As No. 12 South Carolina tries to right the ship after a bad 1-3 week, the offense is still struggling. At this point in the season, as SEC play gets cranked up and statistics begin to stabilize, teams are getting a better look at which players are legitimate threats.
Every opposing coach in the SEC knew junior second baseman Max Schrock and senior first baseman Kyle Martin would have strong seasons. After all, Martin has been consistent since his freshman season, and Schrock is one of the best contact hitters in the league.
What most coaches didn’t expect was that senior left fielder Elliott Caldwell would emerge as one of the best hitters in the SEC.
Caldwell was a three-sport athlete at Wren High School and was rated as the third-best third baseman in the state. He chose to attend Winthrop University, where he started 10 games his freshman year. Caldwell came to South Carolina before 2014 after transferring from Spartanburg Methodist Junior College.
Last season, Caldwell started 35 games for the Gamecocks and was a decent bottom-of-the-lineup hitter with a .254 batting average and 14 RBIs. This year however, Caldwell has consistently lit up the box score on his way to an 18-game on-base streak. His hit-streak currently stands at seven games.
“Elliott works very hard, and he’s a great kid,” head coach Chad Holbrook said. “He’s strong, he’s physical and I think he just turned up the aggressive meter, honestly.”
Through 47 fewer at-bats, Caldwell has as many hits and more homers, RBIs, runs and stolen bases than last season. His .413 batting average is good for fifth in the conference. However, his defense has been as helpful to the Gamecocks as his skills at the plate.
With the score tied 2-2 in the eighth inning of Saturday’s game against Missouri, the Tigers had two on with two outs. Missouri third baseman Josh Lester hit a single to left field off sophomore Taylor Widener. Caldwell scooped the ball and fired to home plate for the inning’s final out.
Though the Gamecocks eventually lost, Caldwell extended the game with his defense and even put South Carolina up in the tenth with an RBI single.
Earlier in the game, Caldwell made a diving catch to save a sure double.
In the series finale against Kentucky, Caldwell hit a game-tying solo home run to extend the game in a 6-4 win.
“He’s just been swinging the bat,” Holbrook said after that game. “Now he’s in a comfortable place, and he’s got some confidence going, and I think at the end of the day, that’s the most important aspect. He wasn’t sure last year. He’s sure he belongs and he believes, and I think that’s the biggest difference.”
Caldwell will look to continue his hot start as South Carolina travels to Coastal Carolina Tuesday. The Chanticleers boast a 17-6 record and have won eight straight games including victories over North Carolina and Clemson.
Tuesday’s game will be a battle of left-handers as the Gamecocks send sophomore Josh Reagan to the mound, and freshman Shane Sawczak will pitch. Coastal Carolina ranks 13th nationally with 7.5 runs per game and second in home runs, averaging 1.26 per game. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.