Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

May 31, 2012, 1:55 PM

Colby Holmes to start game 1.

LONG LONG LONG, but pretty incredible even for the coots:

ROAD TO THE RECORD

South Carolina holds an NCAA-record 16-game postseason winning streak as it prepares to begin another NCAA Regional on Friday. The old record of 13 was jointly held by Southern Cal (1972-74) and LSU (1997-98).

The 16 have had a variety of close calls, outstanding plays and clutch performances. A look back:

1. SOUTH CAROLINA 11, ARIZONA STATE 4, June 22, 2010 (College World Series elimination game)

The rally began with a demolition of the country's top national seed, the Gamecocks coming back from an offensively challenged CWS-opening loss to Oklahoma with a barrage of hits. USC scored eight runs in the second inning, beginning with Adrian Morales' single and lasting until Kyle Enders' fly-out to center. Contained between was a two-run double from Scott Wingo, a three-run home run from Jackie Bradley Jr. and a two-run homer off the left-field foul pole, also from Morales.

Every starter got a hit save for Christian Walker, with four getting at least two hits and three driving in at least two runs. Sam Dyson, given a massive lead, calmly pitched himself out of trouble when he faced it and the Gamecocks stayed alive in Omaha.

2. SOUTH CAROLINA 3, OKLAHOMA 2 (12), June 24, 2010 (College World Series elimination game)

The Gamecocks' fan base saw their first example of never obtaining success the easy way in a second straight elimination game. USC was a passive 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position and had stranded 20 baserunners in the two games before the 12th inning against the Sooners, and when Ethan Carter served up a solo home run to Tyler Ogle, the Gamecocks were trailing 2-1 with only three outs to play.

Facing closer Ryan Duke, Robert Beary knocked a two-strike single, but Evan Marzilli struck out after failing to get a bunt down. Whit Merrifield tried to hit-and-run and partially succeeded, Beary advancing to second base when Merrifield took a strike and the ball slipped out of the catcher's glove. But then Merrifield popped up to foul territory.

Bradley Jr. was 0-for-5 on the night and tried to be patient at the plate. Duke worked a full count, then threw what could have been the season's final strike to the plate. "I was either going to make it or break it, and I wanted the pressure to be all on me," Bradley Jr. said. "I wanted to be up there in that count."

The Gamecocks' center fielder drove the ball only an inch past the diving Cameron Seitzer at first base, but that inch was enough. The ball bounded into right field, Beary swept around third to score and tie the game, and the momentum was back in USC's dugout.

A shaken Duke walked Jeffery Jones on four pitches to move Bradley Jr. to second. Brady Thomas, who Tanner has always said, "will give you a clutch at-bat every now and then," did it one more time.

Thomas' single skipped through the box, Bradley Jr. sprinted home, popping to his feet with arms outstretched to wait for his post-game hug. He got it - the first of many.

3. SOUTH CAROLINA 5, CLEMSON 1, June 25, 2010 (College World Series elimination game)

Michael Roth? Who the hell is Michael Roth?

His pitching in tatters after having to simply survive, pitching coach Mark Calvi was up against the wall. Every option he could come up with had a lot of negative baggage attached to it, and his two best starters were used up.

But there was Roth, who had been masterfully successful against left-handed batters all season, and Clemson had six lefties in its starting lineup, and Calvi figured if he could just get a few innings out of Roth, he could turn it over to the bullpen and hope.

Instead, the delightfully oblivious junk-baller began writing his own legend.

Paying no need to the pressure of the game or that he was facing the Gamecocks' arch rival, which had blistered the Gamecocks 19-6 in their last meeting, Roth carved Clemson's bats into splinters. Never pressing or breathing too hard, Roth lasted all nine innings, yielding a scant three hits and one run on a passed ball.

"I just went out there and tried to throw, inning after inning," Roth said. "I told coach I'd throw until my arm fell off."

With a run in each of the first four innings, Roth had plenty of support, and his outfield never had to try after Roth recorded 16 ground-ball outs. He punctuated his effort by striking out the Tigers' two biggest sluggers, Kyle Parker and John Hinson, in the ninth, then looked forward to the next day.

"Well, I actually didn't know what BF meant, with 33," Roth said, staring at the box score with a quizzical look and giving reporters a first taste of his space-cadet personality. "I didn't know what that was."

4. SOUTH CAROLINA 4, CLEMSON 3, June 26, 2010 (College World Series elimination game)

Jeff Schaus turned on the pitch and knocked it into the gap, knowing that he had at least gotten Mike Freeman to second and maybe third. With Parker on deck, this game would be over in the next at-bat.

