2011 Gamecocks Inducted into Hall of Fame

2011 Gamecocks Inducted into Hall of Fame

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The 2011 South Carolina baseball team has been inducted into the USC Association of Lettermen’s Athletics Hall of Fame. The Gamecocks swept the Florida Gators in the championship series at the new TD Ameritrade Park, winning their second straight national title. The team posted a perfect 10-0 record in the postseason that year and established a national mark with 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament victories, a streak that began the season before.

A Championship Forged in Omaha

The Gamecocks’ path to Omaha included a sweep of three games at home to win the NCAA Regional and a two-game home sweep of UConn to return to the College World Series. In their CWS opener, they fell behind 4-0 to Texas A&M before rallying to tie it. Scott Wingo delivered a hit off the wall in right field in the bottom of the ninth to drive in the winning run. After defeating Virginia 7-1, the Gamecocks faced the Cavaliers again, pulling out a 3-2 win in 13 innings after Adam Matthews scored on a throwing error. The team worked out of bases-loaded jams in the 10th, 12th, and 13th innings during that game.

Winning the Championship Series with Teamwork

In the Championship Series against Florida, South Carolina won the first game 2-1 in 11 innings, highlighted by several huge defensive plays from Scott Wingo. Leftfielder Jake Williams and catcher Robert Beary also teamed up for a memorable play at the plate. The Gamecocks won the second game 5-2 to secure the championship. Truly, it was a team effort which is why the team deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, said former pitcher Michael Roth. From the first game against Texas A&M in getting down, and then coming back, to all the plays we made against Florida with the plays that Scott Wingo made, and the pick by Robert Beary on the play at the plate.

Gamecocks Live | Media Roundup | Ray Tanner and Hall of Fame Class

The Mindset of a Champion

Despite being the reigning champions, the team did not feel pressure to return to Omaha. You would think there would be pressure to get back there, but there really wasn’t, former head coach Ray Tanner said. When we started fall practice, it was kind of like, we’re the reigning champions, and until someone beats us, we still are. We didn’t change anything. Instead of us having the pressure, I thought the other teams felt the pressure to try to beat us. Scott Wingo was named Most Outstanding Player for the Gamecocks as they claimed their second consecutive title. There were so many big plays in that World Series, Tanner said. Jake Williams play in left field stands out. That’s a hard play because you have to charge it hard, pick it up clean, make an accurate throw, and beat the runner. Robert made a great play at the plate, scooping it with his catcher’s mitt on the backhand side. That’s one of the greatest plays I’ve seen. Read more about the 2011 team’s Hall of Fame induction.

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