Causes abound for USC baseball’s slump
The South Carolina baseball team’s struggles the past three SEC weekends have the coaches and players looking for answers. The program hasn’t experienced a rough patch like this in a long time.
With eight losses in the past 12 games, the Gamecocks (21-11) have fallen out of the Baseball America Top 25 for the first time since May 2009. Beginning this season at No. 13, USC worked its way up to No. 6 after winning 17 of its first 20. But this recent stretch has left the club on the outside looking in.
By dropping three consecutive conference series to Missouri, Georgia and Mississippi State, the Gamecocks have done something that has not occurred since the end of the 2006 regular season, when they lost three SEC straight series to Georgia, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
The way they’ve lost those series also is frustrating – losing the first two games before salvaging the final game.
USC coach Chad Holbrook knows his team can’t continue to dig a hole in each series, especially when the top two arms take the mound, right-hander Wil Crowe and left-hander Jack Wynkoop. Neither one has won since the SEC-opening series against Kentucky. But they’ve suffered from a lack of offensive and defensive support.
And that’s the problem. The Gamecocks don’t play enough games where everything comes together. Holbrook maintains that inconsistency has served as the primary culprit in the team’s struggles.
“We’ll pitch and play defense one game but not swing the bats very well. Or we’ll swing the bats well and play defense but not have a great outing (on the mound),” Holbrook said. “We can’t put all three phases together at the same time. We need to swing the bat like we’re capable, we need to pitch at a high level, and we need to play defense. If we do all those things, we’ll have a chance to win our fair share. If we don’t, we’ll continue to be inconsistent.”
For instance, a second-inning error by shortstop Jordan Gore in the second game against Mississippi State led to six unearned runs in a 7-5 loss.
“We cracked the door open for them, and they took advantage,” Holbrook said. “There’s such a fine line between winning and losing, a play here, a play there.”
But Holbrook liked how his players bounced back the next day to win behind Max Schrock’s five hits and freshman right-hander Brandon Murray’s strong relief outing.
Another big issue for Holbrook each game involves filling out the lineup card. Because half the lineup is struggling, positions remain in the air deep into the season. While five regulars are batting .287 or above, seven players with double-digit starts are batting .250 or below, with five of them hitting under .200. Mix in a few defensive struggles, and piecing together a steady unit gets tougher.
“I’m trying to find the right combination. I’m in this predicament because we’ve got a number of guys not performing the way they’re capable. I don’t really have another choice but to go with my gut on a game-in and game-out basis,” Holbrook said.
“I go with the ones who give us the best chance to win. It’s just where we are. It’s not as stable as I want it to be, but I’ve got to keep giving some guys the opportunity until somebody takes the bull by the horns.”
If there’s a small sliver of light, four SEC teams have winning conference records, with the Gamecocks (6-6) tied for fifth with No. 10 Florida (24-9, 6-6), the opponent this weekend. Eight other teams having losing league marks. Of course, USC also still has to face No. 1 Vanderbilt, No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 3 LSU.
“We’re scrambling a little bit, but we’re in the same boat with a lot of other people in the league. The only problem is our schedule is pretty formidable in front of us. We need to play better,” Holbrook said.
He noted the 2012 team started 3-7 in SEC play before eventually reaching the College World Series championship finals.
“We’ve got some big games left. If we can get on a hot streak and play the way we’re capable, we can finish where we want in the league. We’re right there with a lot of other people.”