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Game schedule THlIS&AMECOCK M . t „ Men s tennis @ Clemson, 2 p.m. —I "V y'”>V | JY Baseball @ Clemson, 7 p.m. Page 18 ^3 —I— JL Wednesday, April 12,2006 Jtuin Bias / THE GAMECOCK Clemson shortstop Stan Widmann looks at a pitch during the team’s matchup with USC on April 5. The two teams square off again today at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Rivals prepare for final matchup Clemson leads season series 2-1 as Gamecocks look to regain No. 1 ranking fl.J. Bembry STAFF WRITER A week ago, the USC baseball team was sitting with a No. 1 national ranking coming off a sweep of perennial Southeastern Conference power LSU in Baton Rouge. Then, last Wednesday, the Gamecocks hosted in-state rival Clemson at a packed Sarge Frye Field. USC proceeded to leave 10 men on base in a nail-biting 3-2 defeat, allowing Clemson to take the lead in the season series 2-1. Since then, the Gamecocks have lost their first series of the year when they dropped both games of a Sunday doubleheader to Alabama (a loss that became the first time the Gamecocks have dropped a home series against the Crimson Tide) and are in danger of losing a second series when the Gamecocks travel to the Upstate today to finish their four-game tilt with Clemson. As for Clemson, it’s been just the opposite since their narrow Columbia victory on April 5. The Tigers are on a four-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep against the Maryland Terrapins at Clemson’s Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Clemson pitcher Josh Cribb was recently named Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week after a dominating outing against the Terrapins on April 7 — a performance that included nine strikeouts and only one earned run given up in Clemson’s 3-1 victory. One factor that could favor USC is Clemson’s possible fatigue. Clemson played last night in Cullowhee, N.C., to finish a two-game season series with Western Carolina. Still, tired or not, the Gamecocks will have their hands full with a Clemson team that will have the home-field advantage. The pitching of Cribb and his fellow starters has fueled the team’s recent success, as the team had a 1.55 ERA in the Maryland series. The hitting from Brad Chalk and Andy D’Alessio has also contributed. Chalk, a sophomore outfielder from ciemson • 19 League has new look in 1st week of baseball Playoffs would benefit from having new mix of teams playing for title It’s only a week into the . regular season, and Major League Baseball already has me scratching my head. While there is still a whole lot of baseball left to be played (more than 150 games per team), a look at the standings makes somebody wonder what JHIIIISOm happened to TinSLEV shake things Third-year up in the electronic offseason, journalism Not a single student division winner from a year ago currently leads its division. The New York Yankees’ huge payroll and acquisition of centerfielder Johnny Damon have not paid dividends in the team’s first two series. The Bronx Bombers haven’t hit much, and their lineup has looked old. But come August and September they will probably have reclaimed their position atop the American League East. The defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox have also struggled to score runs in the first week of the season. Ihe starting pitching that dominated the playoffs last year has lead them to back-to-back wins after losing four games in a row, though. This staff led by Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and Freddy Garcia will wear opponents down over the course of the 162-game season and lead the Sox back to an A.L. Central crown. Meanwhile, the National League has followed conventional wisdom a little more. The New York Mets have started out hot like many experts predicted. It will be fun watching them try to end the Atlanta Braves’ 14-year run as N.L. East champs. I’m giving the edge to the Mets because of their strong lineup anchored by Carlos Beltran and . Carlos Delgado. Also, the team’s starting pitchers have the experience the team will need to succeed as long as Pedro Martinez and Tom TIDSLEV • 19 Juan Bias / THE GAMECOCK USC’s Mike West prepares to haul in a catch during Saturday’s Garnet and Black game. West moved from linebacker to receiver earlier this spring. Linebacker West goes long Jonathan Hillyard THE GAMECOCK When junior football player Mike West arrived at USC last spring, the Gamecock coaching staff knew one thing for sure — he was fast. After a year of trying to utilize that speed at linebacker, coach Steve Spurrier and the staff have decided that speed would be better served on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver. “They told me they wanted to transfer me to the other side of the ball the field,” West said. “They wanted me to try it and see if I can make some plays at the slot position.” At a practice earlier this spring, Spurrier and his staff decided to settle once and for all the debate of who the fastest player on the team was. In a 40-yard New receiver adjusting after playing 12 games at linebacker in 2005 with Gamecocks dash against cornerbacks Carlos Thomas and Brandon Isaac and wide receiver O.J. Murdock, West won in convincing fashion, validating the 4.38 second 40-yard dash time he was clocked at when USC recruited him. “We were just talking about who was the fastest in uniform, and I said Mike West,” Spurrier said. “He got a good jump and he was gone. That’s why we’ve got him at receiver. We re just teaching him how to run routes now.” After playing running back in high school, coaches at Butler County Community College thought that West would be most effective on defense at the safety position. After a year at the unior college level, West transferred to USC and began at outside linebacker, tvhere he played in all 12 james last season, starting iight of them. It appeared that West would again play defense this spring at safety, aut the coaches decided to ;xperiment a little. Initially, t was an experiment spurrier didn’t think would ast ldng. “We’re just looking at iim to see if he can help us :here,” Spurrier said after nitially moving West on iay two of spring practice. ‘He’ll probably be back it defense the next day or wo.” Nearly four weeks later, West played exclusively at vide receiver in Saturday’s innual Garnet and Black spring game. He had two catches for 44 yards. The junior had at least one catch in all of the Gamecocks’ four scrimmages throughout the spring and has been included on a number of wide receiver reverses to utilize his speed. West said he is adjusting to the switch. “It’s awkward right now,” West said. “I still have my safety legs under me, but T 1 • • . TJ11 _ X dUJUSL IU 1L X 11 OK.” West has surprised coaches and players with aspects other than speed that he brings to the offense. He has proved to be a valuable extra blocker and pass receiver alongside USC’s already established receivers. “I think he’s going to bring that mean, nasty attitude,” senior comerback Fred Bennett said Saturday. “I’ve seen him do some things this spring. I’ve seen him crack some linebackers and some safeties. He rims a 4.38 so once you put that on offense, I think he’s going to bring a lot to the table.” With standout receiver Sidney Rice out for most of the spring with a broke; ^ thumb and last year’s „„„„„ A 1 _ . J :__:_ >jvvuiiu ivauilig i VWV1 T VI Syvelle Newton out with a torn Achilles, West has practiced mostly with the first and second wave of wide receivers throughout spring practice. With that extra experience, it appears West may have finally found his niche in a Gamecock uniform. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu ti K.