There are several players in the South Carolina baseball squad – probably more than eight – who will receive their first action in the rivalry series against Clemson this season. There are many new faces in the cast and some who are playing bigger roles this season than last time.
There are also 17 players in the squad who have some history against Clemson, whether it’s just a baton or a defensive substitution, or six games started with a lot of hitting. Many have a taste of what the rivalry has to offer, with some experiencing great success.
Here’s a player-by-player look at Gamecocks’ baseball roster and how they fared in the rivalry series:
IN Brady Allen – batting average of 0.304, 3 RBIs, 3 hikes, 8 eliminations
What was probably Allen’s best game was a 2 in 3 performance with a scheduled race, an RBI and two walks in Saturday’s game against Tigers last season. He did, however, have a memorable home run last season at Founders Park, which came out at the end of ninth place, when the team was out of hitting. Allen had a pair of three-out games as a freshman.
Ç Colin Burgess – 1 on bat, 1 strikeout
Burgess did not start last season as an undergraduate transfer Dallas Beaver received the nod to each game. Burgess had an appearance at the base and countered.
WL George Callil – 0.133 batting average, 4 RBIs, 1 walk, 5 kills
Callil made his first career start in the second game in the Clemson series in 2019 and has hardly been off schedule since. He went 1 to 4 with a double and two RBIs in that game, replacing Nick Neville as the team shortstop.
DH / C Wes Clarke – batting average of 0.250, 1 RBI, 2 hikes, 4 eliminations
Clarke had a hit in 2019, which was a strikeout, but started all three games last season. After an opening game 0 to 4 with two eliminations, Clarke made 3 to 7 in the following two days with a home run and two walks without hitting.
IN Andrew Eyster – batting average of 0.455, 3 RBIs, 2 walks, 4 eliminations
Eyster has a great hit average, but he was also an extra batting machine for the Gamecocks in the rivalry. He has three doubles, a treble and a home run from his 10 total hits in the series. He also scored eight races. His best game was probably the first, hitting 3 in 4 with a double, home run and two RBIs.
2B Jeff Heinrich – batting average of 0.200, 3 RBIs, 0 walks, 3 eliminations
Heinrich started all three games last season for the Gamecocks and posted a couple of 0-fer days with three eliminations out of seven on the bat. But he was very helpful in the team’s only win at Segra Park, where he scored 2 to 3 with three RBIs.
IN Noah Myers – batting average of 0.182, 0 RBIs, three walks, five eliminations
Myers reached the base in all three games last season, including 1-4 with a scheduled run and two walks in Saturday’s game last season. He also had two bases stolen that day.
LHP / DH Josiah Sightler – 1 on the stick, 1 strikeout; no pitch statistics
Sightler made an appearance for the Gamecocks last season as a hitter and went 0-to-1 with a strikeout.
USEFUL Braylen Wimmer – 3 hits, 2 sacrifice hits, 1 hit
Wimmer started last season at the opening of the series and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a sacrifice bunt. He was also pulled from the bank for a successful sacrificial bunt opportunity in the final of last year.
RHP Parker Coyne – 2 appearances, 1 2/3 innings, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Coyne made two appearances against the Tigers – one in 2018 and one in 2019 – that totaled 37 pitches. He managed a couple of outs with a walk on his first appearance, but gave up three well-deserved races last season in a pitched inning.
RHP Thomas Farr – 1 match, 5 entries, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Farr debuted on Saturday against the Tigers last season and won the mound victory. He launched 85 pitches and hit a trio of Tigers. He also had three wild shots and gave up on an undeserved race other than the one he won.
LHP John Gilreath – 1 match, 3 2/3 entries, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
One of the first freshmen enrolled, Gilreath made his Sunday debut at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2018. It was a forgettable start for the lefty who should have been pitching as a high school veteran while giving up six well-deserved runs in seven strokes. He also had four wild shots in an outfield of 82 shots.
RHP Brannon Jordan – 1 match, 5 entries, 1 ER, 5 BB, 4K
Jordan won the start on Sunday last season at Clemson, where he played five entries and gave up just one race. It was not a decision, but he was unable to go deeper into the game because he made five walks in his 90-shot performance.
RHP Brett Kerry – 3 appearances, 5 1/3 innings, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
Kerry is defeated against the Tigers, as he has allowed only three hits and no runs in his 5 1/3 working innings. He also made two saves, including 3 1/3 innings as a freshman, with seven eliminations in a 55-shot performance. He managed a two-out defense in 2020 on Segra and picked up four more outs the next day.
RHP Daniel Lloyd – 3 appearances, 4 1/3 innings, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Lloyd made three games against the Tigers and was credited for giving up a well-deserved race in each of those three appearances. Lloyd did very well in his freshman appearance, with two in the lead and two out to fly Davis Sharpe to finish the entry. He gave up a solo home run in his 2 1/3 innings that day, with four eliminations.
RHP Brett Thomas – 1 appearance, 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Thomas launched a clean, uneventful inning in an unbalanced game last season against the Tigers.
RHP Cam Tringali – 4 appearances, 4 1/3 innings, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Tringali made money in his first season outside the bullpen by throwing twice, making a total of 3 entries with a hit, a walk and two eliminations in 30 shots. Last season, he gave up three well-deserved runs in three strokes with one hike and one elimination in two entries, totaling 29 shots.