USC issues the most walks in the SEC — but it could be 'significantly' worse

In the course of 19 pitches Tuesday night in Charlotte, four South Carolina pitchers threw 16 balls, issuing four consecutive walks and gifting North Carolina a run.

It was the lowlight of a frustrating evening for the Gamecocks (17-12), who led 3-1 entering the sixth inning but ended up with another crushing loss to the Tar Heels, 11-3. In the course of four innings, USC's pitching staff issued eight walks, bringing its season total to 119, or just short of one every two innings.

That mark leads the SEC, 42 more than Ole Miss, which has issued the fewest. The Gamecocks also rank 144th in the country in walks allowed per nine innings and 111th in strikeout-to-walk ratio.

And yet, USC coach Mark Kingston says that number has exceeded his expectations based off what he saw in the preseason.

"Truthfully, they're doing better than we thought they would after the stats in the fall and in the spring facing our hitters. Their walks are significantly down from what we saw in practice," Kingston said Wednesday. "They're doing the best they can right now. We're going to continue to challenge them, let them understand how important we think it is. They're doing the best they can right now, and they're pitching and walking guys at a much lower rate than they did in our scrimmages."

Of course, it's been no secret that South Carolina's pitching staff was its weakest link entering the season — the Gamecocks are heavy on freshmen and have used just one left-hander, freshman John Gilreath, with any regularity. Junior Adam Hill was the only hurler with any major experience who returned.

That inexperience was especially apparent Tuesday night, as Kingston threw eight pitchers in the midweek contest, five of them freshmen. That wasn't a strategy to let the youngsters get experience outside of conference play, Kingston said. That's just who he has.

"Those are our guys. The great majority of our guys are guys that are learning how to pitch at this level," Kingston said. "The guys who we pitched last night are our guys. They're guys who have helped us win some games this year, whether it's (Parker) Coyne or (TJ) Shook or Gilreath, those are our guys. It just happens that most of them are freshmen. It is what it is."

If there's any consolation to be taken in South Carolina's high walks allowed numbers, it's that the Gamecocks have managed to to slash their hits allowed to one of the best marks in the country. They lead the SEC for fewest hits given up and are ninth in the NCAA in hits allowed per game.

Those statistics have boosted USC's overall WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) to 1.25, 28th nationally and sixth in the league.

NEXT

Who:South Carolina (17-11) vs. No. 7/9 Kentucky (19-9), Game 1

When:6:30 p.m. Friday, April 6

Where: Cliff Hagan Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

Watch:Streaming online on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN

Listen: 107.5 FM in Columbia, South Carolina

Probable pitchers: South Carolina — Jr. RHP Adam Hill (3-2, 3.58 ERA); Kentucky — Jr. RHP Sean Hjelle (4-2, 3.32 ERA)

This story was originally published April 4, 2018 at 4:00 PM with the headline "USC issues the most walks in the SEC — but it could be 'significantly' worse."