Lancers Split with 5th ranked SMC
USCL Bounces Back In Spartanburg
2/28/10- Spartanburg, SC- After a dropping 3 out of 4 against division 2 Stanly Community College the prior weekend USCL Baseball faced it's toughest test of the season head on. The first game of two doubleheaders started out with a heart-breaking 6-5 loss to Spartanburg Methodist. A couple of key errors kept the Lancers from topping the 2009 Region 10 Champions.
The second and third games of the 4 game series would not end so favorably for the Pioneers who ended last season with a trip to the Junior College World Series. At the end of 7, game 2 was a stalemate at 3 runs apiece sending the contest into extra innings. The top of the 8th got started with Ryan Burt drawing a lead-off walk followed by a Taylor Johnson single. Will Simpson grounded out to third which brought up catcher Blane Walker. Walker hammered a line drive to deep left field for what would turn out to be a game winning 2 RBI double. Thomas Little then retired the Pioneers in order in the bottom of the 8th with two ground balls and a strike-out to solidify the win.
Game 3 on Sunday morning picked up where Saturday afternoon left off. The Lancers were even with SMC through 5 innings at one run each when short stop David Stone hit a solo homer to give USCL the lead. Taylor Johnson followed that up in the 6th with a 2 run bomb,his second of the series and fourth on the year, to give the Lancers a 4-2 victory over SMC.
In game 4 USCL jumped out to a big 6 run lead in the top of the 2nd inning. It looked as though it was going to be a long day for the Pioneers but they proved they were deserving of their national ranking when they cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning. USC Lancaster's bullpen struggled for the rest of the game giving up 8 more runs. The Lancers managed to get two more runners across home plate but fell short in a game that only went 5 innings due to darknesss.
The Lancers are at home Thursday, March 4th at 2pm against Limestone in a game that had to be rescheduled due to weather.
Lancers Break Even Sunday after Friday's Snow Melts
by Richard Caughman
2/14/10 Shallotte, NC-
The scene above tells the story Saturday morning after a freakish snow storm blankets the Baseball field at West Brunswick High School, where the Brunswick Community College Dolphins play their home games. "I moved to the beach to get away from weather like this," remarked Brunswick head coach Robbie Allen Saturday morning as his team worked frantically to ready the field for play. "Playing on this field today is out of the question," Allen said regretfully. The Dolphins worked through the day Saturday removing snow one wheel barrow load at a time from the outfield and squeegeeing the slush from the infield tarp until the field was cleared. The sun broke through the clouds late Saturday afternoon just long enough to melt what remained and the go ahead call was made for Sunday's doubleheader.Sunday may have been Valentines Day but Brunswick showed no love for the Lancers in game 1. The cold breeze made for a long 7 innings as the Lancers dropped their first game of the season by a substantial margin.
USCL 1, Brunswick CC 8
Game 2 was a much better showing for the Lancers. Determined not to make the long drive home empty handed USCL stymied a late inning rally by the Dolphins to break even on the day.
USCL 8, Brunswick CC 7
Baseball Trip to the Beach a White-Out
Sunday's Doubleheader is a GO!!!
(2/13/10) Shallotte, NC- The Lancers traveled to Shallotte, NC Friday afternoon to play 2 double headers with Brunswick Community College only to wake up Saturday and find 4" of snow covering the beach. An unusual sight to say the least. The two games scheduled for Saturday had to be canceled but thanks to the hard work and determination of the Brunswick team, Sunday's games are a go.
Lancers Open Strong, Down Limestone Twice in Doubleheader
by Richard Caughman
(2/8/10) Gaffney, SC
After soggy conditions dampened opening day, the Lancers started the season on the road Monday in Gaffney, SC. Limestone College's JV hosted USCL on a beautifully sunny but cool day. In game one Dee Jones got the offense going with a double in the top of the first inning followed immediately by a Taylor Johnson home run to give the Lancers a 2 run lead. In the top of the 4th, Dedric Mingo drove in Trey Deason to cap the scoring at 3 runs. Sophomore pitcher Jarrett Miller held the Saints to 1 run off of 2 hits to rack up the first win of the season.
USCL 3, Limestone 1
Game 2 of the Doubleheader got going with a Dee Jones lead-off single followed by a walk and a hit batter to load the bases. Freshmen Will Simpson then drove in two with a double to deep center field. Michael Cobb picked up an RBI on a ground ball late in the inning to round out the first. Ryan Burt had 2 RBI's in the 4th and Catcher Chip Mallory lit up the scoreboard in the 5th with a 3 RBI triple. Shawn Thomas gets the win after going 4 innings only giving up one hit.
