Thursday January 24, 2013

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina is No. 5 in the USA Today baseball coaches poll as announced on Thursday. The Gamecocks begin the 2013 season on Friday, Feb. 15 hosting a three-game series vs. Liberty at Carolina Stadium. Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball also ranked South Carolina No. 7 with Perfect Game USA ranking the Gamecocks No. 11 earlier this week.

The Gamecocks return six position starters, 13 pitchers and 25 letterwinners from last year’s National Runners-Up squad.

Sophomore catcher Grayson Greiner, senior left-handed pitcher Tyler Webb, senior right-handed pitcher Colby Holmes and sophomore left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery return and are Preseason All-Americans after being named to the 2013 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America team in December. Greiner was a second-team selection with Holmes, Montgomery and Webb named to the third team.

Greiner returns after earning Freshman All-America honors last season by Collegiate Baseball. He was a SEC All-Freshman selection and hit six homers with 32 RBI with 13 doubles as well.

Webb, who also garnered second-team Preseason All-America honors in December from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, went 6-1 with a 1.56 ERA last year in 39 relief appearances.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press