Chad Holbrook believes USC is ready to end Hoover struggles

South Carolina has been dreadful in Hoover for more than a decade, but Gamecocks coach Chad Holbrook believes that’ll change this week.

USC has recorded one win or less in 10 of its past 11 trips to Hoover since winning the SEC Tournament in 2004. The Gamecocks are 2-11 in Hoover since 2010, and have dropped six straight games at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

“We haven’t played particularly well down there as of late,” Holbrook said Monday. “Hopefully, we can reverse that trend and go down there and play some good baseball and put ourselves in position to win some games.”

Holbrook feels good about his team’s chances because the Gamecocks will face Ole Miss on Wednesday after winning five straight games. USC swept Alabama last weekend, marking the first time Carolina has earned a sweep entering the SEC Tournament since 2009.

“I’m optimistic because we’ve been playing well. I feel good about going down there and playing,” Holbrook said. “We’re going to take a good team down there, but we’re going to play good teams. You can’t always win, especially with the competition that we’ll face down there, but I’ve felt good about this group since September. That’s not going to change just because we’re getting on the bus and going to Hoover.”

Holbrook also knows that playing well doesn’t necessarily translate to success in the NCAA Tournament, and if you don’t play well, you can still advance to Omaha. The Gamecocks went 1-4 in the SEC Tournament in 2010 and 2011 – years that ended with national titles.

“We’re going to go down there and try to play our best baseball and try to win some games and put ourselves in position to win the thing. If you don’t have that outlook and attitude about it, I don’t think you have a chance,” Holbrook said. “With that being said, we can keep it in perspective as well. … We look at it like we’re going to play a big-time postseason tournament, and let’s play our best baseball and try to win it. That’s kind of the attitude of our club, and hopefully some of the results will show on the field for having that type of attitude.”

GETTING COMFORTABLE

South Carolina infielder Madison Stokes missed the first half of the season with a foot injury, and has been trying to find a home on the infield since. It appears he’s done so at first base.

The sophomore’s first 13 starts after returning were at second base before his last four have been at first.

After making an error in his first start at the corner spot, he’s played well, showing off quick reflexes to making diving stops and rob extra-base hits.

The Gamecocks are 4-0 in games Stokes has started at first base.

“At first it was a little rusty, but now I’m starting to feel a little more comfortable over there, especially from having more innings over there and playing a little more, and especially learning from players and coaches that have played over there before,” Stokes said. “I’m trying to learn more. I’m not 100 percent comfortable over there, but I learn more-and-more each day.”

STARTING PITCHERS ANNOUNCED

Holbrook was considering not starting ace Clarke Schmidt on Wednesday against Ole Miss because it would mean moving the sophomore up a day in back-to-back starts, but USC announced Tuesday that Schmidt will start against the Rebels.

Schmidt is 9-2 with a 2.72 ERA and was named second-team All-SEC on Monday. Ole Miss will counter with sophomore David Parkinson. The lefty is 4-3 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 8:05 PM.