USCL 11, Limestone 3
Lancers Set To Take The Field
Spring Brings Questions and Optimism.
by Richard Caughman
(1/22/2010) Class is back in session and the USCL Baseball team is back on the field. Rain and record low temperatures have not halted preparations for the home opener set for Saturday, February 6th at 1pm. As with any Junior College the Lancers are a young team, however the maturity level has greatly improved from last spring. With strong performances from Freshmen and solid outings from last spring's standouts the fall scrimmage schedule drew to a close leaving USCL coaching staff optimistic. Consistency is the buzz word being tossed around the diamond as the Lancers ready themselves to take on one of the toughest regions in the country.
The Lancers enter the 2010 season with a bad taste in their mouths after a bottom of the 9th, one run loss, to the region champions in last spring's tournament. Assistant Coach Kevin Thompson summarized the game by stating, "It was a heartbreaker that epitomized the entire season." Indeed, the season was wrought with stellar performances followed by mediocre outings. If the Lancers can mentally pull it all together this spring they have the talent to muddy the waters in Region 10.
The USC Lancaster Baseball team welcomes all baseball fans to join them for what is sure to be an exciting season. Please Check Out the Spring 2010 Schedule. A PDF version of the USCL Athletics 2010 Schedule is available for download here.
USCL Baseball Receives Fall 2010 Commitments
(1/20/2010)
(Lancaster, SC)-- Kody Clack out of Chester High School and Seth Johnson from Georgetown, SC both recently commited to the Lancers for the Fall of 2010. USCL Welcomes Kody and Seth to the team.
Lancers Moving On to Bigger and Better Things
Proving that USCL is a great stepping stone, USCL Baseball players commit to NCAA Division I and Division II programs.
by Richard Caughman
(11/29/2009)
(Lancaster, SC) -- With baseball season right around the corner, Several Lancers are ready to spread their wings and fly. Last Spring, USCL outfielder Pierce Labrador, impressed NCAA Division II Newberry College and will be playing for the Red Wolves in the spring of 2010.
Ryan Burt, left handed pitcher and first baseman recently committed to NCAA Division I Presbyterian College for the fall of 2010. Ryan had a team best .472 batting average and was voted 2nd Team All-Region at the NJCAA Region 10 Coaches Conference. Right Handed Pitcher and fall standout Jarret Miller recently committed to NCAA Division I UNC Greensboro. Taylor Johnson, third baseman and right handed pitcher committed to Furman University last week. Furman has a well established NCAA Division I Baseball Program. Taylor will be sporting Paladin colors in the fall of 2010.
USC Lancaster competes in Region 10 of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Arguably the most competitive NJCAA region, Region 10 had 3 teams finish in the top 20 nationally with two in the top 10. USCL Baseball enters just its second full season in the spring of 2010 with a positive outlook. After finishing out the first season in the spring of 2009 with a disappointing 9th inning loss to the top seeded team in the region tournament, the Lancers proved that they can compete with the best programs in the country. Consistency will be the key to the Lancers improving upon the successes of 2009. The interest among the four year programs in USC Lancaster Athletes shows that the Lancers have talent. If the Lancers can capitalize on that talent, the spring of 2010 should be an exciting time for Lancaster. USCL opens the 2010 season on February 6th at 1pm versus New River Community College out of Dublin, Virginia.
USCL Baseball Receives Fall 2010 Commitment
(12/1/2009)
(Lancaster, SC)-- Lancaster High School Infielder/ Right Handed Pitcher
Trevor Hammond Commits to the Lancers for the Fall of 2010. USCL Welcomes Trevor to the team. (12/1/2009)
USCL Baseball Teams Up With a Special Group
by Richard Caughman
(10/31/2009)
{Lancaster, SC)--The Lancaster Dream Team's tee ball season came to a close Saturday under partly cloudy skies brightened by sunny faces. USCL's Baseball team was on hand to assist with the day's events that concluded with an awards ceremony and a pizza party. Every Child who participated received a 2009 Dream Team Baseball Medal and a baseball autographed by the USCL Baseball team.
The Lancaster Dream Team Foundation is a wonderful group whose main goal is to provide an opportunity for special needs children to participate in organized sporting events. The USCL Baseball team has had the privilege of being involved with the Dream Team since the beginning of the fall T-Ball season in August.
"When first approached by the Dream Team organizers Diana Knight and Julie Barton we thought that we were going to be working with and teaching baseball skills to a group of special kids. Little did we know that they would be the ones teaching us," said USCL Assistant Coach Richard Caughman. 
The Dream Team begins its basketball season in November, for more information on volunteering please visit the Dream Team Foundation web site. Come out and help the Lancers support the Lancaster Dream Team.
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> National Junior College Athletic Association Website
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