Baseball • 2006 Universit University of South Carolina Upstate y of ...

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2006 Season OutlookOverviewThe 2006 USC Upstate Baseball squad willlook to build upon the most successful seasonthe program has enjoyed since moving toNCAA Division II status. The 2005 Spartansfinished the season with an impressive 33-21and a 14-16 mark in the very challengingPeach Belt Conference. The 33 total victoriesin 2005 were the most victories a USCUpstate team has earned since moving fromNAIA to Division II status in 1991. The 14league wins broke the mark previously heldby the 2004 squad with 11. As a result of theirsolid play, USC Upstate earned a nationallyranking in Collegiate Baseball for a numberof weeks.The Spartans return a solid group of playerswho contributed greatly to the success ofthe team in 2005. However, the Spartansface the formidable task of replacing key componentsoff of last year’s squad. GarrettHolmes has graduated but is staying on as anassistant coach in 2006. Holmes simply flourishedout of the bullpen in 2005, striking out79 batters with five saves and a team-low2.51 ERA. Holmes finished third in the countryin strikeouts per nine innings pitched with11.7.Also gone in the field is catcher Jim Kaisand first baseman/outfielder Eric Davis. Kaiswas a solid four-year player behind the platefor the Spartans who broke out during his seniorseason, batting .327 with 12 doubles and31 RBIs. His ability to handle pitchers andthrow out potential baserunners will bemissed. Davis flourished in his two seasons inthe program. Davis batted .350 his seniorseason with 17 doubles, seven triples, eighthomeruns and 50 RBIs. Davis brought a greatdeal of flexibility to the lineup, playing predominatelyat first base but also filling in atthe two corner outfield positions.Other key role players gone are firstbaseman/designated hitter Ross Vigder andutility player Adam Whiteside. Both playerscontributed greatly during their four years andwill need to be replaced.While the losses to graduation are substantial,USC Upstate does however return a solidgroup of veterans who understand how to win.The Spartans return five starting position playersfrom last year’s squad and are in the enviableposition of returning all three startingconference pitchers for the first time in HeadCoach Matt Fincher’s tenure. Several freshmenand junior college transfers sprinkle theroster in 2006. These players will be lookedupon to contribute immediately to the teamthis season.The Spartans will once again play a verychallenging schedule, playing five teams whoadvanced to the NCAA Division II Regionalsin 2005. Overall, USC Upstate plays 19games against schools ranked in the PreseasonTop 30 by Collegiate Baseball thisseason. The departures of Kennesaw Stateand North Florida will not hurt the level ofcompetition in the PBC, as four teams areranked in the Preseason Top 30 by CollegiateBaseball. The return of the PBC Tournamentheld in Aiken, SC will pit the top sixteams in the league vying for the automaticspot in the NCAA Tournament.The 2006 Spartans have the ability to competein the ever tough PBC and vie for a PBCtitle crown this season. While there area number of significant holes to fill, the programhas as much depth as ever and shouldbe ready for the rigors of the season.CatchersThe catching position will see a totally newplayer behind the plate with the departure offour-year starter Kais. The Spartans will alsobe without sophomore catcher Ryan Lanningwho is back home in Ohio nursing an illness.Junior Josh Clark (.329, five doubles, 21 RBI)returns and has shown significant improvementbehind the plate during fall workouts.Junior college transfer Bret Story (Cowpens,SC, Spartanburg Methodist), will also belooked upon to handle the catching duties.Story was slowed by an injury in the fall butshould be back by opening day.Two freshmen in Michael Adams (TegaCay, SC, Fort Mill HS), and James Bonds(Elgin, SC, Lugoff-Elgin HS) have shown abilityearly and may be pushed into service alittle earlier than normal.InfieldersThe infield remains the strong point of theSpartans, as they return three starters. Returningfor his second full year at shortstopwill be junior John Caddell (.265, sevendoubles, 26 RBIs). Caddell was solid lastseason as the leader of the infield, makingseveral spectacular plays throughtout 2005.Caddell will more than likely improve on hisoffensive numbers from a year ago.Senior second baseman Matt Goyea (.425,17 2B, 44 RBIs) returns after having one ofthe most successful seasons in USC Upstatehistory. Goyea earned several honors duringhis junior season. Goyea was a PBC All-Conferenceselection and won the league’s battingcrown, batting a remarkable .425. Goyeafollowed up his all-conference honor by earninga spot on the NCAA Division II South AtlanticAll-Region Team. Goyea capped offthe season by being named a Third-TeamAll-American, becoming