Notes & Quotes: Arkansas Game 2

The best notes and quotes from No. 16 South Carolina's series-clinching 6-2 victory over the No. 14 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Notes

--Chad Holbrook used the same lineup back-to-back games for the first time all season.

--Alex Destino extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the first inning. Other players who extended their hitting streaks were: Gene Cone (7), DC Arendas (4) and Dom Thompson-Williams (10).

--Dom Thompson-Williams extended his on-base streak after a walk in the first inning. He’s reached base in all 21 games this year.

--Saturday’s paid attendance was 7,258.

--Braden Webb threw 103 pitches in 6.1 innings. It was his highest pitch total of the year and a career-long outing for the freshman. Both starting pitchers for South Carolina have thrown 100 pitches this weekend.

*** Photo Album By Paul Collins: Arkansas Game 2

--The game was delayed in the fifth inning when LT Tolbert was hit in the head by a 95-mile-per-hour fastball. Holbrook said the freshman’s helmet cut him on the top of the ear and he was bleeding “profusely.” Tolbert would be evaluated by trainers and would stay in the game. He finished 0-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch and two runs scored.

--Holbrook said Tolbert should be available to play tomorrow against Arkansas.

--South Carolina won their first SEC series of the season for the seventh time in the last ten seasons and the fourth straight time under Chad Holbrook.

--John Jones hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, one batter after LT Tolbert’s injury. It was his team-leading fifth home run of the season and his 25th and 26th RBIs of the year, also a team high.

--Other team highs that were extended Saturday: runs (Dom Thompson-Williams, 26); walks (Dom Thompson-Williams, 16); walks allowed (Braden Webb, 17).

--Tyler Johnson recorded his first save of the season, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings and giving up only one hit. He becomes the second Gamecock to record a save this season, joining lefty Josh Reagan who has an NCAA-leading six saves.

Quotes

John Jones on the team’s offensive output: "We’re really selling out in our approach; just giving all we have to our approach…Just doing what our coaches ask us to do and doing extra work. It’s paying off so far.”

Jones on his home run: “There was a lot of adrenalin in that at-bat after LT had that whole thing going on with the bleeding from the ear. I felt like I had to do something for him. There was a lot of adrenalin going and I kind of cheap swing, two-oh…He didn’t make many mistakes, but I was able to take advantage of the one he did.”

Holbrook on the team’s at-bats: “Since that Sunday game against Clemson we’ve been pretty good offensively…Guys are aggressive right now. They’re swinging the bats and feeling good about themselves. Hopefully we can continue that. I thought all along we’d have a good offensive team and they’re backing me up on that.”

Holbrook on LT Tolbert fighting with trainers to come back into the game: “LT had the respect of everyone in our locker room before today, but if he didn’t and there was one straggler, they’re on board now. He’s a winner, he’s a tough nut.”

Holbrook on John Jones: “I expected him to be a good hitter. I don’t know if I expected that. What I’ve been so pleased about is his presence…John leads the middle of our lineup. He’s got a little cockiness about him that—I’m not afraid to say this—that our program’s been built around.”

Holbrook on Sunday’s game: “We’re going to try and take the approach that this Sunday game is extremely important and I’ll be very, very upset and disappointed in my team if they come satisfied tomorrow. I expect them to lay it on the line.”

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