Until Walker threw his bulk to the right of the bag, got up, saw the ball in his glove and calmly stepped on first base to again dash the Tigers' dreams.

Incredibly, after everyone around the game had spoken non-stop about 2002 and USC eliminating Clemson then, it happened again. All the Tigers needed was one win to play for the national championship for the first time, and just like then, lost twice - to the one team they aren't allowed to lose to.

Once again, the Tigers were forced to watch as the Gamecocks stepped past them and into the national championship scenario. Clemson had played much harder than the first game, had had its chances when Wingo had an uncharacteristic awful game against his favorite team to play against, but couldn't pull through.

Walker homered, Dyson pitched well and Matt Price again slammed the door. USC was going to play for the title.

5. SOUTH CAROLINA 7, UCLA 1, June 28, 2010 (College World Series national championship series, Game 1)

On just three days rest and facing Gerrit Cole, Blake Cooper again delivered.

In his final collegiate appearance, Cooper dazzled by one-hitting the Bruins through eight innings, always finding one more pitch in his arsenal. The Gamecocks jumped on Cole for five runs in the first three innings and never looked back, putting themselves only one win from a national championship.

"This guy hasn't been touched like that all year," UCLA coach John Savage said, pointing to Cole. "So they had a good plan, and they executed their plan, and we didn't."

There was one final step.

6. SOUTH CAROLINA 2, UCLA 1 (11), June 29, 2010 (College World Series national championship series, Game 2)

Merrifield had 263 hits over three years at USC, but this is the only one he ever needed.

His single to right field in the 11th inning scored Wingo and the unbelievable became reality - lil' old South Carolina, stepchild to the nation's athletic heavyweights in everything, was the national champion.

Roth and Price combined for the pitching and USC got just enough runs to survive. Again, the Gamecocks had to rally, Bobby Haney hitting a grounder that was goofed by the Bruins and becoming Beary scoring the tying run.

It all set up until Merrifield, one of the greatest pure hitters in USC history, stood at the plate with Wingo on third base. After coming back through the losers' bracket, after fighting so hard and overcoming so many odds, could the Gamecocks do it one more time?

The question was answered without an unlucky play from the other side, or any other excuse. Merrifield saw the pitch, slapped it into right and outstretched his arms as he knew he had become a legend.

"These guys have been great for me," coach Ray Tanner said. "And they approach the game every day the right way. We didn't win them all, but we won a large majority of them."

7. SOUTH CAROLINA 2, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 1, June 3, 2011 (NCAA Columbia Regional, Game 1)

The pressure on USC all season to not only get back to Omaha, but win it again, was intense. The targets were there throughout the year, but the Gamecocks overcame injuries and adversity to claim a national seed and the privilege of hosting an NCAA regional.

Then the Gamecocks were "rewarded" with one of the hardest regionals in the field, with one of the best first opponents.

Georgia Southern fought hard against the Gamecocks, but Roth was a little too much. Getting stronger as the game went longer, Roth got the go-ahead RBI single from Morales in the sixth inning and let his bullpen take over.

Price, with two outs in the ninth, faced Victor Roache, who led the country with 30 home runs. He set him up for high heat, dropped a spinning fastball low - no choice but to ring him up.

8. SOUTH CAROLINA 11, STETSON 5, June 4, 2011 (NCAA Columbia Regional, Game 2)

The Gamecocks finally broke out, riding a two-out grand slam from Beary to leap on top of Stetson and cruise into the regional championship.

Thomas had seemingly short-circuited a huge inning in the third when he grounded into a double play after USC had put the first two runners on. But Will Dorsey couldn't find the plate, walking Morales, Jake Williams and Peter Mooney in succession, the last forcing in a run to tie the game.

Up came Beary, who watched two balls go by and knew Dorsey had to throw something. Dorsey threw and prayed; it wasn't answered as Beary walloped the pitch into the left-field bleachers.

"We finally had to throw him a fastball and he made us pay for it," Stetson coach Pete Dunn sighed.

USC kept adding, Steven Neff hitting his fifth homer, and the Gamecocks comfortably won.

9. SOUTH CAROLINA 8, STETSON 2, June 5/6, 2011 (NCAA Columbia Regional, Game 3)

After a frightening storm rolled through Columbia, pushing trees, power lines and as it turned out, John Deere vehicles around in a brief but terrifying display, electricity and baseball resumed at Carolina Stadium the next day.

As did USC's run through the postseason.

Beary completed a 5-for-11 weekend where he was named regional MVP and the Gamecocks rolled the Hatters to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals. Stetson went down swinging, cutting the lead to 4-2 with the bases loaded and one out late. USC simply went to its hole card - Price.

