The Daily Gamecock 2/15/18 by Garnet Media Group

dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

2018 BASEBALL PREVIEW PG 9

2017 MLB DRAFT PICKS

VOL. 110, NO. 10 ● SINCE 1908 190

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018

BACK TO BACK NATIONAL TITLES

NEW HEAD COACH MARK KINGSTON 270 - 179 - 1 HEAD COACHING RECORD PG 9

Student Senate candidate filing numbers down but not out @LALARISSAJ

While 54 candidates are competing for the 50 student senate seats, more than a third of the seats don’t have a candidate. Candidates are separated by c o l l e g e , a n d 35 o f the filed students are compet ing for 20 available seats in the College of A r t s a nd S c ie nc e s a nd D a rl a Moore School of Business. Six colleges have no one running at all. “ I d e f i n it e l y f e e l conf ident in t he amount of promotion that we had for f i l i n g ,” E l e c t i o n s Com m is sioner Er i n Brown said. “It’s just nat ural t hat some of t he more popu lated colleges are more heavily integrated with w h at ’s g o i n g o n i n Student Government.” Last year’s election saw record senate ca nd idac y nu mbers,

with 88 total c a nd id at e s a nd ju st s i x s e at s w it ho u t a c a nd id at e r u n n i n g. The nu mbers t h is year are more more in line w it h t hose seen 2013-2016. Second-year student Azalfa Lateef is one of the nine senators who f iled for re-election. She’s c u r re nt l y t he vice chairman of the academic committee and hopes to be senate pro tempore next year. “I want them to have a strong leader coming in,” Lateef said. She’ll be able to help new senators with the bill w r it i ng a nd f i l i ng process because of her prev ious year in t he senate. While filing nu mb er s a re dow n , t hat shou ld n’t cause any permanent problems for the new senate. St udents can st il l f ile as w r ite-i n candidates for the open seats, and any seats left vacant after elections

will be filled through a n i nt er n a l pro c e s s w it h i n t he senate. Some of the candidates currently running for the Arts and Sciences and DMSB seats who initially lost could end up serving as “at large” senators. It’s t y pical for the senate to have seat s become empt y t hroughout t he year due to resig nat ions, and there’s never any problem filling those s e at s , a c c or d i n g t o Brown. A s to why t here are fewer candidates, Lateef said that more st udent s a re hopi ng for executive positions instead of running for senate. She said that se ver a l memb er s of Freshman Council told her they were holding out for those positions. A nother senator confi rmed that he was leaving senate to help out on a n exec ut ive c a m p a i g n w it h t h e goal of ending up on cabinet.