the first USC Upstatebaseball player since the school moved toNCAA Division II to earn this honor. Goyeawill be counted upon heavily to provide asignificant offensive force for the Spartans.The third base position will once again bemanned by sophomore Kyle Bowley (.337,nine HR, 59 RBI). Bowley capped off hisfreshmen campaign by earning PBC Co-Freshmanof the Year honors and had the mostRBIs of any freshmen in the league . Bowleywill hit once again in the cleanup spot andwill be looked upon as USC Upstate’s top runproducer. Bowley will also see team at firstbase and will continue to be the team’s thirdweekend pitcher.First base will be an open spot in the infieldthis season with the departure of Davis.Sophomore Michael Kohn (.196, five RBIs)will receive an opportunity at first base aswell as a backup infielder to Caddell at shortstop.Freshmen Michael Winfield(Suwannee, GA, Collins Hill High School),will also get strong looks at first base. Winfieldhas shown the ability with the bat and couldprove to be a big lift offensively for the Spartans.Sophomore third basmen/pitcher KyleBowley batted .337 and led the Spartanswith nine homeruns and 59 RBIs whilebeing named the PBC’s Co-Freshman ofthe Year in 2005.Sophomores Andrew Maddox (.245, fiveRBIs) and Andrew Runion (.158, one HR, 3RBIs) return and will look to make a significantimpact for the Spartans in the infield.Both Maddox and Runion swung the bat wellin the fall while Runion may also see time inthe outfield as well.Other newcomers looking to contribute inthe infield will be freshman second basemanEric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Thousand OaksHS). Guillen performed well during fall workoutsand could get a look at second basewhile Goyea moves to designated hitter.Freshmen infielders Kory Morian(Summerville, SC, Fort Dorchester HS), KalebStone (Mauldin, SC, Mauldin HS), and AaronPrivett (Murrells Inlet, SC, St. James HighSchool), will all look to compete for playingtime in the infield as first-year players. Anotherinfielder is sophomore junior collegetransfer Zach Waterbury (Columbia, SC,Spartanburg Methodist). Waterbury comesfrom Spartanburg Methodist junior collegeand will be looked upon as a left-handed batoff the bench and serve as a backup middleinfielder.OutfieldersThe outfield will be led by two returningplayers who will figure predominately in anysuccess the Spartans have. Senior BradWingo (.340, nine doubles, 30 RBIs) will startin left field for a fourth consecutive year andwill more than likely serve as the team’s leadoffhitter. Wingo was the Spartans table-setterin 2005, getting on base via an infield hitor a bunt. Wingo led the squad in sacrificebunts with 11. Wingo’s 144 career hits placeshim seventh on the all-time list at USC Upstate.Both his sophomore and junior seasonscut by injuries, Wingo will be lookedupon to have a solid senior season. Juniorcenterfielder Bret Hansen (.339, 12 doubles,8
2006 Season OutlookSenior left fielder Brad Wingo batted .340last season with a team-high 11 sacrificebunts. Wingo’s 144 career hits placeshim seventh on the all-time list at USCUpstate.37 RBIs), also returns and will man the centerfield again for USC Upstate. Hansen had asolid season at the plate for the Spartans,ranking second on the team in on-base percentagewith .467.Any number of things could happen withthe third spot in the outfield. It most certainlywill receive its share of competition while afew players will receive an opportunity to naildown the position. Freshmen Seve Alvarez(Greenville, SC, Mauldin HS), Buck Bates(Mauldin, SC, Mauldin HS), Matt Lorenz(Thousand Oaks, CA, Thousands Oaks HS),and Kyle Simpson (Lyman, SC, Byrnes HS)will all get a strong look. Sophomor WillDozier (.273, two doubles) was limited due toan injury in fall practice but will see action ifhealthy. Other possiblities include Kohn,Maddox, and Runioin, if needed.PitchersThe strong point of the Spartans pitchingstaff in 2006 will be the return of all threeweekend starters from the 2005 season. Seniorright-hander Brandon Williams (5-2, 4.45ERA, 70 K’s), will once again man the topweekend spot in the rotation. Williams hasflourished in his past two season on the moundfor the Spartans. Williams is only 30 strikeoutsaway from becoming USC Upstate’s all-timeleader in career strikeouts.Sophomore left-hander Scott Eckard (7-3,2.82 ERA, 67 K’s), returns to the weekendrotation after a solid freshmen season in whichhe won five of his last six starts.Bowley (3-3, 3.86, 29 K’s), returns to theweekend rotation as well, after moving intothe rotation in mid-season last year. Bowleygave the Spartans a big lift by providing theteam with a chance to win every game hestarted.The bullpen comes as the major questionmark for the Spartans this season. With thedeparture of Holmes, USC Upstate will lookto a number of players to get the job done.Junior college transfer right-hander Sam Hart(Mechanisburg, PA, Frederick