Baseball looks to right offensive woes at Auburn
When South Carolina started 1-5 in the SEC for the first time since 2003, freshman left fielder Tanner English knew people were pointing to the team’s youth as the reason for the struggles.
“A lot of people were saying, ‘Young guys, young guys,’” English said. “We just got to keep plugging away. We don’t really look at it as we’re freshmen anymore.”
As the Gamecocks sit above .500 for the first time in SEC play, USC coach Ray Tanner is “cautiously optimistic” that his young squad has grown up, as USC travels to Auburn coming off a 4-3 midweek loss to College of Charleston.
“I think we’re better,” Tanner said. “Having lost that game on Tuesday night put a damper on things a little bit, but overall, I think we are a little bit better. These guys have played a lot now ... The experience factor has kicked in for us a little bit. I think they’re a lot more comfortable.”
After a sweep of Mississippi State, where South Carolina (27-11, 8-7 SEC) had one of its best offensive performances in scoring 18 runs, the offensive demons returned in Tuesday night’s game against the Cougars. USC plated three runs, while stranding 13. Furthermore, USC made it on base eight times without needing a hit, as five batters were hit and three were walked.
In SEC play this season, the Gamecocks have stranded 130 runners total, which is only 10 more than last year’s team through 15 conference games. However, the 2011 team won four of five of its one-run SEC games through its first five SEC series, while this year’s team has won just two of its five. South Carolina lost its second nonconference game by one run with the loss to CofC.
“(In some games) we’ve shown signs of being able to swing the bats, getting runners in, and some games we haven’t,” English said. “Everyone’s just focusing on the two-strike approach. When we get two strikes — we try not to get to two strikes — but just put the ball in play and try not to do too much with the ball.
“It’s a team effort. Everyone can’t do stuff on their own. If a guy fails, you have teammates to pick you up. I think we’re really starting to realize that, and things are going to start going our way.”
When English joined the team in the fall, he said he struggled at the plate, striking out more than he wanted. The coaches have been “pounding” him to work hard on his hitting ability. He said the biggest change has been that he’s more comfortable at the plate, which has shown as he had five hits, one RBI and four runs in the series against Mississippi State, batting last in the order.
With English being the fastest player on the team, and one of the fastest in the conference, he’s been working on his bunting, as coaches have told him that if he gets a bunt down, there’s a good chance he’ll beat the throw to first.
“I bunted some in high school, but I didn’t perfect it, and I still haven’t,” English said. “I have a long way to go with that. I’ve gotten some bunts down ... I was actually in the cage [Wednesday] for like an hour just bunting with Coach Holbrook. It’s a work in progress — that’s what you’ve always got to do in playing this game.”
Along with his speed, English also has the ability to do a backflip, which made him the perfect candidate to step in for senior pitcher Nolan Belcher in the pregame ritual of doing a backflip in the middle of a team huddle.
“I’m from the beach, so I just saw a whole bunch of girls doing flips on the beach when I was little and I just tried it and did it,” English said. “When I was little, I just taught myself.”
Since the Gamecocks started the ritual at Vanderbilt, USC has not lost an SEC series, though there have still been bumps in the road. English thinks part of the reason is that the freshmen haven’t considered themselves freshmen in a long time, but rather a part of a larger unit.
“We’re part of the team, and the team is going to back you up,” English said. “If you’re struggling, you’ve just got to keep plugging away, keep trying to have fun and things are going to start rolling your way. We’re starting to do that — just go out there and have fun and see how it goes this weekend.”