Price got out of that jam, then watched as his teammates scored four more runs for him. The Gamecocks held another muted celebration, similar to the one they had when they clinched the SEC championship, and prepared for the supers.

10. SOUTH CAROLINA 5, CONNECTICUT 1, June 11, 2011 (NCAA Columbia Super Regional, Game 1)

USC treated Connecticut with respect, but also with curiosity - the Gamecocks weren't the only ones who expected to see Clemson in the other dugout.

The Huskies had blistered the Tigers in the final game of the NCAA Clemson Regional, sending themselves to Columbia and denying the matchup that many had thought automatic when the field was announced. The Gamecocks, thinking that it was going to be a re-hashing of the bitter regular-season series, faced an all-new opponent with plenty of talent.

After first-round draft pick Matt Barnes made USC look overmatched in the first inning, he cooled off and the Gamecocks began hitting him. After some early defensive yips, enough to prompt a get-it-together session with Tanner in the dugout, USC recovered.

Wingo had two RBIs, one that tied the game and one that gave USC the lead, and reverted to the dazzling defense that's made him an impossible act to follow. Roth again threw his game and USC was once again one win from Omaha.

11. SOUTH CAROLINA 8, CONNECTICUT 2, June 12, 2011 (NCAA Columbia Super Regional, Game 2)

It was Walker in the eighth inning of a tie game with a College World Series berth on the line. What else could he have done?

Just as he did in the 2010 super regionals, Walker cracked a go-ahead home run that propelled the Gamecocks to Omaha. His laser to left field broke a 2-2 tie and USC scored six more runs over the final innings for a comfortable win.

Price recorded the final out and waited for the celebration, begun when Beary charged the mound and speared the closer just below the knees. All was well that ended well, though - the Gamecocks, after being expected to return all season, would indeed return.

12. SOUTH CAROLINA 5, TEXAS A&M 4, June 19, 2011 (College World Series first round)

Trailing 4-0 before ever picking up a bat, the Gamecocks were behind the 8-ball. Naturally, they scored four runs in the first inning, each pitcher settled down and the scored remained deadlocked until the ninth.

John Taylor and Price held the Aggies down until USC could get one more chance, and the Gamecocks, so used to winning late games in Omaha, again came through. Beary began it with a double off the right-field bullpen gate, then Bradley Jr., after twice failing to get a bunt down, singled through the left side.

Evan Marzilli walked to load the bases and A&M pulled a curious move, bringing in a substitute left fielder and stationing him in the infield dirt. With five infielders, the Aggies hoped to limit; Wingo stepped in and made it hurt.

The senior smoked his fourth walk-off hit of the season off the same gate as Beary's shot and USC, finally, won a CWS opener.

13. SOUTH CAROLINA 7, VIRGINIA 1, June 21, 2011 (College World Series winners' bracket game)

Another familiar feeling - waiting out the rain, and pounding the other team.

The Gamecocks jumped all over Will Roberts, owner of a perfect game earlier this season, and Virginia's defense also contributed as the Cavaliers made barely a peep. Colby Holmes shut down UVa until a solo home run in the fourth inning and his offense picked him up.

A comfortable win to set up two days off. It wasn't the last USC would see of Virginia.

14. SOUTH CAROLINA 3, VIRGINIA 2 (13), June 24, 2011 (College World Series elimination game)

Three bases-loaded situations in four innings. Nine stranded runners in the last five innings. The Gamecocks had lost the game so many times that it was miraculous they were still in position to win.

And they still did.

Two straight throwing errors from Cody Winiarski allowed Adam Matthews to scamper home with the winning run, completing a marathon of baseball where innings 8-13 had everybody on the edges of their seats. Price wiggled out of those jams with the help of two incredible double plays, and USC was once again in the national championship series.

15. SOUTH CAROLINA 2, FLORIDA 1 (11), June 27, 2011 (College World Series national championship series, Game 1)

Just when the Gamecocks seemed to have hit their quota of heart-stopping moments, along came this game and re-set the entire process.

It was hard to pick one play that stood out above the rest, because the next play always trumped the previous one. Walker scored the winning run in eerily similar fashion to Matthews against Virginia - he stole second base as the throw from SEC Player of the Year Mike Zunino sailed into center field, then slid into third base as another wild throw skipped past, giving him a free pass to the plate.

But the plays that preserved the tie before Walker could win it - oh, my.

