Myrtle Beach Super Regional

Sean Stires — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:54:12 +0000

www.simplesharebuttons.com

So. Carolina Faces Virginia/Oklahoma Winner At CWS

Another national seed is gone. South Carolina beat #4 national seed 10-9 Sunday in Myrtle Beach, SC to cap a 2-0

Christian Walker's 8th inning home run helped South Carolina cap its two game sweep.

series sweep and clinch a spot in the College World Series. The Gamecocks are headed to Omaha for the first time since 2004. Click the links below for more details.

By clicking the “Myrtle Beach Super Regional” title link above, this page will expand to fully support the table below.

CLICK HERE for our Super Regional Central page where you will find links to other Super Regionals.

Best 2-of-3 Super Regional Series
(CC’s Super-Regional Home Page)

• Saturday – 12 ET (ESPNU)
South Carolina 4, at Coastal Carolina 3
Final Stats | SC Recap | CC Recap (w/ quotes)
Photos (SC) | Quotes (SC)

• Sunday – 1 ET (ESPN)
FINAL: South Carolina 10, Coastal Carolina 9 | Final Stats
CAR Recap | CC Recap

* South Carolina wins series (2-1)

CB360 Podcast interview with South Carolina’s Blake Cooper (from earlier this season).
CB360 Podcast interview with Coastal Carolina’s Rico Noel (recorded after Regionals).

THE SKINNY …

COASTAL CAROLINA (#4 National Seed)
(55-8 … 25-0/1st Big South … Big South Tournament champs)
Super-Reg. Notes | Roster | 2010 Stats | Media Guide | Quick Facts (preseason)
Big South Conf. info. – Homepage | Weekly Release | Conference Stats

Over the past four seasons, no team has won more games than Gary Gilmore and Coastal Carolina. Including last weekend’s 4-1 Regional showing, the Chanticleers have won 202 games from 2007-present. Arizona State is right behind with 198 victories. Gilmore has taken players that were on other teams’ “B” lists and turned Coastal into a national player. The one thing missing from his resume is a trip to the College World Series.

The Chants are a rare combination of speed and power, with 107 home runs and 160 stolen bases. They are thought to be the only DI team to top 100 HRs and 150 SBs in the same season. Rico Noel (podcast link above) leads the nation with 56 swipes, while Scott Woodward has 54. Noel also has 11 home runs (including a walk-off shot to beat the College of Charleston in the Regional, with CC facing elimination) – making him one of six Chants with double-digit dingers. Catcher Jose Iglesias leads the way with 16 HR and 78 RBI.

The pitching is good, too, with jr. LHP Cody Wheeler (3.59 ERA; 12-0 record) and so. RHP Anthony Meo (2.63; 13-2) leading the rotation, backed by Ryan Connolly (2.08l 3-0), Austin Fleet (2.53; 8 saves; 6-1) and Matt Rein (2.70; 2 SV; 7-0) out of the bullpen.

Myrtle Beach Regional (CC results)
(1) Coastal Carolina 6, (4) Stony Brook 0 | Final Stats
CC Recap | SB Recap

(2) College of Charleston 16, (1) Coastal Carolina 6 | Live Stats
CofC Recap | CC Recap | Quotes

(1) Coastal Carolina 25, (4) Stony Brook 7 (elim. game) | Final Stats
CC Recap | SB Recap

(1) Coastal Carolina 8, (2) College of Charleston 7 | Final Stats
CC Recap | CofC Recap

(1) Coastal Carolina 11, (2) College of Charleston 10 (10 inn.) | Final Stats
CC Recap (w/ video highlights) | CofC Recap