Student Senate Candidate Filings

62 54

CANDIDATES

Larissa Johnson

‘13

‘14

‘15

‘16

‘17

‘18

Graphic by Larissa Johnson

Thursday, February 15, 2018

About The Daily Gamecock About The Daily Gamecock

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief KAMILA MELKO KAMILA MELKO BEN CRAWFORD Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Editor Managing Editors DEBBIE CLARK KAMILA MELKO MADELEINE VATH MADELEINE VATH EMILY READY Managing Editors Managing Editor Design Directors RANADirectors SOBEIH MARY Design RAMSEY, LOGAN MADELEINE VATHZAHNER RACHAEL MCGAHEE RACHAEL MCGAHEE OnlineDirector Editor Design Design Directors LOGAN ZAHNER LOGAN ZAHNER GREY KLEIN MAGGIEMCGAHEE NEAL RACHAEL Special Sections Director Special Sections Director Design Director Copy Desk Chief LOGAN ZAHNER JESSICA BLAHUT JESSICA BLAHUT RACHAEL MCGAHEE ERIN METCALF Special Sections Director Copy Desk Copy Desk Chief Chief Special Sections Director Social Media Editor JESSICA BLAHUT CAROLYN CAROLYN CULBERTSON KELLYCULBERTSON VILLWOCK GILLIAN MUNOZ Copy Desk Chief Social Media Editor Social Media Editor Copy Desk Chiefs Photo Editors CAROLYN CULBERTSON GABBI FRASCO GABBI FRASCO DREW MUELLER VICTORIA RICHMAN, SARA YANG Social Media Editor Photo Editors Photo Editors MADELEINE VATH News FRASCO Editors GABBI CODY SCOGGINS CODY SCOGGINS Social Media Editor T. MICHAEL Photo BODDIE,Editors LARISSA JOHNSON ABBY WEBB ABBYNews WEBBEditor GABBI FRASCO Assistant CODY SCOGGINS ADAM COLLINS ADAM COLLINS Photo Editor MEGHAN CRUM ABBYEditors WEBB News News Editors KAMILA MELKO Senior News Writer ADAM COLLINS PATRICK INGRAHAM PATRICK INGRAHAM News Editor HANNAH DEAR News Editors EMILY BARBER EMILY BARBER PATRICK INGRAHAM Arts & Culture Editor PATRICK INGRAHAM MARY RAMSEY MARY RAMSEY Features Editor MATTIE HIBBS EMILY BARBER Arts & Culture Editors Arts & Culture Editors BELVIN OLASOV AssistantMARY Arts & Culture Editors RAMSEY KYLIE TOKAR KYLIE TOKAR Arts & Culture Editors EMILY BARBER, DARBY HALLMAN Arts &KYLIE Culture Editors LAUREN GALIDA LAUREN GALIDA TOKAR Opinion Editors KYLIE TOKAR SAM BREAZEALE SAM BREAZEALE LAUREN GALIDA LINDENLAUREN ATELSEK, DAN NELSON Opinion Editors Opinion Editors OpinionGALIDA Editor Sports Editor SAM BREAZEALE GRIFFIN HOBSON GRIFFIN HOBSON BEN TURNER CLAUDIA CHAKAMIAN Opinion Editors LINDEN ATELSEK LINDEN ATELSEK Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editors GRIFFIN HOBSON Sports Editors Editors WILL HELMS SHELBY Sports BECKLER, ETHAN LOMAS LINDEN ATELSEK JOSEPH CREVIER JOSEPH CREVIER Senior Designer Editors Assistant News EditorsSports WILL OUTLAW ADAM ERIN ORFINGER SLOWEY JOSEPH CREVIERAssistant Photo Editors EMILY BARBER BOBBY BALBONI CODY SCOGGINS MARYDesigners RAMSEY Senior ABBY WEBB Assistant ArtsSCHNEIDER & Culture Editor Faculty Advisor GREER Senior Designers Creative Director Faculty Advisor SAM BREAZEALE DOUG FISHER ANNIE PARK Faculty Advisor Designers GREER SCHNEIDER EDGAR SANTANA DOUG FISHER Assistant Opinion Editor Student Media Director Designers Senior Designers DOUG FISHER CONNER GREENBERG, ANNIE PARKMADELINE Production Manager Interim Student Media Director GRIFFIN HOBSON SARAH SCARBOROUGH ANNIE PARK, ASHLYN JACKSON, Faculty Advisor GREER SCHNEIDER Student Media Director FARRIS, TAYLOR SHARKEY Designers DEGAN CHEEK Assistant Sports Editors SARAH SCARBOROUGH Social Media Manager MARIELA RODRIGUEZ, RACHEL DOUG FISHER ANNIE PARK SARAH SCARBOROUGH Assistant Copy Desk Chief ANNIE PARK, ASHLYN JACKSON, Creative Services KELLI CALDWELL Business Manager SYDNEY PATTERSON MINETTI, WANDA FELSENHARDT Student Media Director Designers Social Media Manager CAITLIN BURNHAM LINA LEGARE, CHARLOTTE PRICE, MARIELA RODRIGUEZ, RACHEL JOSEPH CREVIER KRISTINE CAPPS Creative Director Assistant Copy Desk Chief SARAH SCARBOROUGH ANNIE PARK, ASHLYN JACKSON, SYDNEY PATTERSON Senior Copy Editor RANNAH DERRICK, KODY KRATZER, MINETTI, WANDA FELSENHARDT Assistant Design Director Creative Director EDGAR SANTANA DEBBIE CLARKRACHEL Social Media Manager MARIELA RODRIGUEZ, Creative Director MARIA JUTTON BRANDON BRAZELL, Assistant Copy Desk Chief LOGAN ZAHNER EDGAR SANTANA Creative Services Senior Copy Editors SYDNEY PATTERSON MINETTI, WANDA FELSENHARDT EDGAR SANTANA Copy Editors WANDA FELSENHARDT DEBBIE CLARK Senior Designer Production Manager ASHLYN MURPHY LARISSA JOHNSON Creative Director Assistant Copy Desk Chief Creative Services CAREY BURGESS, CLAUDIA CROWE, Student Marketing Manager Senior Copy Editors JESSICA BLAHUT DEGAN CHEEK Student Advertising Manager WENDELL EDGAR SANTANA DEBBIERITA CLARK WANDA FELSENHARDT, ASHLYN KAYLEN MICAELA TOMLIN, NAIDU, ELLIE HOLLY HEATON LARISSA JOHNSON Designers Creative Services DREW Services THIEL Copy Editors Creative Senior Copy Editors MURPHY, MEAGAN SIGMON, GRACE LORD, MIKE WOODEL, SARAH SNARE, Student Advertising Manager MICAELA WENDELL ANNIE PARK, ASHLYN JACKSON, BRANDON BRAZELL, RANNAH Advertising Representatives ERINNICOLE METCALF ASHLYN MURPHY LARISSA JOHNSON STEPTOE JOEGREER MCLEAN, CHANNDONET NICK VOGT Copy Editors SCHNEIDER, MARIELA DERRICK, KODY KRATZER, LINA CAITLINAdvertising DINGLER, ERIN LEE, ROSE STEPTOE Student Advertising Manager MICAELA WENDELL Student Manager Advertising Representatives METCALF RODRIGUEZ,ERIN RACHEL MINETTI, WANDA LEGARE DREW THIEL THIEL CopySTEPTOE Editors DREW JOSHUA DAVISON , COLE HALTOM, ROSE Student Advertising Manager FELSENHARDT Advertising Representatives ERIN METCALF Advertising Representatives Faculty Advisor LOWMAN HARLEY, ALEX BATEMAN, NICK VOGT Assistant Copy Desk Chief CAITLIN DINGLER,WHITE, ERIN LEE, ROSE STEPTOE ERIN LEE, TEHRANIE, CAMERON TOREY DOUG FISHER MARYAM PERRY WEST, Advertising Representatives CAROLYN CULBERTSON POWERS, JOLIEJUSTIN KATIE Student Director ANDREW SNIGHT, JOHNSON JOSHUA DAVISON ,DELIA, COLE HALTOM, SeniorMedia Copy Editor O’BOYLE, SPENCER LEE SARAH SCARBOROUGH CANON BLACKWELL The Daily Gamecock student newspaper LOMAN HARLEY, MARYAM DEBBIE CLARKis the editorially independent Business Manager TEHRANIE, AMANDA GRANT, CANON Copy Editors of the University of South Carolina. It is published in print two KRISTINE CAPPS BLACKWELL, LAUREN YOUNG ERIN METCALF, LARISSA JOHNSON, times per week in the fall and spring semesters and weekly during MICAELA WENDELL, ROSE STEPTOE,

