is still hitting.
-- RHP Jay Brown, who underwent Tommy John surgery in the fall, will redshirt for 2008 with two years of eligibility remaining.
-- Outfielder Jonathan Ratledge has transferred to East Carolina.
-- Third baseman Chris Love has transferred out of the program, as has pitcher Evan Goldberg.
-- Incoming freshman Steven Neff, a LHP/OF from Lancaster, will redshirt while rehabilitating his throwing shoulder.
-- Junior OF Graham Couch, a transfer from The Citadel, will also red-shirt.
-- Brandon Miller, a freshman LHP from Greenwood, SC will redshirt during the 2008 season.
-- A source close to the program said Jordan Costner felt a twinge in his surgically repaired shoulder a few days ago – not a good sign for a young man returning from surgery after missing most of 2007.
www.gamecockcentral.com (http://www.gamecockcentral.com)
Given the opportunity to choose between the offense and the weather Sunday afternoon, South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner would probably side with Mother Nature.
The Gamecocks' only question mark – their pitching – turned into an exclamation point Sunday afternoon at Sarge Frye Field in the third scrimmage of the pre-season.
Practice officially began Friday. The 2008 season opener is set for Fri. Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. against East Carolina.
Sunday's six-inning affair ended in a Bud Selig-like 1-1 tie. Both runs would have arguably been unearned, but without an official scorer, one can only guess.
There were highlights, of course, but they came modtly from the guys standing 60 feet, six inches from home plate, most notably redshirt freshmen Sam Dyson and senior Brandon Todd, who awed the scouts on hand with a lively fastball.
Dyson, who sta out last season after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum, looked crisp in his first visit to the hill against live hitters.
The Tampa, Fla. native topped out at 96 mph once in high school, leaving scouts concerned about his power arm. He answered the questions by consistently hitting 91 and 92 mph, until unloading a 94 mph fastback to strike out freshman outfielder Graham Couch.
Brandon Todd looked even more dominant, as the redshirt senior from Ocala, Fla. ended the game by striking out some of USC's best hitters, including Reese Havens, James Darnell and Justin Smoak.
Todd compiled a 4.63 ERA in 11.2 innings of work in 2006, allowing 15 hits and eight run with nine strikeouts and five walks. He did not pitch last season.
By the time Justin Smoak had turned away rom the plate after strike three, all three scouts sitting around the press box as well as some fans asked almost in unison, "Who's that kid?"
But, it's still early February and the first regular season game isn't for another three weeks. Typically, in a scrimmage setting, with regular season line-ups not in tact and younger pitchers getting most of the work, a sluggish offensive display is more likely than not.
NOTEBOOK:
-- Freshman Scott Wingo remains the favorite to fill in for the injured Andrew Crisp at second base until Crisp is healthy. Wingo looked sharp in the field Sunday, surprising no one as his glove was deadly in fall practice.
-- Freshman Justin Hopper, a local product from Lexington High School, looks to have won the starting left field job from Jose Rodriquez and others. Hopper is nursing a sore hamstring, but is still hitting.
-- RHP Jay Brown, who underwent Tommy John surgery in the fall, will redshirt for 2008 with two years of eligibility remaining.
-- Outfielder Jonathan Ratledge has transferred to East Carolina.
-- Third baseman Chris Love has transferred out of the program, as has pitcher Evan Goldberg.
-- Incoming freshman Steven Neff, a LHP/OF from Lancaster, will redshirt while rehabilitating his throwing shoulder.
-- Junior OF Graham Couch, a transfer from The Citadel, will also red-shirt.
-- Brandon Miller, a freshman LHP from Greenwood, SC will redshirt during the 2008 season.
-- A source close to the program said Jordan Costner felt a twinge in his surgically repaired shoulder a few days ago – not a good sign for a young man returning from surgery after missing most of 2007.
www.gamecockcentral.com (http://www.gamecockcentral.com)