Awards/Honors:
• Jim Birmingham (LHP; Sr./Jr.) – 33rd-round MLB draft pick (S.F. Giants)
• Daniel Bowman (OF; So.) – Big South Tournament MVP
• Ryan Connolly (RHP; Fr.)– Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball) … 2nd team all-Big South
• Austin Fleet (RHP; 5th-Yr. Sr.) – 16th-round MLB draft pick (S.F. Giants)
• Chance Gilmore (OF; 5th-Yr.-Sr.) – 25th-round MLB draft pick (L.A. Dodgers) … Big South All-Tournament Team
• Gary Gilmore – Big South Coach of the Year
• Keith Hessler (LHP; Jr./So.) – 28th-round MLB draft pick (Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Jose Iglesias (C; Sr.) – Johnny Bench Award Finalist … 1st team all-Big South
• Tommy LaStella (2B; Jr./So.) – 1st team all-Big South
• Anthony Meo (RHP; So.) – 2nd team All-American (Collegiate Baseball) … Big South Pitcher of the Year … Big South All-Tournament Team
• Taylor Motter (SS; So.) – 1st team all-Big South … NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Rico Noel (CF; Jr.) – 5th-round MLB draft pick (San Diego Padres) … 1st team all-Big South … NCAA Regional MVP
• Cody Wheeler (LHP; Jr.) – 2nd team All-American (Collegiate Baseball) … 5th-round MLB draft pick (Arizona Diamondbacks) … 1st team all-Big South … NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Rich Witten (DH; Jr./So.) – NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team … Big South All-Tournament Team
• Scott Woodward (3B; Jr.) – 15th-round MLB draft pick (Oakland A’s) … 1st team all-Big South … NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team

• • •

The Gamecocks became Omaha regulars from 2002-2004, but Ray Tanner’s squad hasn’t been back to Rosenblatt since that three-year stretch.

South Carolina doesn’t have nearly the eye-popping offensive numbers that Coastal Carolina boatss, but Jackie Bradley, Jr. (.367, 11 HR, 49 RBI) is one of eight SC players who have hit at least seven home runs. Whit Merrifield has 12 HR, while Adrian Morales leads the Gamecocks with 52 RBI.

Pitching is the strength of a team that was in the conversation for a national seed before going 0-2 at the SEC Tournament. Senior RHP Blake Cooper (podcast link above) is 11-1 with a 2.75 ERA. He is one of five Gamecock hurlers who have pitched at least 23 innings and have an ERA below 3.00. Cooper is only 5-10, but he has a bulldog mentality in the mold of former Cy Young Winner David Cone.

Columbia Regional (SC results)

(1) South Carolina 9, (4) Bucknell 5 | Final Stats
SC Recap | BUCK Recap

(1) South Carolina 9, (3) The Citadel 4 | Final Stats
SC Recap | CIT Recap | Photos | Postgame Blog

(1) South Carolina 10, (2) Virginia Tech 2 | Final Stats
SC Recap | VT Recap

Awards/Honors:
• Parker Bangs (RHP/UTIL; Jr.) – 31st-round MLB draft pick (K.C. Royals)
• Jackie Bradley, Jr. (CF; So.) – 2nd team all-SEC … SEC All-Drefensive Team … NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Blake Cooper (RHP; Sr.) – 3rd team All-American (Collegiate Baseball) … 12th-round MLB draft pick (Arizona Diamondbacks) … 1st team all-SEC … NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Sam Dyson (RHP; Jr.) – 4th-round MLB draft pick (Toronto Blue Jays)
• Kyle Enders (C; Sr.) – NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Bobby Haney (SS; Sr.) –22nd-round MLB draft pick (S.F. Giants)
• Evan Marzilli (LF; Fr.) – SEC All-Freshman Team … NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Whit Merrifield (RF/IF; Jr.) – 9th-round MLB draft pick (K.C. Royals)
• Adrian Morales (3B; Jr.) – NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Steven Neff (LHP; So.) – 23rd-round MLB draft pick (K.C. Royals)
• Matt Price (RHP; Fr.) – Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball) … 2nd team all-SEC … SEC All-Freshman Team
• Jordan Propst (RHP; Sr.) – 49th-round MLB draft pick (K.C. Royals)
• Brady Thomas (DH; Sr.) – NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
• Christian Walker (1B; Fr. ) – SEC All-Freshman Team
• Scott Wingo (2B; Jr.) – SEC All-Drefensive Team