University of South Carolina Libraries
I GAM] I Baseball Season By TRACY HELMS Sports Editor Great works are performed not hv - strength but by perseverance. --Samuel Johnson, 1781 We just stuck our noses out and hung in there. -June Raines, 1981 There were times, many times, during the NCAA Colle"? World Series when it would h o\T?? Kaa? r 41 ..??v. wvtu easy ior me liamecock baseball team 10 hang it up, to not reach back for that extra effort, to be satisfied with an already successful season. There was the five-ri 'ead by Oklahoma State in the opener, the infest of errors against Maine, the three-innings of sure-fire scoring threats in the Mississippi State game, and. I ol course, the bruising bats that allowed Arizona State to jump well ahead in the fourth contest. But it didn't take long for observers at the Omaha, Neb. event - as well as anyone else who lent an ear or eye to the proceedings - to realize that it would never happen that way. From USC's opening CWS contest, the Gamecocks made it evident that they were there to fight, not fold. And they did fight. After scratching and scrapping in an opening-game loss, Coach June Raines' never-say-die squad outlasted opponents in the following two outings to finish among college baseball's Final Four oi tne 1981 season, ending the year with a 4615 record, including a 2-2 CWS mark. THE SERIES ENDED in a loss, and therefore disappointment for USC, but not before the team - who only a few weeks earlier had sweated out a post-season bid ~ had overcame unfavorable odds by endurance. It was Carolina's third trin to th*? rwc Raines Plei By TRACY HELMS Sports Editor Coach June Raines was naturally pleased \vi performance in the College World Series but, nine, cuuian i neip imnKing oi wnal might have i "I'm very pleased with the series, of course,' Monday. "We felt like we were as good as any te; and we were just one or two plays from going all Raines pointed to pitching as the factor that k< bettering a fourth-place finish. ,4I WAS PLEASED in a way and disappointed our pitching," the fifth-year head coach said thing that hurt us in the series was walks ? we few too many." Raines was admittedly puzzled on the questioi ace Dennis Lubert, who carried a 12-1 record i nament, was heavily shelled in two contests lefthander ? who along with Paul Hollins and . a-, it r% /i ? ? 4 " ^1 iicwiitu iccciuiy 10 me ^oacnes AH-siate i up 14 hits and nine runs in just 6 and 2/3 inr Oklahoma State and then Arizona State. Women's Teni Carolina's women's tennis opened play i and softhall tpams p^onn.. > ? vw>?aaw * WVIIllJ 11(4111^111 UUHC O I ended successful seasons 9-0 decision to with unsuccessful tour- women bouncc naments, while the Lady next day with t Gamecock golf team is sixth-seeded Sa awaiting post-season action. to stay alive. T1 The women's tennis team Lady Game* concluded its season Friday largely due with a 5-4 loss to Brigham showings in the Young in the AIAW national singles. tourney at Tempe, Ariz. USC, which ?rv??. ? * a are vuiisuzuuun-DracKei loumey tnrougl match went to the third set of bid, had placed of the No.3 doubles pairing AIAW Region II before BYU, seeded fourth, The Lady Gai capturefftliewiff, their openings smashing Virf CAROLINA. WHICH advance to a i . FINISHED the year at 19-12, duel with arehri i BGOCI ends At 46-15 and like the previous trips of '75 and '77, the Gamecocks made it to the Final Four. In the first two tourneys, however, USC continued to the championship game, but then lost to Texas and Arizona State, respectively. Carolina began CWS action by absorbing a hearts topping, heartbreaking 8-5 loss to Oklahoma State May 30. Cowboy center fielder Stan Baughn tagged a three-run home run off Bobby Kish in the bottom of the tenth to downplay a valiant USC rally and give OSU the win. THROUGH SIX INNINGS, Oklahoma State had connected for 10 hits and five runs off starter Dennis Lubert, while Cowboy hurler Darren Dilks had held the Gamecocks scoreless. But USC managed to tally when Jamey Thaw hit into a fielder's choice in the seventh, sending home Rob T A11IAI*ir inK/v J ?