USC looks to continue winning ways against Salukis
With the pressure and anticipation for opening day over, USC's baseball team is focusing on its next opponent.
If the opening series is any indicator of what is to come for USC, the future looks promising.
"I thought we had a good weekend in the first three games," USC coach Ray Tanner said. "We played a team in Santa Clara that didn't make any mistakes. They didn't make an error on the weekend, they executed the bunt game and their pitchers were not power pitchers, but they moved the ball around and threw some two-seamers, and I thought they were very effective. It was hard to win three games."
This weekend, the Gamecocks continue their nonconference schedule as they host Southern Illinois. The two teams haven't met since 1984.
"It's important that [we] emphasize every game and that in every game there's a sense of urgency," Tanner said. "I think our guys understand that. It's a long season — it's a marathon — but you don't want to look back and go, 'would've, could've, should've.' [We've] got to make sure that [we're] ready to play."
The Salukis won two out of three games this weekend at the Louisiana Tech Classic, where they defeated Grambling State and Nicholls State and lost to Louisiana Tech. They also dropped a game to Tennessee-Martin on Tuesday.
While USC may be in the unique place of having to defend its title, SIU went up against a defending National Champion once before in 1990, when they split the series against Wichita State after the Shockers had won the College World Series in 1989.
One of the strong points for USC after its opening weekend was the pitching, particularly in the case of Adam Westmoreland. He pitched 5.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and just one walk.
"[Westmoreland] continues to get more comfortable, and I think he continues to improve," Tanner said. "Nobody had great velocity last weekend, but he continues to get better each time out. His velocity is going up as well, and that's good to see. The key for Westmoreland for me right now is that he's healthy and he's comfortable."
Against the Salukis, Michael Roth will get the start tonight, Tyler Webb on Saturday and Westmoreland on Sunday. Roth also had a successful outing in the opening weekend, as he pitched 5.2 innings with two runs and a career-high of six strikeouts. Webb pitched a career-long of six innings, not allowing an earned run and tallying four strikeouts with two walks.
The Gamecocks also look to see continued offensive production, as SIU has had issues with pitching in the past. The team did not have any pitcher last longer than five innings last season. But in three of the four games this season, the starter has gone at least six innings for the Salukis. Cameron Maldonado, a junior right-handed pitcher, will get the start for SIU tonight.
"They're coming into our place, and he would like nothing more than to have his best game ever and beat us in the opening game of the series," Tanner said of Maldonado. "I'm sure he's looking forward to pitching against us and will be ready to go."