University of South Carolina Libraries
f USC wins om s iraigni By Mitch Sherwood USC's baseball team, playing hard in hopes of a playoff bid, completely dominated the Citadel 13-0 Thursday and Davidson 22-7 Saturday for their eighth straight win. Freshman right-hander Hal Hutchens pitched a three-hitter in leading USC over the Citadel. USC had 14 hits, including home runs by Mark Van Bever and Greg Keatley. Van Bever stole two bases and now has 33 stolen bases to tie the team mark set hv .inhn fiflmhrpll in 1974. Keatlev. has now hit safely in 20 games and has broken the record of 19 held by Hank Small. THE VICTORY was Hutchen's third of the season without a defeat. He struck out six and walked four tc lead USC. Scott Thomas relieved Hutchens in the ninth and allowed only one hit before striking out the side. Steve Cook batted in eight runs in leading the Gamecocks to victory Saturday over Davidson. Cook who was five-for-five at the plate, had a two-run hoim run in the fourth and a three run triple in the fifth. He now has a .272 batting average. Van Bever, who tied the stolen base record in th? Citadel game, stole two bases Saturday to break th< school record and he now leads the nation in stolei bases. USC stole 11 bases before the game was over Keatley extended his hitting streak to 21 games with i home run and two singles. He now leads the team ii hitting with a .414 average and has eight home runs Ed Lynch picked up the win by pitching six tougl innings before being relieved by Thomas and Chucl McLean, who each pitched an inning. Freshmei Ronnie Craps and Mike Toakson pitcnea in me ninu inning when Davidson scored four times. McLEAN WAS the only USC starter who did not ge a hit.. Jeff Grantz was two-for-five and drove in tw runs while Steve King and David Small each had tw runs batted in. Jim Fleming, who fielded well a shortstop, scored five runs for USC on one hit, tw II? 1 4 nWAinno WaiKS, anu IWU uciucis liiuiw. USC, behind 1-0 after the first inning, scored thre runs in the second, third, and fourth innings for a 9 lead. Keatley and Cook each had home runs in th fourth inning. USC scored five runs in the fifth an added two runs in the seventh for their final score. USC travels to Furman today for a 3 p.m. gam< Earlier USC beat Furman 2-1 in a game at Rc Enright Field. The ( (lAllbADAtf)Kr 4 VtMnWWWMMWbn WWW?I?(M?B?U?MM?mMB Will use I USC's eight-game win streak has promoted the tenth place national ranking in college baseball, a that some feel guarantees them a right to again cor regional competition for a possible shot at the NO However, a man well versed on the subject of baseball and chairman of the NCAA committee, f Gamecocks are not assured a bid at this time. Ch head baseball coach at the Citadel, is also the chai * 1 ** wv _ ?? the rules and tournament committee lor uisirici u 14 at-large Independent teams compete with ' possible playoff spots each year. "I feel there are more good teams in the Southeas any other region of the country," Port said Friday a recruiting trip near Charleston. "This present problem in determining the selections for region Last year we even sent two of the teams in this r * l f ~ in ,,nmrv?*r> " oirif r |)(tri?> in nit' tuunu j iu cumpviv. Clemson was sent to Michigan, and South Alab. sent to the tournament in Texas last year. Port could not determine if it will be necessary to send teams out of the region again this year. IIE DID say no matter what happened some teai region will be left home, even though they have in records. Tort said that only conference winners are assu in post season tournaments. District III is divided regional tournaments, the Atlantic Regional Southern Regional. The Atlantic Regional will Southern and Atlantic Coast conference winners a two at-large selections. The Southern Region will ^1^ >;~v> * *** V v* t Q. P,WM ?y Mwmtl JmHcomf >x USC's Sam Foster leaps into broad jump pit .. .The freshman placed third against Georgia -? ? S Sports J nsikp Vinsph afporf MHy iSaker Ig rman of use*1 for Asst. Sports Editor t than in while on s a real ' AO/ ial play. egion to Southeast Conference winner along with tl selections. Any at-large team, one picked fror m,? ",oc ? pAimtrv in lliufript III ran fninnctP ii UIIO VYMO III II IV, VA/UIIll j , ... * 1 _ said he nament. at-large Because the tournaments must be played participant's home fields, USC has a com] ins in the because of the large crowds the Gameco ipressive Columbia last year. However, Port said this Is criteria when teams are selected. red spots "We select schools on three basic things," I into two strength of their schedule, won-lost percen and the depth of their pitching staff." have the "We're interested in how many Division I s long with plays," Port said. "At one time you had to pla have