The South Carolina Gamecocks are officially en route to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series. More than 200 energetic fans gathered at Carolina Stadium Thursday morning to wish the baseball team well as they boarded an airport-bound bus.
With championship banners fluttering and pom-poms swirling, the sea of garnet erupted as the players made their way towards the bus and the enthusiasm of fans, young and old, did not go unnoticed.
“You guys mean so much to us,” head coach Ray Tanner said. “There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of ingredients that go into a successful program, but certainly we understand, the players and coaches and I understand, that we’re only as good as you are and you guys are the best fans in the country.”
Tanner promised he and the team will “battle our rear ends off” in an effort to bring the University of South Carolina a second national baseball championship trophy.
Among the players making the trek to Omaha was center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., last year’s College World Series Most Outstanding Player, whose wrist injury kept him benched since the end of April. But Tuesday Bradley was cleared for practice.
The Gamecocks will play their first game Sunday at 7 p.m. in the new TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, against the Texas A&M Aggies. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
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