The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 13, 2001, Page 8, Image 8
Gamecock Sports Schedule
■ Track and field at Tennessee (Sea Ray Relays), 1:30 p.m. Friday
■ Men’s tennis at Tennessee, 2 p.m. Friday
■ Baseball at Mississippi State, 6:30 p.m. Friday
■ Softball at Kentucky (doubleheader), 1 p.m. Saturday
Page 8 Hthc ©amecock Friday, April 13, 2001
Plummer’s two-run single carries USC to win
Travis Lynn/The Gamecock
David Marchbanks allowed two runs Wednesday night against The Citadel. It was the
freshman’s sixth career start
by Jason Malick
The Gamecock
The lOth-ranked USC baseball team
chased The Citadel Bulldogs back to
Charleston on Wednesday night after a 4
2 win at Satge Frye Field.
Third baseman Chris Plummer’s two
run single in the sixth inning carried the
Gamecocks (28-9) to their third straight
victory and improved their record in the
overall series.
Coupled with a 12-7 win against the
Bulldogs the night before, USC improved
its lead in the series to 104-41.
The Citadel (23-14) jumped to an early
1-0 lead Wednesday when catcher Jason
Randall hit an RBI double off Gamecock
starter David Marchbanks in the top of
the second inning. But the Gamecocks
were quick to react as catcher Landon
Powell also hit an RBI double to tie the
score at one.
Even though it was early in the game,
the team was looking to give David a run,”
Powell said of his game-tying double.
The Bulldogs responded by again
grabbing the lead after Dallas McPherson
connected with a run-scoring double, but
the Gamecocks tied the game off of a solo
home run by second baseman Bryon
Jeffcoat. Jeffcoat’s home run was his 11 tli
of the season and increased his hitting streak
to ten games. The senior is second on
the team in home runs behind Tim
Whittaker.
The Gamecocks pulled away from the
‘Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth, tacking
on an additional two runs to make it a 4
2 game. Plummer gave USC the lead with
his two-run base hit, scoring Tripp Kelly
and Powell.
“The pitch was low and outside,”
Plummer said of the game-winning hit. “I
didn’t think I gave it a good attempt,
but, obviously, it paid off.”
Despite numerous Bulldog attempts
at a comeback, they were stifled by
Gamecock reliever Blake Taylor and closer
Lee Gronkiewicz. Taylor (2-0) struck out
five batten over three shutout innings in
the winning effort, and Gronkiewicz earned
4
2
his team-high ninth save of the season.
USC head coach Ray Tanner was
pleased to see Plummer come through
with the timely hit, especially after his
trouble laying down a bunt in a previous
at-bat that could have scored a run.
“I told our guys... that the older
guys have got to be able to respond from
some of the adversity that we’ve been
having and try to make a difference,”
Tanner said. “[Plummer] was able to
regroup after [the botched bunt attempt]
and drove in two runs that made the
difference in the game.”
Despite not getting the decision,
Marchbanks did a good job, Tanner said.
“That’s what you want out of him,”
Tanner said of his freshman starter. “You
want to try to get four or five good innings
out of him so you can bring in Taylor
and Gronkiewicz like we did.”
Marchbanks pitched five innings and
allowed two earned runs and four hits. He
struck out five and walked two in what
was his; sixth earner start
Left-hander T. W. Mincey (4-2)
took the loss for The Citadel. Though he
stayed in the game longer than Marchbanks,
Mincey walked five Gamecocks and threw
two wild pitches.
Next up for the Gamecocks is a
weekend •series at Mississippi State.
Carolina has a 9-7 record in the SEC and,
after losing five of its past six conference
games, is looking to bounce back.
Tanner is confident his team will do just
that.
“I think we feel a little bit better going
in [to Mississippi State] than we have in
the past,” Tanner said. “We’ve played a
little bit better lately. We’ve won three in
a row now, so I think we’re in a better
frame of mind.”
