May 20, 2008

Hoover, Ala. - Five different South Carolina players have earned SEC conference honors including junior first baseman Justin Smoak, who was named to the All-SEC first team by a vote of the league's 12 head baseball coaches. Junior third baseman James Darnell, senior designated hitter Phil Disher and junior shortstop Reese Havens earned second team All-SEC honors. Gamecock outfielder Whit Merrifield was named to the Freshman All-SEC team.

In 56 games this season, Justin Smoak is batting .389 with 20 homers and 61 RBI. Along with his conference honors, Smoak is one of 16 players in the nation to be named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy awarded to the top player in college baseball by the NCBWA. Smoak led all conference players in hitting in SEC games as he hit .407 in 30 league games. Smoak was a second team All-SEC selection in 2007 as a sophomore. James Darnell also has started all 56 games for the Gamecocks and is the conference leader in RBI with 77 on the year. He is currently hitting .315 and also has 18 HR. Darnell also led the conference in RBI in SEC games with 40 RBI in the 30 SEC games. Darnell also was a second team All-SEC selection as a sophomore in 2007.

Phil Disher has been a consistent performer for Carolina with a .310 batting average to go along with 16 HR and 51 RBI. He hit .336 in SEC games with nine HR and 31 RBI in those contests. He earned first team All-SEC as a junior in 2007.

Reese Havens has started in all 56 games as well and is batting .360 with 16 HR and 51 RBI including the dramatic walk off homer last Saturday that sent the Gamecocks to the SEC Tournament in a 10-8 win over Tennessee. The junior shortstop has led off every game this year for Carolina and he leads the conference in walks with 53 free passes on the year. Havens also received SEC All-Defensive team honors at shortstop as he fielded .977 in the 30 conference games with just two errors vs. SEC teams. Havens was a second team All-SEC selection as a freshman in 2006.

Whit Merrifield has started 55 games in center field for Carolina and is hitting .319 and is among the team leaders in runs scored with 54 this year. Merrifield is also the SEC leader in sacrifice hits with 20. He leads the team in multi-hit games as he has recorded two or more hits 24 times this year.

The SEC Tournament begins on Wednesday, May 21 with South Carolina and LSU meeting in the first game with first pitch scheduled for 11 am ET. The game can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network and also at gamecocksonline.com with Mike Morgan and Tommy Moody handling the call.

SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - *Gordon Beckham, Georgia
SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - Joshua Fields, Georgia
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Hunter Morris, Auburn
SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Gordon Beckham, Georgia
SEC COACH OF THE YEAR - David Perno, Georgia
      * unanimous selection

FIRST TEAM
1B - Justin Smoak, South Carolina
2B - Josh Adams, Florida / Ryan Wilkes, Kentucky
3B - Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt / Logan Forsythe, Arkansas
SS - *Gordon Beckham, Georgia
C - Bryce Massanari, Georgia
OF - Collin Cowgill, Kentucky
OF - Sawyer Carroll, Kentucky
OF - Matt den Dekker, Florida/ Brandon May, Alabama
       David Macias, Vanderbilt
DH - Alex Avila, Alabama
P - Patrick Keating, Florida
P - Chris Rusin, Kentucky
RP - Joshua Fields, Georgia

SECOND TEAM
1B - Hunter Morris, Auburn
2B - Alex Feinberg, Vanderbilt
3B - James Darnell, South Carolina
SS - Ryan Flaherty, Vanderbilt / Reese Havens, S. Carolina
C - Yan Gomes, Tennessee
OF - Avery Barnes, Florida
OF - Dominic de la Osa, Vanderbilt
OF - Kentrail Davis, Tennessee
DH - Phil Disher, South Carolina
P - Lance Lynn, Ole Miss
P - Trevor Holder, Georgia / Stephen Dodson, Georgia
RP - Scott Bittle, Ole Miss

ALL FRESHMAN TEAM
1B - *Hunter Morris, Auburn
2B - *Josh Adams, Florida
3B - David Cunningham, Auburn
SS - *Josh Rutledge, Alabama
C - *Micah Gibbs, LSU
OF - *Kentrail Davis, Tennessee
OF - Whit Merrifield, South Carolina
OF - Brian Fletcher, Auburn
DH - P.J. Polk, Tennessee
P - Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss
P - Grant Dayton, Auburn
RP - Russell Brewer, Vanderbilt

ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM
P -   Jared Bradford, LSU
1B - Rich Poythress, Georgia
2B - Ryan Wilkes, Kentucky
SS - Reese Havens, South Carolina
3B - Jake Smith, Alabama
C - Brett Basham, Ole Miss
OF - Matt den Dekker, Florida
OF - Collin Cowgill, Kentucky
OF - David Macias, Vanderbilt