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1 Sports Friday, February 21, 1986 ~j THE GAMECO [Experienced I Gamecocks open year at Baptist Saturday By TRACY MIXSON Staff writer If great potential is a burden, June Raines isn't showing any signs of strain. In his 10th season as USC's head baseball coach, Raines said he expects his 1986 squad to be as good ? if not better ? than last year's team that went all the way to the College World Series. The Gamecocks finished 47-22 last year with their seventh consecutive bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs and fifth appearance in the CWS at Omaha, Neb. since 1975. This season, USC is ranked sixth by Collegiate Baseball and seventh by Baseball America. "Overall, our strength should be our power again this year," Raines said. "We feel like we're going to be a good hitting ball club ? we have several good power hitters ? and we feel that should carry us through the season." Not only are the Gamecocks going to hit the ball well, he said, they're also going to play solid defense and enjoy above average speed. In fact, the only questionable area the coach said the forsees is a young pitching staff that features only one senior. "As usual, the key to the season is going to be pitching," he said. "We've got a young pitching staff with only one senior in Casey Reed, and that's goina to hold the key for the whole year." Reed, a right-hander from Lancaster, had eight wins as a sophomore, but slumped last year to finish 2-5 with one save. The only three-year letterman on the squad, he's expected to start Saturday when the Gamecocks open the season against Baptist College in Charleston. Raines said the losses of Mike Cook and Glenn Jenkins could hurt the squad in the early going. Cook, an All-America selection, was 16-2 while Jenkins added an 8-2 record. I "We lost two super pitchers in Mike Cook and Glenn Jenkins, so that's 24 wins we don't have," Raines said. "But we've got some good arms and talent out there this year, too. It's inexperienced talent, but I think as time goes on, we'll develop a fine pitching staff." Raines said several newcomers will help the staff this year, including junior college transfers Lee Whatley and Rodney Richey, and Connecticut freshmen Pete Meade and Dave Menhart. Whatley was named Most Valuable Player last year at Middle Georgia Junior College, where he finished 8-3 with seven saves and a 2.28 earned run w average. Kichey had a 12-3 record in two y^ffs at Melon Run tffll to be held ? By SHREWSBURY sports Th<* d "> anH MUM iviviuii Run, sponsored by the intramural department, will start Saturday at 9 a.m. in front of the H|^a|g9gp Registration fees before race day are $5 with a T-shirt and $2 BHHD^h ^ without. Fees may be paid in room 102 of the Blatt Center, i Race day registration is $7 with a f ; T-shirt, $4 without. T-shirts may !|?||o be picked up in the intramural ^rdepartment on Saturday. Refreshments will be served and awards for the first place Hr male and female students and iM* I faculty member will be Riven. lar ' V i The intramural department HbB it Jfi released their fall points stan- VVMl jh In the fraternity division, w|gj Sigma Nu has taken a slim ST 1 79-point lead over Sigma Alpha * gfe Epsilon at 2,213 to 2,134. SAE has been the winner of this divi- Rnsbattmii u ? ? ?? sion for six of the past seven years. Sigma Phi Epsilon is a dis- Delta in the worm tant third with 1,408. 518-487, and Na> commanding lead Columbia Hall (270) has a dent/Gamecock 70-point lead over the Towers' No. 2 Baptist J 69ers (200) in the residence hall (416). Columbia H division. Alpha Delta Pi has 420 lead over th taken the lep.d from Delta Delta USC Co-Rec divis Morrison gets "???US'ST . a . Gator Bowl. His o additional year usc is USC officials announced IIQf* UUftlTI Wednesday that head football ****** wwUIII 1. v a* * ^ - i:oacn joc iviorrison s iour-year fanth CfrfS contract has been extended an ad- WW III OII i ditional year through the 1990 season. ROME, Ga. Officials declined to discuss Southers and Mart details of the pact. scored 19 points tc Morrison compiled a 5-6 Gamecocks to a record last season, his third at the over Berry College university. He directed USC to its USC improved ti ISC wants an i |^L \ HW I ^|k ^ jK^JTjf jk 4 l*JI I I?v It ?.fe-3 - ~f? - .?* ; ? ? * ) ' s, i. " v v viv u-.v. .< :. f " ? Senior first baseman Joe Datin holds his teammate at thir Spartanburg Methodist. Both will be used as long relievers. While the pitching staff is still questionable, Raines said (JSC's power at the plate should be as strong ? if not stronger ? than last year's squad. The Gamecocks lose outfielders Rob Rinehart (.390, 14 home runs, 60 runs batted in), Scott i T?r* * > " -* - -- - - imqvrh. anu tveun luinan (.304, 15, 53) from the 1985 team, which hit a school record 144 home runs. But Raines said most of that power will be returning this season, led by first baseman Joe Datin, shortstop Jeff Barns and outfielder Charlie Aldrich. Datin hit .348 with a school record 23 home runs and 88 RBI. The senior from Cincinnati was named All-Metro Conference, All-Metro Tournament and co-MVP of the 1985 Gamecocks along with Mike Cook. Barns, a junior, was also All-Metro and was named to the NCAA East Region AJl-Tournament team. \MT < VH--' I *^1 Iffl 4SS BcL** tt 1 A ^UjT ~ flfl BBMV W^^-'::-:V':v ' DAVID DDTSONfThe Gamecock several winter intramural sports ;n's division at Nole:\JSC's women's rugby vy (969) has a match on Saturday with the in the Indepen- University of Georgia and Reedy division over Creek, out of Raleigh, N.C., has student Union been moved to A.C Flora High [all has a 481 to School in Columbia. The round ? . 