C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
For those that missed it: https://southcarolina.rivals.com/news/gamecocks-announce-2018-baseball-schedule
But in talking with Kingston, he takes somewhat of the same approach that Chad Holbrook took in terms of scheduling non-conference opponents. He said that strength of schedule is big and that goes into his decision making somewhat when finding teams to play, but the majority of the RPI boosters come in SEC play. He once told me over the summer:
"From an RPI standpoint when you play 30 games in the SEC, play three against Clemson and you add North Carolina, the RPI should never be an issue with that many games against that kind of competition.”
So the Gamecocks have nine opponents (seven on a weekend series) that made the NCAA tournament last year and five that made the Super Regional stage. Florida, LSU and A&M all made the College World Series.
Nine opponents finished in the top 50 of RPI as well, including four in the top 10.
It's a tough schedule, especially opening the SEC with Florida and having to go on the road to A&M and Kentucky.
Chad Holbrook will coach against his former team at Spirit Communications Park in May and the Gamecocks also have neutral sites in Charlotte and Greenville.
They will play the UNC game in Charlotte, as they have for the last two seasons. Kingston had this to say about that game this summer:
“I think that’s a great event. I think all the fans love that event. It’s a tremendous professional ballpark, so that’s something we don’t anticipate going away.”
The home Clemson game is scheduled for Friday night of that series.
But in talking with Kingston, he takes somewhat of the same approach that Chad Holbrook took in terms of scheduling non-conference opponents. He said that strength of schedule is big and that goes into his decision making somewhat when finding teams to play, but the majority of the RPI boosters come in SEC play. He once told me over the summer:
"From an RPI standpoint when you play 30 games in the SEC, play three against Clemson and you add North Carolina, the RPI should never be an issue with that many games against that kind of competition.”
So the Gamecocks have nine opponents (seven on a weekend series) that made the NCAA tournament last year and five that made the Super Regional stage. Florida, LSU and A&M all made the College World Series.
Nine opponents finished in the top 50 of RPI as well, including four in the top 10.
It's a tough schedule, especially opening the SEC with Florida and having to go on the road to A&M and Kentucky.
Chad Holbrook will coach against his former team at Spirit Communications Park in May and the Gamecocks also have neutral sites in Charlotte and Greenville.
They will play the UNC game in Charlotte, as they have for the last two seasons. Kingston had this to say about that game this summer:
“I think that’s a great event. I think all the fans love that event. It’s a tremendous professional ballpark, so that’s something we don’t anticipate going away.”
The home Clemson game is scheduled for Friday night of that series.