the summer The Daily Gamecock with theis the exception editorially of university independentholidays student and newspaper exam The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the the University University ofSouth SouthCarolina. It It is Gamecock published is published daily during print two the periods. Opinions of expressed inCarolina. The Daily areinthe author’s of theDaily University of South Carolina. It is publishedstudent daily during the The Gamecock is the editorially independent newspaper fall and times spring week in the falland and nine spring times semesters and the weekly summer during with and areper not the semesters university’s. The Board of during Student Publications and fallthe and spring semesters nine times during the summer of University of South and Carolina. It is published daily duringwith the the exception summer with of university holidays university and exam holidays periods.The and Opinions exam Communications is the the exception publisher ofofThe Daily Gamecock. Ofﬁ ce the exception university and during exam periods. Opinions fall and springofsemesters andholidays nine times the summer with of expressed periods. Student Opinions inMedia The Daily expressed is the newspaper’s Gamecock in The are Daily parent theGamecock author’s organization. and are the are The author’s not Daily the expressed in The Daily Gamecock areand the exam author’s and are not the the exception of university holidays periods. Opinions Gamecock university’s. and are notis the The supported university’s. Board in of part Student The by Board student Publications ofactivity Student andfees. Communications Publications One free copy and university’s. Student Publications and Communications expressed in The TheBoard DailyofGamecock are the author’s and are not the per is thereader. Communications publisher Additional of isThe theDaily publisher copiesGamecock. may of The be purchased Daily The Department Gamecock. for $1 The each of Student Ofﬁ from ce is the publisher The Daily Gamecock. The Department of Student university’s. TheofBoard of Student Publications and Communications Student of Media Student isMedia. theMedia newspaper’s is the newspaper’s parent organization. parent organization. The Daily The Gamecock Daily Media is the newspaper’s parent organization. The Daily of Gamecock is the publisher of The Daily Gamecock. The Department Student Gamecock is supportedis in supported part by student in part activity by student fees.activity One free fees.copy One perfree reader. copy is supported part by student activity fees. OneThe freeDaily copy per reader. Media is theinnewspaper’s parent organization. Gamecock per Additional reader.copies Additional may be copies purchased mayforbe$1 purchased each fromfor Student $1 each Media. from is supported in part by student activity fees. One free copy per reader. Student Media. EDITOR editor@dailygamecock.com NEWS EDITOR news@dailygamecock.com EDITOR editor@dailygamecock.com OPINION editor@dailygamecock.com NEWS opinion@dailygamecock.com NEWS news@dailygamecock.com news@dailygamecock.com OPINION OPINION opinion@dailygamecock.com opinion@dailygamecock.com ARTS & CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE dailygamecock.com arts@dailygamecock.com SPORTS dailygamecock.com SPORTS sports@dailygamecock.com

