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Sean Rayford Gamecock Sports Kip Bou knight was named third team All-American prior to the 2000 season. In two years as a pitcher for the Gamecocks, Bouknight has compiled an 18-7 record with a 3.95 ERA. His 18 wins set a school record for the number of wins in a pitcher's first two seasons. Preseason All-American Bouknight key for Gamecocks' pitching staff by Jared Kelowitz Senior Writer “If Igo 5-10 and we win the whole thing, I’ll be happier than if I go 15-0 and we lose in the first round of the College Wbrld Series.” This is what USC preseason All-Ameri can pitcher Kip Bouknight said when asked what would be a dream season for him. Bouknight is one of the last true gentle men in big-time sports. He possesses a combination of modesty and sportsmanship that is uncommon in today’s sports. And what makes his demeanor even more rare is that Bouknight is a superstar. Last season the Gamecocks finished with an overall record of 35-23, and Bouknight tied with Randy Hadden for the team lead in wins, each notching seven. Bouknight also topped Carolina last sea son in innings pitched and strikeouts. In 119 innings, he struck out opposing batters 124 times, 36 of those times the bat ter went down looking. For most pitchers, numbers like these would astonish people. Not for Bouknight, though. After his freshman season, last year was just another walk in the park. During the 1998 campaign, his inaugur al college baseball season, Bouknight finished the season with an 11-3 record, the best ever by a USC freshman. Combine this with his 74 record last sea son and Bouknight’s career slate is 18-7. These 18 victories make him the win ningest pitcher in the first two years of a ca reer in USC baseball history. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder that Bouknight hasn’t ruled out completely the major league baseball draft at the end of the 2000 season. “If the time is right and the money is there, there’s nothing saying I wouldn’t go pro, but I would not mind at all to play a senior sea son at Carolina,” Bouknight said. If Bouknight does reach the show he’ll be thanking his older brother, Chad, and his father, Rick, the two men he credits for get ting him started in America’s past time. “When I was young, I used to go to my big brother Chad’s games all the time, and I just began to love the game, even before I’d ever played organized baseball,” Bouknight said. A trait often found in baseball players is being superstitious. However, Bouknight does n’t possess this trait. “I really don’t consider myself too su perstitious all I do is make sure I wear my pants pulled up to my knees, but I guess that’s more of a style thing anyway,” Bouknight said. Bouknight lives his life by words from one of the best pitchers in professional base ball -Greg Maddux. “You’re only as good as your last outing.” Bouknight said not only does he relate this not only to baseball, but also to life ingen eral. “On the field, I can’t ever be satisfied with what I did yesterday,” Bouknight said. “ I have to always be looking ahead and be ready to perform every day I take the mound. “In life I try to be a good person every day. I want to be remembered as a man who led by example and was a team player in an aspect of life.”