Tag Archives: Ray Tanner
Arizona coach Andy Lopez shared a handshake and a hug with South Carolina’s Ray Tanner after his team clinched a national title Monday. Soon after, Lopez was gushing, at every opportunity, about the Gamecocks in media interviews.
Sincere words from Lopez, too. He called Michael Roth a “legend.” And SC’s closer, Matt Price? “My God,” Lopez said, rendered speechless.
Not that the Wildcats needed any validation for what they accomplished this year — they just won a CWS title! — but taking down the two-time defending champs along the way adds some significance to the moment for Lopez and his players.
They knocked off South Carolina in the same (seemingly magical) fashion that the Gamecocks won the past two championships — timely hitting, efficient defense …
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Junior Christian Walker isn’t particularly quick on the base paths. That’s pretty clear. To make matters worse, he was incredibly indecisive as a runner in the seventh inning.
Usually that’s a rally killer recipe.
But Walker — and the Gamecocks — were fortunate, catching a couple breaks and tying the game at 1-1 as we head to the eighth inning.
Walker does deserve lots of credit. The reason he was on base? The SC slugger drew a 12-pitch walk to lead off the frame.
With one out, South Carolina coach Ray Tanner gambled a bit, calling a hit-and-run. But it worked perfectly. Right fielder Adam Matthews bounced a softly hit single between the first and second basemen — the baseball moved so slowly that Walker …
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No surprise here. South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said after Sunday’s loss that he “more than likely” will start Michael Roth Monday in an attempt to force a rubber match.
Roth was apparently “pretty close” to being ready to pitch on Sunday. At least that’s what the senior left-hander told Tanner before the Gamecocks lost 5-1 to Arizona in the opener of a best-of-three championship series.
In College World Series action, Roth is 4-0 with a 1.51 ERA during a CWS-record 53 2/3 innings. He’s allowed just 31 hits while striking out 37 (walking 15).
Technically, Roth would be throwing on three days’ rest, assuming he starts Monday. Roth went the distance in a 4-1 South Carolina win over Kent State Thursday, throwing 106 pitches. …
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If South Carolina was going to get to Konner Wade, the Gamecocks had to hope the right-hander was a bit off his game. Then string some hits together, rattle the sophomore and knock him out.
At times, those disastrous, single-inning meltdowns have hurt Wade this year — in 19 appearances, he’s had four different innings this season where he’s allowed four runs or more, and he’s given up three runs in a frame during four other occasions.
But this is a different Wade. Has been since the postseason began.
The Arizona starter was mostly untouchable again Sunday night, pitching his third-straight complete game and leading the Wildcats to a 5-1 over the Gamecocks. Arizona’s now one win away from clinching a CWS title.
After a …
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Coach Ray Tanner proved his genius once again. Or maybe he just got lucky. Either way, his Gamecocks still have a chance in Sunday’s game.
Arizona had its metaphorical foot on South Carolina’s throat in the third inning, up 3-0 with runners on second and third. All the momentum was in the Wildcat dugout. And Robert Refsnyder, with a home run in the first inning, was headed to the plate with just one out in the frame.
Here’s where Tanner made a game-changing move.
He had starter Forrest Kumas walk Refsnyder intentionally. Then he pulled Kumas, the right-hander who lasted just 2 1/3 innings Sunday. With the bases loaded, he called on freshman Evan Beal (a 4.02 ERA and the team’s third-highest walk total at …
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The reign of South Carolina’s college baseball dynasty will last at least a few more days, extended once again by a familiar formula.
The Gamecocks weren’t flashy offensively against Arkansas Friday night, but they managed to manufacture just enough runs to capitalize on remarkable efforts by their gritty pitching. They battled back from an early deficit and closed the door late, advancing with a 3-2 win over the Razorbacks.
Doing just enough to win. Again and again. That’s the SC way.
Coach Ray Tanner isn’t quite sure how to explain it. He’s had plenty of talent on his championship teams, yes. A little luck, too. But mostly, his players simply know how to battle, maintaining a sense of resiliency throughout.
Said Tanner: “You try not …
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Who else would the Gamecocks rely on for a shot at a CWS title? Matt Price, the veteran right-handed closer, is on the mound now, hoping to keep his team’s season alive.
Price entered to begin the seventh inning. It’s 2-2 now as we head to the bottom half of that frame.
Actually it’s somewhat surprising that coach Ray Tanner didn’t turn to Price a little earlier.
Why? Price, in 11 CWS appearances, is 4-0 with six saves. His ERA is 0.42! He’s struck out 28 batters (walked seven) over 21 2/3 innings. Quite remarkable, really. (Also, a shoutout to junior Tyler Webb for four scoreless innings of work to keep Arkansas from pulling away Friday).
Arkansas has plenty of talent to counter with, though.…
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The parallels are too obvious to ignore. A little-known left-hander starts in a CWS elimination game for South Carolina and delivers a career-best performance.
Two years ago, that was the breakthrough story of Michael Roth, who now holds a CWS record for innings pitched after another gem in Thursday’s 4-1 win over Kent State. And after Thursday’s nightcap, it appears freshman Jordan Montgomery is following in the senior’s footsteps.
Montgomery pitched the Gamecocks to a winner-takes-all match-up against Arkansas Friday, holding the Razorbacks to just three hits in eight scoreless innings en route to a 2-0 season-extending win.
Montgomery had the Arkansas offense out of sync all night, locating his fastball regularly on the inner-half of the plate and getting the opposing hitters to reach …
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The Gamecocks arrived at TD Ameritrade Park just before 7 p.m., roughly six hours after beating Kent State in an elimination game earlier Thursday.
The between-games plan: Shower, eat something, nap (maybe). The players will participate in a light batting practice session in the indoor cages before the nightcap.
A little odd, yes. One team doesn’t usually play two games in one day during the College World Series (hasn’t happened since 1980). And usually, in the typical doubleheader format, you don’t leave the ballpark.
But SC won’t complain.
“It’s better than making reservations for Columbia,” coach Ray Tanner said after the Gamecocks’ 4-1 win over Kent State.
Especially considering the way South Carolina advanced. Starter Michael Roth threw a complete game, which means the entire …
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How can you argue with coach Ray Tanner or take issue with his trust in a veteran gamer like Michael Roth?
The rain washed away Wednesday’s elimination game and allowed South Carolina’s ace one more day to rest. So when action begins Thursday, Roth — not Jordan Montgomery, as originally planned — will be on the mound against Kent State.
And it’s the right move.
Thursday’s elimination game against the Golden Flashes will be Roth’s seventh College World Series start (tying a record). The left-hander is 3-0 in Omaha, recording a 1.61 ERA and allowing 29 hits in 44 2/3 innings of work.
One figures that Tanner realized Wednesday that if the Gamecocks were fortunate enough to beat the Flashes Thursday morning and advance to …
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