South Carolina and Oklahoma are squaring off this weekend in NCAA Super Regional play. You read about the Sooner's pitching and now let's look at their hit squad.

Oklahoma's leading batter is center fielder Max White.  Wuite played against South Carolina two years ago and was only 1 for 8 in 2 games.  He is batting .339 and leads the team with 55 RBIs and 17 doubles.  Matt Oberste is the DH and is batting .331.  He also has six home runs and is the only other regular player to be batting over .300.

Other batters to be aware of our second baseman Jack Mayfield.  He has 34 RBIs.  Right fielder Cody Reine has 33 RBIs and six home runs.  Riene played against South Carolina two years ago and was two for seven. There's shortstop Caleb Bushyhead who's known more for his name and his hitting statistics. Though he's only batting .264 this season, but he was 3 of 8 against USC 2 years ago.

There's some power and a lot of RBIs.  Overall the team has lots of average to above-average batters but not many spectacular ones.  The team's batting .265 compared to South Carolina's .271.  They run often but they're often caught.  They have swiped 76 bases in 115 attempts and been caught 39 times.  By contrast they've only thrown out 19 of their opponents runners.

They used three line ups in Charlottesville, but here's a probable line up for Saturday night:

Here we go. Gamecocks versus Sooners. NCAA Super Regional play.

Let's take a look at the OU Sooners....

The strength of the Sooners team is the pitching staff.  The number one starter his sophomore left-hander Jordan John.  John started 11 games and had a 8-7 record in large part due to many relief appearances. He has 2.26 ERA and opponents are batting .238 against him.  He struck out 104 in 119.2 innings and only walked 31.

The number two pitcher the gamecocks will likely see on Sunday is Jonathan Gray. He has a 3.32 ERA and started 17 games compiling an 8-4 record.  He struck out 96 batters and walked 39.  Opponents are hitting .271 against him.

If a third game is necessary Dillon Overton is the likely starter.  He struck out the most on the team with 120 in 116.2 innings. He has a 3.16 ERA and a 6-3 record.

If South Carolina can get into Oklahoma's bullpen, then there are three men they're likely to see.  Junior left-hander Steven Okert is the number one option.  He has 29 appearances and leads the team with five saves.  His strike out to walk ratio is only 75 to 35.  He has a 2.78 ERA and opponents are only batting .228 against him.

Another option will be Damien Magnifico. Magnifico has a 3.68 ERA in 21 appearances.  What he's known for is the fact that he can throw over hundred miles an hour and has been clocked as high as 103.

The third option is right-hander Kindle Ladd.  He has the highest ERA of any of the pitchers we've discussed at 4.68.  His walk to strikeout ratios not great at 13 to 20.

Okert is a junior.  All of the other pitchers are sophomores or redshirt sophomores, so Carolina didn't see them in 2010.

Keeping up the Jones's in the SEC is expensive, to the tune of $154 million. What made me think of this was the story penned by Justin King over at TheBigSpur.com as it entailed how the "facilities future is bright." Well here is a talley of moeny spent and for what:

ATHLETIC FACILITY PROJECTS:
-Carolina Stadium - $39.83 million
-Farmer's Market - $30.5 million (includes purchase price of $15 million for land)
-Athletics Village Infrastructure - $16.6 million
-Dodie Academic Center - $12.6 million
-Rice Athletic Center (Ath. Admin.) - $11.7 million
-Softball Stadium - $8 million
-Parking Garage - $7 million
-Video Board and Control Room - $6.5 million
-Tennis Center - $4.48 million
-Williams-Brice Suites - $3.73 million
-Williams-Brice Champions Clubs - $2.2 million
-Williams-Brice Training Room - $2.2 million
-Colonial Life Arena Locker Room - $1.0 million
-Onewood Farm (Equestrian) - $879,000
-Williams-Brice Locker Rooms - $791,530
-Williams-Brice Recruiting Room - $636,000
-Coliseum Locker Room - $515,000
-Swimming and Diving Facility - $495,000
-Williams-Brice Stadium Feasibility Study - $495,000
-Stone Stadium Field - $494,000
-Williams-Brice Crews Weight Room Facility - $462,000
-Williams-Brice Football Lobby - $381,000
-McGuire Club at Colonial Life - $369,000
-Basketball Coaches Offices - $367,000
-Softball Field (drainage, landscaping, etc.) - $360,000
-Colonial Life Area LED scoreboards - $357,000
-Volleyball offices - $340,000
-Stone Stadium Scoreboard - $230,000
-Track Complex Improvements - $241,000
-Williams-Brice Seating - $226,000
-Softball Stadium Scoreboard - $216,000
-Colonial Center Weight Room - $82,000

TOTAL: $154,263,713.

FUTURE ATHLETICS PROJECTS:
Indoor Practice Facility (Football) - $14 million (Awaiting Phase II approval)
Practice Fields (Football) - $3 million
Athletics Performance Center - $15 million (Phase III; 2016 or later)
Track Complex - $8.8 million (Phase III; 2016 or later)
Basketball Practice Facility - TBD (Phase III; 2016 or later).

It's Super Regional Week.  We now know South Carolina will face Oklahoma in the Super Regionals with the winner advancing to Omaha.  Since South Carolina earned the #8 National Seed the game will be played at Carolina Stadium in Columbia.

It was announced last night that the first game would be at 8 pm on Saturday night on ESPNU.  Game 2 will be at 7 pm on Sunday night on ESPNU.  If a third game is necessary it will be at 7 pm on Monday on ESPN2.

Typically half the super regionals are scheduled for Friday-Saturday-Sunday and the other half are Saturday-Sunday-Monday.  Many fans don't like the Saturday-Sunday-Monday set up because of late games on work nights, but this year it might be an advantage for South Carolina.

