GoGamecocks.com
Tanner wants 'urgency' from top pitchers
Sam Dyson
TIM DOMINICK/tdominick@thestate.com
Written by NEIL WHITE
nwhite@thestate.com
Posted on 05.29.09
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survey:
NCAA East Carolina Regional
WHO: No. 2 USC (38-21) vs. No. 3 George Mason (42-12)
WHEN: 3 p.m. today
WHERE: Clark-LeClair Stadium
TV: None
RADIO: WNKT-FM 107.5, WISW-AM 1320
ALSO: No. 1 East Carolina (42-17) vs. No. 4 Binghamton (29-20)
• Get live updates and chat with each other in real-time here today from USC-George Mason
GREENVILLE, N.C. — South Carolina's bats have carried the team to an NCAA regional. But in tournament play, when three or four victories are needed in as many days, pitching becomes paramount.
USC coach Ray Tanner has set his rotation for the Greenville, N.C., Regional: sophomore right-hander Sam Dyson today, junior right-hander Blake Cooper on Saturday and freshman left-hander Nolan Belcher on Sunday.
But once the tournament starts, even the best plans can change depending on the circumstances.
"It's all about a sense of urgency. There's no tomorrow when you get to a tournament like this," Tanner said.
The one thing he knew for certain was that he wanted his most seasoned starters going first, which meant Dyson (8-4) and Cooper (8-4) leading off instead of the right-left-right rotation of Dyson, Belcher and Cooper that he used for most SEC series. There is nothing more important in a four-team, double-elimination format than getting in the winners' brackets and staying there.
"We've run him out there all year for the first game," pitching coach Mark Calvi said of Dyson, the ace and potential first-round pick in the major league draft. "I didn't want to get cute this time of year. He's been our guy all year long. We weren't going to reinvent things."
Dyson, who has 89 strikeouts in a team-high 95 innings, knows how significant his role will be in the 3 p.m. opener against George Mason at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
"I think they want me to go the whole game, if possible, to save as much pitching as possible," said Dyson, who has two complete games this season. "It's pretty important to give them seven, eight, nine innings."
Belcher (4-4) hopes Dyson and Cooper can claim wins so he can take the ball Sunday in the championship game. But he isn't going to worry about a complete game.
"You've got to go out there and give it your best as long as you can go," Belcher said. "You can't pace yourself."
Belcher has faith in the bullpen, which enters the regional rested; Parker Bangs, Michael Roth and Curtis Johnson are ready to go. Freshman left-hander Adam Westmoreland recently has experienced soreness in his forearm, which needed to be checked by doctors and will keep him from joining the Columbia Blowfish this summer. But he has clearance to pitch this weekend, although it might be in a limited role.
"If he pitches for us, more than likely he'll come out of the bullpen," Tanner said.
An additional option is veteran right-hander Jay Brown, the team's most reliable mid-week starter. Brown (3-0) seldom pitched against SEC teams because he usually had thrown on a Tuesday or Wednesday. If the Gamecocks play a fourth or fifth game, he adds depth.
"He's a guy with a cool head. When you put him out there, you expect good things to happen," Tanner said.
Season stats for USC’s top five starting pitchers:
| Blake Cooper | 15 | 77.0 | 8-4 | 4.79 | 27 | 59 |
| Sam Dyson | 14 | 95.0 | 8-4 | 5.31 | 33 | 89 |
| Nolan Belcher | 12 | 76.1 | 4-4 | 4.83 | 38 | 70 |
| Jay Brown | 7 | 43.2 | 3-0 | 3.30 | 20 | 32 |
| Adam Westmoreland | 6 | 46.2 | 4-2 | 4.24 | 32 | 46 |
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SOUTH CAROLINA
Record: 38-21 (SEC)
Coach: Ray Tanner
Key players: OF DeAngelo Mack (.366, 14 HR, 59 RBI), RHP Sam Dyson (8-4, 5.31)
Key number: 99 — homers, the most coming into this regional in a hitter’s park
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EAST CAROLINA
Record: 42-17 (Conference USA)
Coach: Billy Godwin
Key players: 2B Ryan Wood (.387, 13 HR, 55 RBI), RHP Seth Maness (9-1, 4.15 ERA)
Key number: 3,000 — the number of seats at Clark-LeClair Stadium, certain to be filled with people wearing purple and gold
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GEORGE MASON
Record: 42-12 (Colonial Athletic Association)
Coach: Bill Brown
Key players: OF Scott Krieger (.378, 20 HR, 80 RBI), LHP Mike Modica (11-1, 4.17 ERA)
Key number: 1 — wins in NCAA tournament history, a figure that could double with a victory over USC
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BINGHAMTON
Record: 29-20 (America East)
Coach: Tim Sinicki
Key players: OF Corey Taylor (.335, 15 HR, 51 RBI), RHP Murphy Smith (7-2, 2.41 ERA)
Key number: 537 — the distance from Binghamton, N.Y., to Greenville, N.C., the furthest away of the visiting teams
Reach White at (803) 771-8642.
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