Wingo stung a two-strike RBI single in the eighth inning to tie the game at 1, after Hudson Randall had retired 20 of 23 Gamecocks. Then in the ninth, with the bases loaded and nobody out, Wingo charged one ground ball and threw to the plate, where Beary made a great play to catch and put his foot on home for the first out. The next batter also grounded to Wingo, who again threw to Beary, and Beary threw to first for arguably the most miraculous double play that the Gamecocks have ever turned.

But they all took a backseat to the play in the 10th inning. As Florida finally got a base hit to drop to send Cody Dent around third base with the winning run, Williams gloved, exchanged and threw, knowing that every scouting report ever written on him read, "Good fielder, weak arm."

The only assist Williams ever had to record and the only throw he ever needed to make couldn't have been more perfect. The ball buzzed into the infield grass and softly bounced as Beary adjusted his body to catch it, Dent seeing it and trying to slide inside. The momentum of the ball hitting Beary's glove swung it into Dent's back, tagging him out to end the frame just before he could hit the plate.

The stunned expressions on the Gators' faces told it all - those other guys were in the zone.

16. SOUTH CAROLINA 5, FLORIDA 2, June 28, 2011 (College World Series national championship series, Game 2)

After two thrillers, USC finally played a comfortable game - and ended it with another championship.

Roth wasn't as sharp as usual but still had enough to limit the Gators, while the Gamecocks built a 3-0 lead. Another double play killed a Florida rally in the fifth inning and Roth ran out of gas in the sixth, bringing on the rubber-armed John Taylor for his school-record 50th appearance of the season.

Florida made it 4-2, but USC summoned Price with two outs in the eighth, knowing full well that Price may have thrown the equivalent of two full games in Omaha, but he wanted the ball. He ended the eighth, then watched Wingo drive in another run in the bottom of the frame.

Price recorded the first two outs and only needed two pitches against Ben McMahan. A harmless fly ball landed in Bradley Jr.'s glove, he excitedly flung the ball into the stands and once again, USC was dogpiling.

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LONG LONG LONG, but pretty normal for the coots:

COLUMBIA, SC (THE BIG SPUR) - South Carolina relief pitcher Ethan Carter was arrested last Friday, March 9 in Five Points for drunkenness. Since his arrest, Carter, a junior, has continued to dress for all four games but has not pitched.

Carter was cited at 3:28 a.m. on Harden Street and was taken to a local hospital because he had a laceration on his chin. According to the arrest report, Carter had "very slurred" speech. Officers found him "laying motionless in a mulch bed." Carter was observed to be "grossly intoxicated" and had slurred speech to the point that the officers could not make out any words.

[hey Korncoot..got a video?]

8:35 AM EST Jan 16, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Two days after a University of South Carolina football player was arrested in Five Points for disorderly conduct, a Gamecock baseball player tangled with Columbia Police and ended up behind bars

According to a police spokesperson, USC shortstop Tanner Lovick was taken into custody around 1 a.m. Sunday and charged with drunkenness after he staggered down the stairs at Village Idiot Pizza on Devine St., ran into a wall and then ran into officers.

Lovick, of Winterville, NC is quoted as saying to an officer "This is [expletive], I'm on the baseball team and I'm 21," according to police.

A fire marshal was writing a ticket to the establishment for being over capacity, and had called police in for backup just before Lovick's arrest.

He taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, and has since bonded out

[hey Korncoot..got a video?]

Two highly regarded University of South Carolina freshmen baseball players were permanently suspended from the team after being arrested on Monday afternoon by campus police. They were charged with grand larceny and burglary.

Pitcher Nick Fuller was taken into custody after taking $9,600 in property from the USC coach's office, according to police.

Outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall was charged with one count of burglary and grand larceny after police say he took a Playstation 3, a flat screen TV and DVDs from a campus dorm room.

The incidents took place on the night of March 13, while students were on spring break. The two players were identified when they tried to sell some of the items at E.B. Games.

Both players turned themselves in to police late Monday afternoon. Fuller's bail was set at $15,000 while Chisenhall's was $5,000.

Police say Fuller was involved in two separate incidents: taking three desktop computers from the USC Academic Enrichment Center and $3,100 in cash from the coaches' office.

The player's are represented by Columbia attorney Neal Lourie, who also represents USC freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia.

[hey Korncoot..got a video?]

Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

Who gives a crap***

^^^ WELL SAID! ^^^ ******

Re: Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

Re: Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

"the State School of chickensh!t"***

Game 2, Jackie Bradley Jr struck out***

Re: Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

Just win Tigers

Re: Just win Tigers

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Re: Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

addendum....

Re: addendum....

Re: Roth to pitch Saturday for the State School

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