The sports desk can be reached at
gamecocksports@ho1inail.com
Relievers pay big dividends for Carolina
■ Gronkiewicz,
Taylor combine
for one-two punch
out of the bullpen
by Kyle Almond
The Gamecock
With his baseball team tied at two
runs apiece with a pesky team from
The Citadel on Wednesday night, head
coach Ray Tanner leaned on his reliable
bullpen to give his team a chance to
win.
Blake Taylor came into the game
in the top of the sixth to relieve starter
David Marchbanks and pitched three
shutout innings, striking out five batters
on the way to his second career win as
a Gamecock, hi the ninth inning, closer
Lee Gronkiewicz entered the game and
picked up where Taylor left off, baffling
the Bulldogs and
earning his ninth
save of the season.
It’s become a
common theme
for USC —Taylor
setting the table
for Gronkiewicz,
and USC walking
out with another
victory.
“I’m extreme-ly happy with what
Blake Taylor’s done, and Gronkiewicz
and our pitching staff in general,” Tanner
said after USC’s 4-2 win. “We had a
great first half, and most of that was
attributed to our pitching... our pitching
staff through the first half of the season
was as good as any staff I’ve ever had
as far as consistency.”
A lot of credit for that consistency
has to go to Taylor, who has logged the
most innings on the team this season
out of the bullpen. The right-handed
junior college transfer from Columbus,
Ga., has been an
outstanding setup
man for USC,
allowing only
eight earned runs
in 32 innings and
striking out 34.
“Blake Taylor has
Taylor pitched well in the
first half, and he
seems to be pitching even better right
now,” Tanner said. “I’m just delighted
by what he has given our team.”
What Taylor gives the Gamecocks
is a pitching style that complements
the team’s steady infield defense.
“I think most of the time I’m kind
of a ground-ball pitcher,” Taylor said.
“Since we have such a great defense...
my job is to get a ground ball and let
the defense work and make plays.”
Taylor’s near-flawless performance
Wednesday night (only two hits allowed)
came at the heels of perhaps his best
game of the season. The junior was
thrown into action in the first inning
Saturday against LSU with his team
down 6-0. However, Taylor settled
down the LSU offense and kept Carolina
in the game, pitching six innings and
striking out eight.
“[Taylor] gave us a chance to come
back in that game,” Tanner said. “He’s
really grown a lot. As a pitcher, he
doesn’t walk very many people, [his
pitches] are around the plate, he gets a
few strikeouts and he mixes well. He
throws three pitches, and he’s really
tough when you only get to see him
once through the order.”
Tanner admitted he didn’t want
Gronkiewicz to pitch Wednesday night
after the closer had pitched the night
before, but the fifth-year senior talked
his way into the game.
“I tried to talk [Gronkiewicz] out
of it, but it didn’t work,” Tanner said.
“He said, ‘Hey, you don’t have to pitch
me, but I’m fine to go, I’m not going
to throw many pitches, and I’ll be good
for Friday.’”
After missing almost all of last
season because of shoulder surgery,
Gronkiewicz said he wants the ball in
his hands as much as possible.
“I just \yant the ball every time with
a save opportunity out there,”
Gronkiewicz said. “I want to be the
one out there on the line.
“Last year, it was more like I was
a cheerleader than a player. It just feels
good to be out there competing every
day.”
Gronkiewicz, a Lancaster native,
has been almost automatic for the
Gamecocks this season. He has allowed
only one run all season over 26 innings
and has 35 strikeouts.
“I go at every batter thinking that
he can’t even make contact with me,”
the right-hander said. “That’s just my
approach.”
The sports desk can be reached at
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
Odom gets contract loaded with incentives
by Charles Prashaw
. The Gamecock
USC’s board of trustees made
official Thursday afternoon what
Gamecock fans already knew.
Trustees approved the contract of
new men’s basketball head coach Dave
Odom, making him an official
employee of the university.
