The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 12, 2000, Page 13, Image 13
Gamecock Sports
Cloninger
from page 12
knows that he and the rest of the crowd
(there’s about 15 regulars) messed up.
But, he also apologized and said the
Hecklers have cleaned up their act They
don’t curse anymore, they don’t offer
highly personalized comments anymore
and they don’t use any kind of racist
terminology or throw objects onto the
field.
Instead, they scream and yell every
time the opposing pitcher winds up,
cheer on their team and generally try
to provide a distraction for the opposi
tion.
Does it work?
I can’t really say.
I can say this, though. USC has
swept three out of four SEC series this
year. Two of the three were at home.
USC’s home record is 25-2. Its away
record is 5-2.
1 ne Hecklers have claimed to have
come to USC baseball games since 1980.
USC’s home record in that time is 770
403-1, a winning percentage of al
most 66 percent.
USC’s last four games have all been
onfe-run victories. Three of the four
were won in the last two innings of the
game. In those three games, not one
heckler left early.
USC’s first loss, a 17-8 drubbing by
Florida, saw several fans leave early
when the Gators posted a 10-run
sixth inning. Every heckler and a ma
jority of the other fans stayed until the
final out, cheering as if the scoreboard
were in USC’s favor.
During USC’s last two seasons, the
players honored on Senior Day (most
notably All-American catcher Ryan Bor
denick, team co-captain Derick
Urquhart and second baseman Jay Lam
bert) all thanked the hecklers specifi
cally by walking over, personally thank
ing them for their support and then
leaping into the outstretched arms of
the heckler section.
With all of these facts to boast, you’d
think the hecklers would be a boon for
Saige Frye Field.
1 However, this is not the case.
They have been cursed. They have
been harassed. They have been called
every name in the book, including “a
disgrace to the state,” by former Gov.
David Beasley. (It should be noted, how
ever, that USC had just thrashed Clem
son, Beasley’s alma mater, 38-16 when
he said this.)
Since I saw a he-said-she-said sce
nario, I decided to listen in on the Heck
ler’s comments during Sunday’s game.
They yelled such heinous derivatives
as “Ragarm!” during the pitcher’s de
livery and also commented on the um
pire’s questionable eyesight by bel
lowing, “Kick your seeing-eye dog,”
“Put the patch over the glass eye” and
“The strike zone’s got comers, blue,
like your head.” (That last comment
got a stem look and a “Watch it!” from
the officer.)
During the entire 11 innings, I did
n’t hear one curse, one highly person
al comment (unless a comment about
how high a pitcher’s socks are pulled
up is highly personal) or one racist term.
What I did hear was the MSU players
in front of the dugout and the MSU fans
' breaking all of these rules.
These two groups didn t get one
word said to them about their behav
ior.
A USCPD officer allegedly shushed
a group of five fans in section one for
the same reason of “being too loud.”
The fans were all part of rightfielder
Brennan Dees’ unofficial fan club,
and raised a ruckus every time Dees
came up to bat. Is that so wrong?
Apparently, to some people, it is.
It’s very obvious that this column
isn’t going to change things. I just
thought I’d speak my mind on the sub
ject.
However, I’ve got a solution to the
problem.
For all of those who hate the heck
lers and say they’re not contributing to
the games, ask the players for their opin
ions. We’re here to see them perform,
so their opinions ought to count the
most.
If the players say the Hecklers aoit’t
contribute at all, then continue hating.
But, if not, why not just leave the
group alone so USC can keep winning?
It seems fair to me.
Battle
from page 12
and has not allowed an extra-base hit
in 22 straight innings.
However, USC coach Ray Tanner
said Bouknight will not go the distance
tonight, which means he should be able
to pitch this weekend against SEC foe
Vanderbilt.
“We’ve got to have him available
on the weekends,” Tanner said. “He’ll
certainly be limited tonight.”
Clemson will send its own ace
starter to pitch against USC. Scott
Bemey (7-2,1.46 ERA, 45 K’s) is a se
rious detriment to opponents’ batting
averages, even without an intimidat
ing fastball. Berney is a control
pitcher who works all corners of the
strike zone.
On the offensive side of the ball,
the two teams have five players each
who are hitting above .300. USC is led
by junior rightfielder Brennan Dees,
who is hitting .349 with six homers and
30 RBIs. Backing him up with solid de
fensive play and a hot bat is freshman
shortstop Drew Meyer, who is hit
ting .316 with six homers and 27 RBIs.
USC’s top power hitters are catch
er Brandon Pack (.310,10 HR, 40 RBIs)
and first baseman Tripp Kelly (.310,
11 HR, 37 RBIs).
Also, South Carolina’s primary
threat on the basepaths, leftfielder Nate
Janowicz, has 16 stolen bases along
with his .311 average and 25 RBIs.
The Tigers are led by shortstop Jeff
Baker, who has a .360 average with 32
RBIs and two homers. Also, third base
man Khalil Greene (.354, 29 RBIs, 2
HR) has been proving his solid fresh
man season was'no fluke.
Outfielder Patrick Boyd, rated the
No. 2 prospect in Major League Base
ball, is hitting .264 with 23 RBIs and
two homers, while leftfielder Casey
Stone is hitting .289 with 16 RBIs and
14 stolen bases.