Community.College), will receive the first opportunity asthe team’s closer. Hart’s unorthodox deliverywhen coupled with decent velocity and changeof speeds should keep hitters off balance.A couple of other junior college transferswill receive opportunity out of the bullpen aswell. Right-hander Kevin Crane (Chesnee,SC, Spartanburg Methodist) was slowed byarm trouble in the fall, but will be at fullstrength by opening day. Bradley Blanks (FortMill, SC, Blue Ridge Community College),could also see time out of the bullpen. Thesethree junior college transfers should providethe Spartans with the chance to hold a leadin the late innings.Other returning pitchers who should factorinto the mix will be senior right-hander DocGodfrey (2-1, 21 K’s). Godfrey was used as aspot starter last season and should be moreused during the weekend series. Also returningis senior right-hander Jorda Young (0-1,15 K’s). Young struggled in 2005 and looksfor a better season in 2006. Sophomore lefthanderRyan Poss (1-1, 16 K’s) pitched effectivelyat times, but had problems with control.Both Young and Poss will be lookedupon as key figures in the bullpen this season.Sophomore right-hander Derek Byars (1-0), got some experience last season and willbe looked upon to do more this season. FreshmanJon-Michael Cadle (Hickory, NC) redshirtedin 2005 to recover from surgery. Cadlehas shown the ability during fall workouts tocontribute out of the bullpen.Senior pitcher Brandon Williams went 5-2in 2005, striking out 70 batters. In thepast three seasons, Williams has arecord of 13-7. Williams is only 30strikeouts away from being the school’sall-time leader in that category.The Spartans also have added a couple ofleft-handed freshmen pitchers. DennisMcCraney (Catawba, SC, Rock Hill HS),showed a great deal of promise this fall andlooks to be a logical choice as a mid-weekstarter his first year in the program. JustinHayes (Mauldin, SC, Mauldin HS) enjoyed asolid fall and will most certainly receive andopportunity out of the bullpen.Freshman transfer Jay Cranford(Simpsonville, SC, Gardner Webb), continuesto rehab from surgery and may be readyat some point during the season.Collegiate Baseball Preseason PollRankSchool1. Florida Southern2. Central Missouri State3. Delta State4. Central Oklahoma5. Tampa6. Cal State Chico7. West Virginia State*8. USC Aiken*9. Grand Valley State10. Abilene Christian11. Francis Marion*12. Tusculum*12. West Oregon14. Armstrong Atlantic State*15. Mesa State16. West Alabama17. Wisconsin-Parkside18. Wayne State (Neb.)19. North Alabama20. Kutztown21. Franklin Pierce*22. St. Joseph’s (Ind.)23. Georgia College & State*24. Catawba25. Florida Gulf Coast26. Southern Connecticut27. Ashland28. St. Edwards (Texas)28. Minn. State Mankato30. Erskine31. Lynn32. Rockhurst33. West Florida34. Shippensburg35. Incarnate Word36. NW Missouri State36. Colorado State Pueblo38. Slippery Rock39. Emporia State39. Carson-NewmanAlso receiving votes: Montevallo 28,Mansfield 26, Mass.-Lowell 24,Columbus State* 22, Wayne State (Mich.) 22,USC Upstate 20, Limestone 18, Rollins 14,Quincy 10, Valdosta State 10, Mount Olive 4,Cal State Dominguez Hills 3, UC San Diego3, Southern Arkansas 2,Southeastern Oklahoma 2, St. Mary’s (Texas)2, Missouri Western 2, Barry 2.* denotes USC Upstate opponents in 20069
Page 2 and 3: USC Upstate Quick Facts/University
Page 4 and 5: Head Coach Matt FincherMatt Fincher
Page 6 and 7: Cleveland S. Harley Baseball ParkUp
Page 8 and 9: 2006 Positional BreakdownCatchers#
Page 12 and 13: Meet The SpartansBrandon Williams,
Page 14 and 15: Spartans Bios37 Derek ByarsRHP •
Page 16 and 17: Spartans Bios6 Eric GuillenINF •
Page 18 and 19: Spartans Bios35 Andrew RunionINF
Page 20 and 21: 2006 Opponents18
Page 22 and 23: 2006 OpponentsFrancis MarionMay 3-4
Page 24 and 25: 2006 OpponentsTusculumFeb. 28 Harle
Page 26 and 27: 2005 In ReviewKyle Bowley2005 PBC F
Page 28 and 29: 2005 Season Final NotesEckard Paces
Page 30 and 31: 2005 Results33-21 Overall, 14-16 PB
Page 32 and 33: 2005 Season ReviewThe 2005 USC Upst
Page 34 and 35: 2005 Senior Bios#34 Trevor Berryhil
Page 36 and 37: 2005 Alumni Weekendl-r Head Coach M
Page 38 and 39: 100 Inning DonorsOn November 5, 200
Page 40 and 41: 2005 PBC StatisticsIndividual Stati
Page 42 and 43: Team RecordsBattingAt BatsGame: 60
Page 44 and 45: Season BestsStolen Bases 1988 seaso
Page 46 and 47: Career LeadersPitchingAppearances76
Page 48 and 49: Yearly LeadersChris Leach Ken Penla
Page 50 and 51: Honors and AwardsNAIA All-Americans
Page 52 and 53: USC Upstate Hall of FameJohn Daurit
Page 54 and 55: USC Upstate Baseball LettermenAAdam
Page 56 and 57: All-Time Results1986 (33-16-1)Coach
Page 58 and 59: All-Time Results2000 (13-40)Coach:
Page 60 and 61:
The Universiy of South Carolina Ups
Page 62 and 63:
USC Upstate Athletic Administration
Page 64:
2006 ScheduleKyle BowleySophomore 3
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