Athletics Director Mike McGee
outlined the five-year, nearly $750,000
a-year contract to the board of trustees.
According to McGee, Odom will
receive a $ 150,000 annual base salary.
On top of that, he’ll receive $325,000
a year from hosting and appearing on
TV and radio shows, the use of personal
promotional rights and money earned
through the Gamecock Club.
Tlie contract also includes $200,000
a year that will be paid by shoe,
equipment and apparel manufacturers.
If Odom doesn’t get at least $200,000
from the manufacturers, the athletics
department will pay the balance.
Also, Odom would retain the right
to keep any earnings from a basketball
camp that will run for five weeks during
the summer. McGee said the university
would guarantee a $75,000 payoff
for the camp’s first year.
McGee outlined supplemental
compensation that Odom could receive
each year, wliich gives him a monetary
incentive to win.
Odom would receive an extra
$25,000 if the basketball team wins
the SEC Championship or the SEC
Eastern Division regular-season
championship.
If Odom wins SEC Coach of the
Year, he would get an extra $ 10,000.
If the basketball team goes to the
NCAA Tournament, Odom would get
$15,000. If the team advanced to the
Sweet 16, Odom would get $25,000.
If the team makes it to the Final
Four, Odom would get an additional
$50,000.
If the Gamecocks win the National
Championship, Odom would get an
extra $75,000.
Other incentive clauses include
$10,000 for an NIT appearance and
$25,000 for being named National
Coach of the Year.
, McGee also told trustees that
Odom would get free life insurance
from the university, which would total
$ 1 million in benefits.
Other benefits include the use of
two automobiles, as well as
memberships to the university’s faculty
House, The University Club and a
country club.
Odom will also have exclusive use
of an executive box in the new
basketball arena, plus eight additional
tickets to all future regular-season and
postseason games for his family and
friends.
Odom was announced as the new
basketball coach Tuesday afternoon in
a press conference inside the Volleyball
Competition Facility.
Odom coached Wake Forest
University for 12 seasons and had taken
the Demon Deacons to 11 straight
postseason appearances.
The sports desk can be reached at
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
USC baseball
statistical leaders
OFFENSE
minimum two at-bats per game
Batting average
1. Bryon Jeffcoat .371
2. Garris Gonce .357
3. Tim Whittaker .315
Runs scored
1. Marcus McBeth 36
2. Tim Whittaker 32
3. Drew Meyer 30
Runs batted in
1. Tim Whittaker 48
2. Bryon Jeffcoat 42
3. Marcus McBeth 35
Home runs
1. Tim Whittaker 13
2. Bryon Jeffcoat 11
3. Marcus McBeth 10
Hits
1. Marcus McBeth 48
2. Bryon Jeffcoat 46
3. Drew Meyer 41
Doubles
1. Marcus McBeth 16
2. Bryon Jeffcoat 12
3. Tim Whittaker 11
3. Garris Gonce 11
Walks
1. Drew Meyer 29
2. Tripp Kelly 20
3. Marcus McBeth 14
3. Michael Floyd 14
3. Landon Powell 14
PITCHING
minimum one IP per game
Earned run average
1. Chris Spigner 3.15
2. Gary Bell 3.64
3. Kip Bouknight 4 88
Opposing batting average
1. Chris Spigner .234
2. Kip Bouknight .249
3. Gary Bell .267
Wins
1. Chris Spigner 6
1. Kip Bouknight 6
1. Gary Bell 6
4. David Marchbanks 4
5. Blake Taylor 2
Saves
1. Lee Gronkiewicz 9
2. Blake Taylor 1
Strikeouts
1. Kip Bouknight 55
2. Gary Bell 42
3. Chris Spigner 40
[: > ^ m i— 11 mi 11 m
Special to The Gamecock
Dave Odom will get an extra $15,000 if he can get the Gamecocks
to the NCAA Tournament, a place they haven’t been since 1998.