Clemson coach Jack Leggett has
seen his team stifle opponents’ batting
averages with a .969 fielding per
centage. USC is just under that with
a .964 percentage.
However, one disadvantage USC
has is the unusual slope in Clemson’s
outfield. Instead of a warning track,
Clemson has a sloping edge on the field.
The hill inclines up to the wall, pos
ing a possible problem for USC’s trio
of Dees, Janowicz and centerfielder
Marcus McBeth.
Both teams have solid bullpen sup
port. USC can back up Bouknight with
southpaw Brett Price (2.74 ERA, 25
SO, 3-0), Scott Barber (2.19, 52 SO,
4-1) or Matt Wilson (2.75, 25 SO, 1
0).
Clemson relies mainly on its
starters, but can always have one of
them come out of the bullpen for emer
gency relief. Also, Paul Harrelson (3
0, 2.66 ERA) and Nick Glaser (1.40
ERA, nine saves) can pitch late innings
for the Tigers.
The two teams will clash again April
19 in Columbia The results of the sea
son series could play a factor in which
site gets an NCAA Regional, if both
teams make the tournament. USC
has announced the game is sold out.
The two teams are only playing
twice this year, but will start playing
each other four times per year next
season. Tanner and Leggett have both
said they want to play the rivalry games
Us much as possible. In previous sea
sons, the two schools have played each
other as many as six times per year.
The matchup will bb carried by
both the USC and Clemson radio
networks and will be broadcast to most
of South Carolina. It is also available
via cybercast on www.uscsports.com.
Track & Field
from page 12
Senior Ellakisha Williamson pulled down an NCAA au
tomatic time in one race and an NCAA provisional time in
another. She automatically qualified for the 100m hurdles
with atime of 13.04.
Later, she provisionally qualified for the 400m hurdles
with a time of 58.31. In 1999 she won both hurdle titles at
the SEC Championships and then placed eighth in the 100m
hurdles with a school-record time of 12.92.
Junior Jackie Madison added an NCAA provisional time
in the 100m hurdles to finish as the second collegiate at
13.16.
The General Motors Duke Outdoor Track and Field
Meet concluded Saturday as more than 2,700 athletes com
peted in the two-day event at Duke University's Wallace
Wade Stadium. Overall, 10 Duke Invitational records were
set in the two-day event. Heavy rain prevented the com
pletion of four events on Saturday - the men's 3,000-me
ter steeplechase, men's and women's 4x400-meter relay
and the men's long jump.
The Gamecock women's team, ranked No. 4 in the na
tional Trackwire poll, led the way in the women's hurdles.
EUakisha Williamson and Jackie Madison both picked up
NCAA times in the 100m hurdles, finishing as the first and
second collegiates, respectively. Williamson’s time of 13.04
was automatic, and Madison's time of 13.16 was provi
sional.
Williamson later finished as the top collegiate in the
400m hurdles with an NCAA provisional time of 58.31.
Charleston native Rodena Barr won the 100m dash Sat
urday with a time of 11.45. She also placed third in the
200m with a time of 23.98.
Sophomore Katie Orr ran a personal best in the 5000m
by more than 40 seconds, posting a time of 17:41.53 - to
finish as the 15th collegiate. ..
On the men's side, Jimmie Hackley was a bright spot
for the 17th-ranked Carolina men's team. The senior All
American from Jacksonville, Fla. placed third, the first col
legiate, in the 400m dash with a time of 46.00 seconds.
Gerald Pressley placed fourth in the 200m at 21.45.
Clint Crenshaw placed sixth in the 100m dash with a
time of 10.45.
Probable starting lineups
No. 2 South Carolina (324.12-3 SEC)
2 Nate Janowicz
LF .362 2 HR 25 RBI
7 Drew Meyer
SS .316 6 HR 27 RBI.,
| r\ Brennan Dees
1Z RF .349 6 HR 30 RBI
r\ i Brandon Pack
.Zl C .310 10HR 40RBI
/JQ TrippKeUy
HO IB .310 11 HR 37 RBI
n Trey Dyson
DH .275 3 HR 12 RBI
O H John McHenry
Z / 2B .292 4 HR 18 RBI
8 Marcus McBeth
CF .276 6 HR 22 RBI
1 Chris Plummer
3B .259 3 HR 15 RBI i
UKip Bouknight
P 9-0 1.92 ERA 86 SO
No. 7 Oemson (28-7.6-3 ACC)
i Q JeffBaker
lVsS .360 2 HR 32 RBI -
M Khalil Greene'
3B .354 2 HR 29 RBI '
O/T Casey Stone
ZO LF .289 OHR 16RBI.;
^ A Patrick Boyd
Z4- CF .264 1 HR 23 RBI ;
a -i Brian Ellis
41 C .305 OHR 21 RBI.'
4! >
q i Michael Johnson
jl IB .309 3HR. 22RBI
r\ r Jarrod Schmidt
ZJ RF .244 4HR 15RBI
Ars Ryan Riley
H-Z 2B .236 OHR 8RBI
1 Ham Stanley
DH .270 1 HR 12 RBI!
q f\ Scott Bemey
JUp 7-2 1.46 ERA 45 SCF j
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