arts@dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726

ARTS & CULTURE sports@dailygamecock.com PHOTO arts@dailygamecock.com PHOTO photo@dailygamecock.com SPORTS photo@dailygamecock.com sports@dailygamecock.com Newsroom: PHOTO 777-7726 photo@dailygamecock.com Editor’s oﬃce: Editor’s oﬃce: 777-3914 777-3914

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

“I knew I had it in me.” — Shaun White won his third Olympic gold medal in the men’s half-pipe ﬁnals at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on Feb. 14, 2018.

Florida shooting causes numerous fatalities At least 17 people were killed in a shooting at a South Florida high school on Wednesday, CNN reports. Aerial footage of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School showed people outside being treated for injuries and prepared for transport to area hospitals after the shooting. “Love each other. You may never know when it may be the last day you meet someone,” a student at the school tweeted after being evacuated from the building. The suspect has been taken into custody, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. The number of injuries is still unknown, and the Miami ofﬁce of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives continue to respond. — Compiled by T. Michael Boddie, news editor

First-year student dives into chemical engineering research Meghan Crum @THEGAMECOCK

Courtesy of Vimala Kaza / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Biochemistry student Nina Daneshvar conducts genetic research in a lab at USC.

N i n a D a ne s hv a r w i l l b e i n Au st i n, Tex a s, to pre sent her own theoretical research at the A mer ic a n Ju n ior A c ademy of S c ie nc e C o n f e r e nc e , b ut he r interest in research at USC began long before her move-in day last fall. The first-year biochemistry student from Irmo, South Carolina, became involved in research in the chemical engineering department while she was still in high school. During this time, Daneshvar delved into the characteristics of the cell membrane. This theoretical research involved creating models on her computer and working to see how Ras proteins affect the cell membrane. “I was trying to ﬁgure out what I wanted to do,” she said. “Now I

Attention Students: Looking for a Summer Job? Applications Now Available for:

Residential & Day Counselors Do you see yourself working with middle and high school students? Or planning a career that involves mentoring youth? Come share your love of USC with others! Pre-University Programs in the Office of Continuing Education and Conferences at USC is now accepting applications for Residential and Day Summer Counselors. These positions will serve as university ambassadors and mentors to middle and high school students participating in academic summer programs, including the Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series, Summer Program Research Interns from the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, SAT/ACT Summer Institutes, and others. Great resume builder and an opportunity to gain experience working with youth!

