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Tanner enjoys USC's turnaround

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USC head baseball coach Ray Tanner

Jeff Blake/jblake@thestate.com

Written by NEIL WHITE

nwhite@thestate.com
Posted on 05.20.09
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SEC baseball tournament

WHO: No. 5 USC (37-19) vs. No. 4 Alabama (37-17)

WHEN: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday

WHERE: Regions Park, Hoover, Ala.

TV: CSS

RADIO: WNKT-FM 107.5

Ray Tanner understood the precarious situation his South Carolina baseball team was in on April 27.

The Gamecocks were coming off three losses at Florida and sat in eighth place in the SEC standings, one game ahead of Auburn.

Forget the NCAA tournament. Tanner had concerns about making the SEC tournament.

Entering the SEC tournament today, Tanner is worried no more. His players never let him see them sweat, reeling off eight wins in their final nine conference games, including three-game sweeps of Vanderbilt and Georgia.

The Gamecocks (37-19, 17-13) jumped to second in the East and earned the No. 5 seed for the tournament; they open against fourth-seeded Alabama (37-17, 18-11) at 9:30 tonight at Regions Park in Hoover, Ala.

Tanner insisted he’s the same coach he was that weekend at Florida, but his team stepped up and did what it had to do.

“Players win games,” he said. “They can change things for you.”

He tipped his cap to their character and noted that all he did was convince them the season wasn’t over yet.

“I told them if we win enough to get to the postseason, everybody starts over again,” Tanner said.

The Gamecocks appear to be a lock for the NCAA tournament. Now they’re playing for a conference title and national seeding, which could include a host bid for the regionals if they make a deep run in the league tourney.

Tanner said a strong showing this week could put his team “back in the conversation” to host. But he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself — not with a strong Alabama team staring at him.

The Crimson Tide are the only league team USC did not face during the SEC regular season. But Tanner wasn’t ready to label that an advantage or disadvantage.

“In our league, who would you choose to play? Everybody in our league is good,” Tanner said.

Alabama coach Jim Wells feels the same way. He said it is a non-factor that the teams have yet to meet.

“You just go about your business and get your information on them,” he said.

Neither team plans to use its ace in the opening game. USC’s Sam Dyson (8-4) and Alabama’s Austin Hyatt (8-1) are scheduled to pitch Thursday. The Gamecocks tentatively plan to start junior right-hander Blake Cooper (8-4) today, while the Tide might counter with junior lefty Del Howell (5-3).

Offense, though, is the true calling card for both clubs. USC features big-time power with Nick Ebert (.341, 22 HRs, 70 RBIs) and DeAngelo Mack (.374, 14 HRs, 56 RBIs). Alabama has Kent Matthes (.362, 27 HRs, 79 RBIs) and Jake Smith (.358, 18 HRs, 53 RBIs).

That power might be negated by the spacious dimensions of Regions Park, which is pitcher-friendly with its deep alleys. Its location in Hoover, however, serves as a virtual home field for the Tide.

Alabama also can nearly match USC’s recent hot streak. Until losing two of three to Auburn in the final series, the Tide had won 10 of 11 SEC games.

Wells said the reason for this team’s success is simple.

“The talent level is a little higher,” he said. “We have better players now.”

And Tanner’s players are playing better than they did earlier in the season. He likes the momentum his club carries into the tournament, a run that has made him far happier than the long trip home from Gainesville.

“There’s a feel-good factor that goes on,” he said.

Now Tanner and his team want to keep that feeling going.

Reach White at (803) 771-8643.

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