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Previewing the SEC Teams Inside the Top 25

The college baseball season is here and D1Baseball has their preseason Top 25 Rankings out. Let's preview the SEC teams inside the Top 25

By Baron Dionis

2023 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
2023 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship / Jay Biggerstaff/GettyImages
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South Carolina batter Ethan Petry is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against LSU
South Carolina batter Ethan Petry is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against LSU / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA

Number 25, University of South Carolina

Coming in at number 25, is the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks finished third last season in the east side of the Southeastern Conference. They owned a record of 42-21 with a 16-13 record in non conference play.

They are led this season by true sophomore Ethan Petry who was their best hitter last season by far. As a freshman, Petry had a batting average of .376 with 23 home runs and 75 runs batted in. He also led South Carolina in hits with 83.

Another great bat that South Carolina is returning is Cole Messina, a junior catcher who is the 87th ranked college prospect for this years Major League Draft according to Prospects Live. Messina posted a .307 batting average with 17 home runs and 65 runs batted in. The Gamecocks have a two very solid bats in the lineup.

The pitching for South Carolina has been solid all around. They lost two of their main arms to the Major League Draft in James Hicks and Jack Mahoney.

The Gamecocks return Eli Jones who was one of the more effective pitchers in a high amount of innings pitched. Jones posted a 3.95 earned run average in 54.2 innings pitched with 63 strikeouts. A lot of early question marks on the pitching staff for the Gamecocks this season, but a lot of solid arms might be able to replace Hicks and Mahoney.

A player to watch for the Gamecocks this season is sophomore right handed pitcher Eli Jerembeck. As a freshman, Jerembeck posted a 2.84 earned run average in 31.2 innings pitched with 36 strikeouts. He also had a very impressive 1.12 WHIP. Definetly a very solid, young arm to look out for this season.