Positions start May 29 and through July 21 Application deadline: Friday, February 16!

Application Deadline: Friday, February 16 Apply Now online: discover.sc.edu/youth pups@mailbox.sc.edu or call: (803) 777-9444

know I want it to be in the health sciences.” Da ne shva r volu nteered at a hospital and discovered that she loved working one-on-one with pat ients, prompt ing her to get involved with research that was more hands-on. “ I wa nt to see a d if ferent perspective to what these people who are in pharmacy are doing with their knowledge,” Daneshvar said. This year, she is work ing in a lab w it h associate professor Hippokratis Kiaris in the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. This research involves studying the behaviors of deer mice, and Daneshvar’s lab in particular studies deer mice which harbor mutations that mimic epilepsy in humans. The lab compares the brain structures of these mice to the brain structures of humans with epilepsy, hoping to

learn more about the implications in gene therapy for humans. “It’s just really interesting to see the real-life applications of working with [the mice],” she said. Daneshvar spent the fall training and taking courses to be able to work with the mice and is starting to d ive i nto t he resea rch t h is semester. “ N i n a i s v e r y b r i g ht , v e r y talented and she is very efﬁcient,” said Kiaris. Daneshvar said that she enjoys working with Kiaris’ lab group and hopes to work more with them in the future. Outside of the College of Pharmacy, she is a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a pre-health organization on campus. I n t he f ut u re, she hope s to complete her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and continue on to medical school or pharmacy school.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Garnet Givers host blood drive Hannah Dear @THEGAMECOCK

One of USC’s newest st udent o r g a n i z at io n s , G a r ne t G i v e r s , brought their ﬁ rst Red Cross blood drive to USC to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The organization looks to help meet the often urgent need for blood in South Carolina, which blood drives such as this one attempt to remedy. “We have over 30,000 students at the university and with such a dire need for blood in our community, we have such a power to do good and give back in life saving ways,” said Kelly Miles, second-year nursing student and president of Garnet Givers. Miles began Garnet Givers her ﬁrst year at USC after seeing the need for increased blood donation. What started off as an idea has become a campus-wide event. “It’s just so exciting to see all of the different students that come out to donate blood. I k now it’s time

consu m ing, it takes t ime to sit here and wait and then actually go through the donation process and everything,” she said. “It’s awesome to see how many students right here at USC want to give back and help our community.” The annual Clemson-Carolina Blood Drive always draws a large number of students and community members, but Garnet Givers wanted to bring blood drives to campus more often. “By bringing more blood drives to USC it makes it more accessible for our students to give back to the community,” said Miles. On average, it takes around an hour to donate blood. A regular donation will help three patients receive the red blood cells, platelets and blood plasma they need. People that have a rare blood type such as AB+ are even more valuable to the Red Cross. Those that fall in that category are often contacted by the Red Cross in

order to donate. That’s an experience t hat has mot ivated st udents like ﬁrst-year undeclared student Carson Rosenbaum to donate. “The Red Cross called me yesterday and said they had a kid that needed platelets. I have a rare blood type so I donate blood often,” Rosenbaum said. Libby Wright, a Red Cross account manager for blood ser vices, sees collegiate blood drives as a chance to promote the creation of lifelong donors. “The younger you are t hat we educate you about donating blood and why it’s important, the better it is, because we want you to understand t hat we need blood constant ly,” Wright said. A f ter donat ing blood, you are eligible again in about two months. Every donation goes to help a patient who is in need of blood. Jackie Connors / THE DAILY GAMECOCK “You can make a difference in Student organization Garnet Givers held its someone’s life every eight weeks,” ﬁrst Red Cross blood drive on Feb. 14, 2018. Wright said.