1- - - ? u: . " w ivuga hi mc iuuiii iiiaimcN arc scneuuieu lor ion. noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. in 1984 with a 10th straight win. Berry, ranked a trip to the seventh in the latest NAIA poll, verall record at dropped to 23-5. The Lady Gamecocks' other three starters also hit double m figures. Sharon Gilmore scored 1611 Will in' P?,nI ^uar(1 Ml,,(1y Hallou added 16 and forward Tammy linht Harvey contributed 10. liyill |ecJ a|| Jjic way anJ |)cj(J a 48-30 lead at halftime. ? Brantley USC will be in action again ha Parker each Monday night for their final i lead the Lady regular-season contest against 96-65 victory UNC-Asheville. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Frank o 16-10 with its McGuire Arena. lother trip to ^ VHHneJKjS VH| i* "Qfij|HL H | ^RK *7 HTQ v^-V M| jB j oHw RAY GRONBERG/The Gamecock d as the opposing catcher yrabs a loose ball last season He averaged .351 with 10 homers and 43 RBI, and became the first Gamecock to collect 100 hits in a season. Used mostly as a designated hitter last year, Aldrich batted .325, hit 14 home runs and drove in 47 runs. His homer in the final game of the East Regionals assured USC the victory and a bid to the College World Series. Aldrich will again bo hattino W --0 DH in the cleanup spot for Carolina this year. All totaled, the returning Gamecocks combined for a .314 average, 107 home runs, 103 doubles, five triples, 408 RBI and 25 stolen bases. Raines said the heavy-hitting offense could overshadow a solid defense, as it did last season. USC turned a school record 68 double plays with the keystone combination of Barns and second baseman Riley Polk. The Gamecocks also set team records for putouts and assists, and the .961 fielding percentage was among the best in the nation. The defensive accomplishments could continue 1 jrpnrrn/\ ME. 1K5J 'v/J CHAMP! SWIMMING & DIVING FEB. 26, 27, 28, MARCH 1 ' Ticket Information: $5.00 / All Tournament Pricc for Adults $3.00 / All Tournament Price for Children, High School & ! r^.ii ?? Ix^uuege ocuuenis witn iu card. $2.00 / Daily Pricc for Adults $1.00 / Daily Price for Children, I High School & College Students with ID card. WOl MAE Ticket / \vctW $100? A $ 5.00 ) \ w $ 4.00 $ 2.00 For further infori Gamecock Ticket ( si /> no * l-j a,LL World Series this year, as the entire infield, most of the outfield and Carolina's top three catehers return. "That's why we feel like we'll be a good defensive team," Raines said. "We have our three catchers back, and we think we've got quality depth in both the infield and outfield. "Our infield is solid and in the outfield wc have three lettermen back and a couple of new outfielders who will help us." Dave Smyth, a transfer from Middle Georgia Junior College, will crack the lineup as a Gamecock for the first time Saturday, starting in right field. Jeff Morris, a tri-captain this year along with Polk and Reed, will start in centerfield, while Garret Carter, a reserve outfielder last year, will take left field. Third baseman Dave Hollins completes the Gamecock infield, along with Datin, Polk and Barns. Hollins started as a ireshman last season, and finished with eight homers and a .282 average after a one-for-nine start. At catcher, senior fsrntt l atr<K/?r? ?..;n ?-? , I ??11 IIIC Mill " ting call Saturday, ahead of veterans Jeff Churchich and Mark Nelson. Lambert batted .282 with seven home runs and 21 RBI. Churchich shared the starting role with Lambert in 1985, hitting .294 with seven homers and 23 RBI in 41 games. Nelson appeared in 27 games last year and batted .323 in 31 at bats with one home run. Raines said he's excited about this season's 60-game schedule, which includes 34 games at home and contests with preseason top-30 powers Michigan (ninth), Maine (12th), Georgia Tech (22nd), and North Carolina (24th). "It's a top-notch schedule," he said. "Eleven of />,.r r:?* i ^ ? v/u. iii 10 panics arc on tne road against quality competition. We're excited for our fans, too, because they'll be able to see some really good baseball." USC won the Northern Division of the Metro Conference last season and finished second to Florida State in the league championships for the second consecutive year. Raines said he hopes to win the 1986 tournament, although he said the Seminoles will be tough to beat. "Florida State is ranked number two in the country, and we figure Florida State and South Carolina will go neck and neck again for the title," he said. "But Virginia Tech and Memphis State are also very good. "We fitfliro thnce fr*lir loomf liniio n * * c v. ivuino imvfc a Vlldlltc ill 11. 1 guess because Florida State is hosting the tournament down in Tallahassee (May 8-11), they'll be considered the favorite, unless something happens in the immediate future." The Gamecocks open at home Sunday against Newberry at 2 p.m. Junior righthander Steve Boley, who went 3-1 with a 3.96 ERA last year, will get the start. ing J *! NffiRBTCE UNSHIPS vlEN'S BASKETBALL tCH 1-3 Information: / All Tournament Pass for Adults ' All Tournament Pass for Children, High School & College Students with ID card. / Dailv Adult Prir#> / Daily Price for Children, High !! School & College Students jj w/ID card. j j mation contact: il Office at 777-4274 | (2oms! I