In coach Mark Kingston’s first season in 2018, South Carolina baseball launched 79 home runs, tied for fourth in the SEC and the most the program has had since 2011.
Heading into 2019, Kingston believes the Gamecocks can continue that power surge. His belief, naturally, is rooted in numbers — analytics have become central to USC’s approach under Kingston.
“The general data shows that we have the same amount of raw power that we did last year, but it’s less experienced hitters,” Kingston said Sunday. “So will they be able to do it in games, will they able to pick the right pitches to get their power swings off?