Campus groups gather for Ash Wednesday Juliana Morehouse and Lexi Torrence @THEGAMECOCK

Feb. 14 was not only a day of love for many students this year, but also a day to begin the sacriﬁcial Lenten season. Many Christians use the forty days of Lent as an opportunity to honor the ultimate sacriﬁce Jesus made according to their faith, in turn sacrificing by giving something up for the entire period. The forty days will end on Easter Sunday, which falls on April 1 this year. USC’s Lutheran Campus Ministry, Met hodist St udent Net work a nd UKirk Presbyterian Campus Ministry gathered in Rutledge Chapel on the Horseshoe to host Ash Wednesday services. Students, faculty and staff left the church service with ashes in the

symbol of a cross on their foreheads. United Methodist campus minister, Rev. Tom Wall, has been a part of the Ash Wednesday services at USC for ﬁfteen years. To Wall, Lent should be centered on ﬁnding perspective. “Make sure that you are intentional. Make sure that you take up a discipline or disciplines like fasting or praying or silence or serving other people,” Wall said. “Take God more seriously than you take yourself.” Linda Chiaccia, an architect, chose to visit Rutledge Chapel instead of her home church for the service. To her, Lent is an important part of the Christian year after the major winter holidays. “It’s nice to ... reset and move forward with a positive energy into the new year,” she said.

Cosmic Charlie: High Energy Grateful Dead Tribute February 17

Machine Funk February 23

Flogging Molly March 1

John Kadlecik Band March 13

The “it’s ready-to-go 24/7 and knows me better than Netflix” birth control. The Implant. Now FREE or low-cost. Stop by the USC Center for Health & Well-Being or visit whoopsproofsc.org.

This is the implant. A matchstick-sized method that ﬁts discreetly in your arm. Many women say that it balances their hormones, improving both PMS and depression.

Fees for extra services requested or required are not covered by WhoopsProofSC. Valid only for students at participating colleges & universities in South Carolina thru 12/31/2018. Schedule an appointment to review your eligibility.

CW_WhoopsProof_DGad_HfPg4col_10x10.278.indd 1

2/12/18 5:30 PM

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Introducing student body presidential candidates Tommy DiBona Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia Major: Finance and Risk Management Background:

Platform:

— SG Elections Commission — SG Deputy of Alumni Relations — Vice President of Sigma Alpha Epsilon

— Make Student Government more accessible — Unite all aspects of student life — Create a more cohesive culture among the student body

West Russell Hometown: Belmont, North Carolina Major: English Background:

Platform:

— Student Gamecock Television — Quidditch team — YouTube channel — High school student body vice president

— Weekly newsletter to highlight student organizations — Weekly ﬁreside chats — “Park and eat where you please” policy

Kathryn Stoudemire Hometown: Walhalla, South Carolina Major: Broadcast Journalism Background: Platform: — 5th generation Gamecock — Chief of Staﬀ for Student Body President Ross Lordo — Delta Zeta: Creative Media Chair, PR Chair — Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society — University 101 Peer Leader

— “Ignite the Future”: New student union, pe de str ia n b r idge s ove r railroads — “Ignite the Present”: Fireside chats with SG staff, Student Coalition for Diversity & Inclusion — “Ignite Tradition”: It’s on Us, UMttr mental health initiative, The Big Event

Taylor Wright Background:

Hometown: Goosecreek, South Carolina Major: Public Health Platform:

— SG Secretary of Campus Outreach — Executive Director of UofSC Flood Relief — Chief of Staﬀ for Lead the Way — University Ambassador — Freshman council

— Smart Parking Technology — Online reser vation system for counseling — Midnight Madness basketball event — Guest ticketing system for football

Three campaign violation claims filed Larissa Johnson @LALARISSAJ

Three campaign violations have already been filed in the first 24 hours of Student Government elections. With 13 executive candidates, this elections season could see more violations than last year. “We had our mandatory candidate meeting last night and I tried to tell them as clearly as I could that violations should really be kind of a last resort,” Elections Commissioner Erin Brown said. Through releasing hearing verdicts, Brown said she’ll set a standard for what should and shouldn’t be reported as a violation. Many issues that end up being filed as campaign violations could instead be settled between candidates, she said.