the half Division I schools on your schedule to Carolina defeats Ge orgia, 83-62 By Matt Ward USC's track team completed its home schedule Saturday with a 83-62 victory over Georgia at Weems Baskin Track. The Gamecocks were led by the performances of Ron Adams who placed first in the triple jump, long jump, and second in the high jump and 100-yard aasn. Aiding Adams were periorniers Lou DeChicchio, who won the javelin and Alan Shoultz, who won the 440-yard hurdles. Before the meet head coach Bill McClure said, "The meet between us will be an even match-up. I think it will go to the final event (the mile relay) before it is finally decided." The meet had been verv close, but the Gamecocks pulled away during the final events with victories in the 440 intermediate hurdles, the three-mile run, and the mile relay. THERE WERE a few surprises during the contest, especially in the high jump. Carolina's premier leaper Steve Wilson didn't compete due to a sprained arch in his foot. James Barrineau, Georgia's candidate for the Olympic trials in the high jump - ? ?? ~ ^ ?C A M/\fcnmricn tiFOC easily won Ifie UVCIll WlUl & jump U1 ( ^ . ruiuuici octi jl?i lov. vruo in the 880-yard run bewteen USC's John Brown and Tom Perkins of Georgia. Brown was leading throughout the entire race, when Perkins suddenly came alive and edged past Brown at the finish. After the race Brown said, "I was ready to run, but Perkins runs similar to my style and he overtook me at the 660 mark. I was running for a qualifying time for the Olympic trials. I hope to get it at the Penn Relays next week." OTHER FIRST place finishes for the Gamecocks were Gibbes McDowell in the pole vault and Billy McElveen in the shot putt with a toss of 55-7 Vfe". He said afterwards, "I was lifting weights all week, so against Georgia I was really prepared." Mike Shealy won in the 440-yard dash, and Pete Dalton won the discus competition. The Bulldogs were supported by the performance of Ken Washington who won the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard dash. Throughout most of the meet, both teams were sweeping particular events with reasonable ease. Georgia took all three lOA wor/l KirtK hlirHloc thp milp Tlin flnH thP 440 pidtCO 111 llIC A ?j\J J U1U 111^,11 1IUL uivuj uav .? , Relay and Carolina shut out Georgia in the long jump. In most of the events the Gamecocks scored two performers. JAVELIN THROWER Lou DeChicchio, who won by over 50 feet said, "I was disappointed, the competition was easy and I wasn't motivated. This year I've been real consistent. I think I can throw 250 at the Penn Relays next week." After the meet McClure said, "I'm satisfied with our win ana the performance of our individuals, especially our graduating seniors. When I arrived at USC in 1972, there were 22 track records. As of today there are only 3 that remain on the books. It is a credit to this fine group of young men that I have been associated with." The Gamecocks travel to Philadelphia to compete in the Penn Relays this Saturday. all playoffs? compete, and even though the rule has changed we still take .jfe- this into consideration. H"The depth of a team's pitching staff is important, S&JAk , because we don't like to send a team w?th only a one-or twoman staff to the regional tournament." Port said such Us teams "haven't got a chance." iuki>'r At CAin mlian a tnam'c M/nn nprPPn t A l?l? IK I Wl\ 1 O/llI/ TT IKV/I I M iVMlll Ttvn |/-w v.^..v-D evaluated, wins away from home are very important. "A Sp I team's ability to win on the road is a real indication of their I strength. A lot of teams win at home, but they must be able '? to compete on the road, too." Port called USC's schedule "average" and noted that its pitching staff has improved. "They had a young staff at the !!/ beginning of the season, and now they are starting to come around. I think their games against Virginia Tech early in iree at-large May will have a lot of influence on South Carolina's chann any college ces. A win in May is more impressive than a win in i either tour- February because it shows how much you have improved or not." on one of its Fort said he and other committee members have just now petitive edge begun compiling information on possible selections to be cks drew in announced in mid May. He said teams in the District III not one of the right now include: Florida state, Jacksonville, ^ouin Alabama, Memphis State, Miami of Florida, Carolina, he said, "the Georgia Southern and South Florida. tage and the "We are just now getting information on just what is ^ available in the Southeast," Port said. Other schools in chools a team other regions of the country get started late, and their y at least one- playoff picture is even cloudier than ours in the Southeast." be eligible to See BAKKR, Page 8