Resume Check: A look ahead to South Carolina baseball's first opponent, the Sacred Heart Pioneers
The long offseason is over, and South Carolina baseball will begin the Paul Mainieri era this week. Coach Mainieri has made pledges to fix some of the program’s biggest problems and restore the blue blood Gamecocks to national prominence. Because of Mainieri’s confidence, the vibes around the program are high.
The national media hasn’t quite held the same optimistic view of the Gamecocks as none of the major preseason polls included USC. However, the road to proving those preseason prognostications wrong begins on Friday. The Sacred Heart Pioneers will travel to Columbia for a three-game set this weekend at Founders Park.
Win tickets to Sacred Heart Game 1: Season opener, Paul Mainieri’s debut
GamecockCentral.com’s “Resume Check” is brought to you by Post Up Careers! Did you know that you have about 6 seconds to make an impression on a hiring manager when applying for a job? And that your resume is the marketing piece that you must make sure is up to date, highlights your skills and achievements, and will get you past applicant tracking systems?
Post Up Careers can guide you through this process with their customized resume services. Get personalized coaching to up your game in the job market with Post Up Careers, a company whose mission is to help you navigate all aspects of your career: resume writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn optimization, and much more. Make your talents stand out with the help of a company owned by a lifelong Gamecocks fan and alumnus – visit PostUpCareers.com or email [email protected] today.
Resume Check: Sacred Heart Pioneers
Record: 0-0; 35-23 (25-8) in 2024
AP Ranking: N/A
Last Week: N/A
Previous Meeting: South Carolina and Sacred Heart have never met in baseball
Win tickets to Sacred Heart Game 2: Ray Tanner Field dedication ceremony
Sacred Heart fielded a good squad in 2024. The Pioneers won the regular season Northeast Conference (NEC) title and finished second in the league’s conference championship tournament. They finished last year with a 35-23 record but went 25-8 in league play.
Last year’s version of Sacred Heart baseball didn’t have a very impressive offense. The Pioneers ran a lot when they reached base, but runs weren’t always easy to come by for the team. However, they led the NEC in earned run average and batting average against.
Top 10
- 1New
Alleged fraud
Australian pipeline to CFB
- 2
Jaxson Robinson injury
UK star to miss Tennessee game
- 3Trending
DJ Durkin
Auburn DC gets extension
- 4
AP Poll controversy
New Top 25 raises eyebrows
- 5
Penn State police warning
Saquon celebration triggers warning
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
This year, head coach Pat Egan will lead Sacred Heart into the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Despite joining a newer, slightly bigger conference, the Pioneers have a pair of preseason all-conference hitters in smooth-swinging first baseman Dante D’Amore and athletic outfielder Zack Kovalchik. According to Perfect Game’s preseason look at the MAAC, right-handed pitcher Elijah Foster could be the league’s top arm, too.
Facing off against South Carolina might be Sacred Heart’s toughest test of the regular season. The series also will kick off the team’s month-long road trip to start the year. (Many northern teams begin the season on the road, and the Fairfield, Connecticut-based club is no different.)
The Gamecocks and Pioneers will start their three-game series with a 4:00 p.m. contest on Friday. Saturday’s game two will begin at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday’s finale is scheduled for Noon. None of the games will broadcast on traditional television, but all three will stream on the SEC Network+. Senior pitcher Dylan Eskew will start the opener on Friday for the Gamecocks. Senior lefty Matthew Becker will take the hill for game two on Saturday. Then, left-hander Jake McCoy will pitch in the finale on Sunday.