This year, the commission is using a system of points from 1-10 to score violations. If any candidate reaches 10 cumulative points, the candidate will be removed from the race. The Wednesday evening hearing outlined the claims filed against the candidates: — A form claiming a violation by treasurer candidate Wilfredo Anderson of code 4-3-50 for posting fliers on the second floor of the Jones Physical Sciences building — A form claiming a violation by vice presidential candidate Nick Hooks of code 4-3-50 for posting f liers on the second f loor of the Jones Physical Sciences building — A form claiming a violation of speaker of the

senate candidate Patrick Ellis of 4-3-50 for using six university logos in his campaign video “ T he Elec t ion s Com m is sion ha s reached a decision in response to the election complaint filed on February 14, 2018 against Lee Patrick Ellis, candidate for speaker of the Student Senate,” Elections Commissioner Erin Brown said in an email. “The incident referenced in this election complaint, alleging v iolat ion of Code 4 -3-50 Subsection B(6), does not constitute a violation of the Codes. No points have been assigned against the Ellis campaign.” Brown also said that the Elections Commission will release a report detailing the reasoning behind its decision within two business days.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Students react to Snapchat Update

Courtesy of Jason Ayer

“Where the Roots Take Hold” showcases original work from second-year M.F.A. students at USC.

Grad student showcase debuts original work Taylor Washington @TDG_ARTS

K imberly Gaughan hopes audiences come away from her one-woman show with “a sense of nostalgia and a hatred of Nazis.” Her piece is part of the M.F.A. Actor Solo Shows called “Where the Roots Take Hold,” a showcase of completely original works from master’s of fi ne arts students. Premiering Feb. 18, the series gives second-year M.F.A. students the opportunity to discover their artistic voices by developing their own content and engaging in the creative process. From the play’s initial conception to the editing of the script, each of the eight actors are required to handle every step of the project themselves. The end result is eight unique stories that reflect the contrasting i nt ere s t s a nd s t y le s of t he p a r t ic ip at i n g storytellers. Although the plays will run between 14 and 17 minutes, Gaughan’s personal journey to the fi nished product has been months in the making. Gaughan, an M.F.A. acting candidate, has been acting for 20 years, and the development of her piece began last semester. After wrapping up a writing class in the fall, Gaughan was able to rework her script during winter break and has been rehearsing ever since. While Gaughan’s period piece was mainly inspired by her “love of old Hollywood cinema and the desire to wear a fabulous dress,” current events such as the Weinstein scandal and the rise of the alt-right has shaped its message as well. “My play, titled ‘You Go to My Head,’ follows

Where? Center for Performance Experiment, 718 Devine St. When? In two separate groups: Feb. 18-19 at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Full marathon: Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. For more i nfor mat ion, see t he USC Department of Theatre and Dance website.

Kay Francis, the biggest Hollywood star you’ve probably never heard of, as she navigates through late 1930s Hollywood and wrangles with the ﬁlm industry’s ties to Nazi Germany,” Gaughan said. In addition to shining a light on a lesserknown actress through a personal interpretation SEEACTORPAGE6

Column: What we can learn from ‘Blade Runner 2049’ Darby Hallman @DARBYHALLMAN1

“We made a monster.” That is what Blade Ru n ner 20 49 director Denis Villeneuve said about his recent sci-fi thriller in a recent interview with The Telegraph. The f ilm, wh ich had a produc t ion budget of $150 m i l l ion , m ade a rou nd $92 m i l l io n do me s t ic , $259

million worldwide and, when marketing costs are included, is estimated to have cost Alcon E nter t a i n ment a rou nd $ 8 0 million. Lackluster box office numbers have led to layoffs at Alcon Entertainment and led its director to declare that he won’t be making another ﬁ lm like it. “ L e t ’s j u s t s a y it w o u ld not be a good idea for me to make a movie like that twice,”

