After his team got swept last weekend by Florida, South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook offered a challenge of sorts to his team: finish the season strong.
“We have some games in front of us and we are going to try like crazy to finish on a strong note,” Holbrook said. “ 9-6 in the last 15 (SEC) games, that’s going to be the message. If we do, we’ll have a shot.”
If the Gamecocks finish strong, then they can reach the NCAA tournament for the sixteenth consecutive season. The probability of that happening, however, seems to be shrinking by the day.
Not only did South Carolina suffer a rough mid-week loss in extra innings to intra-state foe Presbyterian on Tuesday that surely hurt its postseason chances, the Gamecocks also found out that sophomore ace Wil Crowe’s season has ended prematurely due to a torn UCL to his right elbow.
To make matters even worse, South Carolina’s attempt to turn around what’s been an underachieving season must start with a good showing in its three-game series with No. 5 Vanderbilt on that begins Thursday.
Still, what happens in May or June isn’t of concern to Holbrook. He’s more worried about how South Carolina plays against the team that was crowned college baseball’s best last season.
The Commodores, the 2014 College World Series Champions, come in to town having lost four out of their last five games,but are still among the nation’s top teams thanks to an impressive pitching staff along with a productive offense. Vanderbilt is fourth in the SEC in team batting average (.300) and third in team ERA (3.01).
Starting on the mound Thursday night for Vanderbilt is junior right-hander Carson Fulmer,the Commodores’ no. 1 man in their pitching rotation.
Fulmer holds a great ERA of 1.89 and has struck out 81 batters in 57 innings of work so far in 2015.
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Vince Fiori,who has been used solely as a reliever this season, will start on the mound for the first time for South Carolina on Thursday.
Fiori holds a 2.45 ERA through a team-high 19 appearances on the mound this year.
Holbrook knows his team has its hands full and believes that it will take the Gamecocks playing its best baseball yet to have a successful weekend against Vanderbilt, something he believes is possible.
Still, the reality is that South Carolina has lost nine out of its last 12 SEC games and the Gamecocks were outscored by a combined 28 runs last weekend against Florida.
“It’s been difficult,” Holbrook said. “It hasn’t been any fun whatsoever. But I’m not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself or let our players feel sorry for themselves.”
While many believe South Carolina’s season is beyond repair, don’t tell Holbrook that. In his opinion, South Carolina has a lot more to play for and he is of the opinion that his ball club has yet to play its best baseball.
“I woke up this morning from my 30-minute sleep and believe it, we’re gonna play some dang good baseball these next 18 [games],” Holbrook said.
NOTES
● It was announced Tuesday afternoon that Crowe would miss the remainder of the 2015 season due to his UCL tear, but both Crowe and Holbrook confirmed after the Presbyterian game that the Sevierville, Tennessee native will also miss the 2016 season as well, due to the timing and nature of his injury.
“We’re just looking to get the surgery done and start the process back so I can pitch here, like [Coach Holbrook] said, on opening day in 2017,” Crowe said.
● With Crowe now out for the rest of the season, junior pitcher Jack Wynkoop now becomes South Carolina’s top starting pitcher. However, Wynkoop will not pitch on Thursday and will instead wait until Friday to throw, due to the short week.
● ESPN announced on Tuesday that The Paul Finebaum Show and SEC Now will air from Carolina Stadium on Friday. The Paul Finebaum Show will begin at 3 p.m. and take place on the stadium’s concourse level behind the first base line and will feature the following guests: Holbrook, South Carolina Athletic Director Ray Tanner and Vanderbilt head baseball coach Tim Corbin. SEC Now will broadcast following the completion of Friday night’s game between the Gamecocks and the Commodores.
● All three games of the series will be nationally broadcasted. Thursday’s series opener can be seen on ESPNU, Friday’s game will be on the SEC Network and Saturday’s matinee will be carried on ESPN2.