-1 jjunti jr, vtiiw iu1u uuuuicu dliu UUVUI1CUU Oil a Chris Boyle single. Carolina continued the surge in the surge in the eighth inning as Paul Hollins unleashed a double to score Rod Carraway and Jim Curl after their respective singles. Lowery then singled in Hollins to cut OSU's advantage to 5-4. Two outs into the ninth inning, all USC hopes fell on Carraway. The Tampa, Fla. native responded with a double down the left-field line that scored Jamey Thaw, who led off the inning with a single. Kish easily retired the OSU side in the *u? 1? at uuitum ui uic niuui, seuuing me coniesi into extra innings. But after USC failed to score in the top of the tenth, Baughn converted Kish's pitch to a three-run blast, giving the Cowboys the win. LOWERY SMASHED TWO home runs - a feat not done since 19f>6 in CWS play - and Curl added a two-run blast to boost Carolina to an error-plagued 12-7 triumph over Maine June 2. CAA A CI I in aw nj\/, IV used With' "I wish I did know why Denni ih hi* tpam's been," Raines pondered. "But at the same have to go with your ace like th( ^?n-' i Oklahoma State did just that Haines said C(irioc ttop ?i *u. *vu v/pv-ilVl IV/1 UOV/) CIIIU lilt am out there, Gamecocks scoreless for se the way. had expected Dilks to come < spt USC from heard from the scouts that DM or six innings, so we waited. " in a way with THE WAITING PAYED off, "The main in the seventh and two more i just walked a then added a ninth-inning run Rogers. nof why USC "That comeback was super into the tour- would win the game," Raines . The junior won that one we would have be* Jim Curl was Oklahoma State was." pam ? tfavo 6""lings against Haines admitted that the 6-E Mississippi State was a nailbit* nis, Softball Sc n the tour- Clemson's Jennifer Hirsch )y dropping a and Susan Rimps HpfootoH UCLA. The Carol Renz and Grace ;d back the Barrie in the No. 3 doubles to i 5-4 upset of post a 5-4 win for the Tigers, n Diego State USC went on to defeat le victory for Tennessee in a consolationcocks was round match and earn third to strong in the region. No.4, 5 and 6 CAROLINA'S SOFTBALL entered the SQUAD concluded the ti an at-large season by absorbing conI (KirH in #h*? ?'? * * v. ... ?.v Bvcuuve snuiouiS in tne [tournament. AIAW national chammecocks won pionships. legion match; TKe~ XA dy~~Ga m eCtfci kX jinia 9-0 to opened play in the Norman, second-round Okla. event May 21 by abival Clemson. sorbing a 3-0 loea to UCLA. ? @ 3P.? SE'ag ^ ?? ^ nP*^iroiBWImlWmnBHWH^WfMKBMBMW^ffw^BWI^^^^^ Press international Coach June Raines and pitcher Don Gordon celebrate an 11-5 region win over Memphis State May 25. * Tournament Outcome s wasn't as effective as he has Bobby Kish and Rob Lowery. when you get out there, you "It was just one of those games that could have gone either ; rest of the teams." way," he reflected. "Our pitchers were tough through the early going, but their power hitters put them back into the ? go with their ace ? in the game. But Bobby (Kish) came on and did an amazing relief ; Cowboys' Darren Dilks held job once again. ven innings. Raines, however, out throwing hard. "We had "I HAVE TO GIVE Rob Lowery all the credit in the world is usually gets tired after five for the play," Raines said of catcher Lowery's call for a pitchout that stranded a Bulldog runner between third and home and a nnccihla ?;"U4U __ ^saasaaaasM w%? m |/vrkJU>MAV tj II1^ A till All HIC CI^lllIl 111"* as Carolina recorded one run ning. "We had discussed the play before, but he called it at n the eighth off of Dilks, and the right time." at the expense of OSU's Tim The series ended the 1981 season very successfully, but it also ended USC careers for nine senior Gamecocks. And how , and after it we thought we does Raines feel about it? recalled. "If we would have en in the driver's seat just like "I wish you hadn't mentioned that," Raines said. "But. that's Lie name of the game ? you've gotta lose them some time. I think Carolina baseball speaks for itself, it's just a hang-on-to-the-ship win over matter of going out and bringing the players here. sr, and praised the key play of "We finished fourth in the nation and that's just super." tosons End At Tourneys UCLA's Karen Andrews June 17-20 for the AIAW USC, ranked throughout allowed only four hits, while national championship. the season, finished the strilrina nut 10 a?>.. * rm-_ * - 0 v?v x*,. nuiy uyvns inc i>aay uamecocks, season with a 27-5 mark. connected for two of USC's ranked 17th in the final hits, and Maureen Ahem and national poll, were awarded Dee Dee Kish each added a tourney bid May 27. one. Cindy Wallace was USC freshman Lynn given the loss. Stiffler, who holds the Texas A&M delivered a 4-0 nation's 13th best scoring decision to the I.nHv nvArncr? woo Gamecocks the following recently to the AIAW Allday. American-AU-Begion II S \ jpT USC, which ended the team. One of 10 players >L, season at 27-15, has never named to the squad, Stiffler won a game in their four sports a 73.6 average. straight trips to the ' ^PPIllPy 1 jf *** -tiatronattr "^CAimawji'S?htbn-s?- - JHWHre??" tennis team was ranked THE USC WOMEN'S 15th in the season's final Colette Bennett GOLF squad joins 24 teams collegiate tennis poll. led women (letters. i