All season Michael Roth has been the first starter, but that hasn't been the case in the SEC tournament and the regional.  If Coach Tanner wants him to take the ball in the first game, he can do it on a full week's rest.  If Coach Tanner wants to stay will the Holmes-Roth-Montgomery rotation then everyone will be on 8 days rest, which is pretty good.

Some may be concerned that starting the series a day later could benefit Oklahoma.  The Sooners had to play two games on Monday and are no doubt tired now.  I wouldn't worry too much about that, their pitching staff would be rested and ready to go if the series started on Friday.

Last weekend, as USC beat Clemson, almost every coach and player that gave public quotes talked about how great the fans were and what a wonderful atmosphere there was at the stadium last weekend.  Even though the schedule isn't the most convenient for everyone, we need to create that atmosphere again.

We'll be here all week with coverage leading up to the first pitch Saturday night.

South Carolina is the Columbia Regional Champion.  They defeated Manhattan on Friday, Clemson on Saturday and Clemson again on Sunday.

On Friday night Manhattan threw their ace.  Taylor Sewitt had almost single handedly carried the Jaspers into the post season, and he no hit the Gamecocks for the first 5 innings.  In the 6th, the Gamecocks figured him out, and pounded out 4 earned runs.  That would be all Colby Holmes would need, but they added 3 more for good measure in the 7th.  Meanwhile Holmes took a no hitter into the 8th where it was broken up.  He finished the inning with only 1 hit, and the game was delayed for lightning.  Patrick Sullivan finished the Jaspers off after the break.

On Saturday, South Carolina had to play Clemson.  The Tigers couldn't figure out Michael Roth early.  Meanwhile South Carolina put a pair of runs on the board in the fourth inning off of Adam Matthews' two run home run.  Clemson answered in the 7th with 3 runs and took the lead 3-2.

The Tigers added to their lead in the 8th on a solo home run off Matt Price.  Brad Felder, the right fielder who hit the ball, decided to stand at home and watch his hit and then flipped the bat away.  In other words, he pimped his home run.  As often happens with moves like this, karma found a way to even things up.
In the bottom of the eighth Marzilli and Walker got one run back.  Clemson couldn't do anything in the 9th, so the Gamecocks tied the game.  Joey Pankake singled in the tying run, and the winning run was gunned down at the plate.  The two teams held each other at bay until the 12th when Joey Pankake scored the winning run on L.B. Dantzler's walk off single.

Clemson returned the next day for more.  USC put 3 on them in the first and settled in.  The lead was extended to 4-0 in the 6th, but cut to 4-2 in the bottom of that inning.  Jordan Montgomery held them to that before giving way to Tyler Webb.  Webb, who had been infamously referred to as soft by former Tiger Will Lamb, closed out the Tigers.  He allowed a meaningless run in the 9th and earned the save to put the Gamecocks into the Super Regional.

After the game the all regional team was announced.  Here it is:

The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Clemson Tigers in baseball, again. Safe to say that USC has Clemson's number and it is so joyful as a Gamecocks fan. This is Clemson's 18th loss to USC in the last 25 baseball games between the two including six straight NCAA tournament games.

The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Clemson Tigers again. This time by the score of 5-4.

Here is our look at the third day of the Columbia Regional and below is the video highlights of the dramatic game that saw the Gamecocks beat the upstate rival once again:

South Carolina beat Clemson in 12 innings on Saturday afternoon 5-4.  With the win, South Carolina awaits the winner of the Clemson - Coastal Carolina game to be played at noon.  The Gamecocks will play the winner at 4 o'clock or 50 minutes after the end of the first game, whichever is later.

Who will pitch for South Carolina?  Jordan Montgomery will get the start.  It has been the plan for the whole regional that he would start game 3, so all is going according to plan.  Matt Price is probably unavailable as is Roth and Holmes.  Nolan Belcher will probably be the first out of the bullpen.  Webb may be available for a short outing, and Beal would be in a similar position.

Who will the opponent pitch?  I have no idea.  Either will be playing their 4th game and had to deal with a rain delay on Friday.  It will be probably be a reliever or several relievers pitching.

What's the rest of the tournament set up?  If South Carolina wins, they are regional champions.  If they lose, there will be another game on Monday to determine the regional.

Will we win?  Since I don't know who the opponent will be, that's a little tough to guess, but after Saturday do you want to bet against these guys?

Check with Flounder, Moose and me for updates through out the day. 

South Carolina beat Manhattan 7-0 last night to move into the winners' bracket.  Earlier in the day Clemson beat Coastal Carolina 11-3 to do the same.  The Gamecocks and Tigers play today at 4 pm.

Haven't we already played them?  Yes we have.  USC won in Charleston and Columbia but lost in Clemson.

Isn't the NCAA supposed to avoid rematches?  Yes, that was their stated policy for years, but for some reason this year they decided to be more sensitive to travel issues, so we get to welcome our dear friends from the upstate.

Well, are they any good?  Yeah, kinda.  They're good enough to win the regional.  They're 34-26 overall, and they were 16-14 in the ACC.  They were never in danger of not making the post season, but they weren't really in contention to host either.  They are a solid 2-seed.

The pitching?  Clemson used Kevin Pohle and David Haselden yesterday, and Kevin Brady is hampered by an injury and is expected to only be used in relief.  That leaves two regular starters, Daniel Gossett and Dominic Leone.  Rumor is Gossett is likely to get the call.  He is 6-3 with a 4.50 ERA.  Opponents are only batting .227 against him, and he has struck out 79 against 36 walks.