Villeneuve said. The disheartening part of t h is is t hat “Blade Ru n ner 2049” was critically acclaimed with many, myself included, ha il i ng it as one of t he sm a r te st , mo st st yl ish a nd expertly crafted sci-ﬁ ﬁ lms of all time. Villeneuve was able to create a sequel that stayed t r ue to R id ley Scot t ’s ‘8 0 s classic without being shackled by it. From its incredible art style, sound editing, pacing, mood, acting a nd more, “Blade Ru n ner 2049” is d r ippi ng w it h love a nd creat iv it y, a nd it s how s w h at c a n happen when an u nbr id led a r t ist ic v ision is g iven t he budget of a superhero blockbuster. S a d l y, a r t- ho u s e f i l m s don’t h ave a w a r m r el at io n s h ip with popularit y and big budgets. W hen you put “Blade Runner 2049”’s $150 million budget into context,

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

“Blade Runner 2049,” starring Ryan Gosling, grossed around $259 million worldwide.

SEEBLADEPAGE6

The latest Snapchat update changed the app’s layout so that only the “Discover” panel appears on the far right panel. Individual Snapchats and Snapchat stories now appear together on the left panel. T hi s u n ex p e c te d u p d ate sparked a flurry of objections on social media. We asked a few students how they feel:

“I just don’t like it ... I don’t like it all being on one side, for one. And like, to me it seems like the people I talk to are at the top, when I just want to see everyone’s story like normal. We don’t know the celebrities so it’s sort of not important to me.” — Jaya Gantt, four th-year middle level education student

“I hate it. It’s just confusing. Yo u n e v e r k n o w w h o Snapchatted you.” — Taylor Betkowski, first-year undecided student

“It’s kind of confusing finding people’s Snapchat stories … that was really confusing at first.” — Lauren Cunningham, firstyear German student

“Going through, when you click on someone else’s story, sometimes you don’t even get this notification, so you’re going through other people’s without realizing whose story you’re really watching. I get so confused because one minute I’m on one friend and the next minute, it’s someone completely dif ferent and I didn’t even realize.” — Emily Haughd, first-year biology student

“I hate it … it’s like junk y looking.” — Natalie Harris, first-year pharmacy student

“It’s all mixed in in one spot … I wish it was more ... like it was. If I wanted to look at stories I would swipe one way, and if I wanted to look at my Snapchats I would swipe the other way.” — Olivia Phillips, first-year biology student

“I personally don’t like it … It definitely has made me Snapchat less.” — B e c c a F a i r, f i r s t - y e a r broadcast journalism student

“The new Snapchat is bad, very bad. No, no, no — bad.” — Nick Prohaska, second-year biochemistry and molecular biology student

6 Thursday, February 15, 2018

Cabaret explores love in all forms

File Photo: Anthony DeCoro / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE CABARET is showing Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. at the Trustus Theatre.

Genna Contino @TDG_ARTS

Coinciding w it h Valent ine’s Day weekend, Trustus Theatre is performing its LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE CABARET — a musical exploration of love and the many forms it may take. This isn’t Trustus’ first time putt ing on t he show; it’s been performed once before, but a little differently. Last year, attendees saw performances that were curated by the singers themselves for a onenight only event. This year, musical director Chris Cockrell and artistic director Chad Henderson produced the music you’ll hear at the cabaret. Through exploring the intimate aspects of love, the directors created a “diverse evening of experiences.” W hat can you expect to see? Appropriately titled, audiences will be surrounded by love, love and more love during the intimate evening performances. Henderson explained how the cabaret will dive into the Greek’s six words for love — each one describing a different

aspect the word itself: “Agape” for a l l-i nclu sive love, “ E ro s” to describe passion, “Ludus” to defi ne cheerful, light-hearted love, “Philautia” to express self love and “Pragma” for enduring love. These forms of love will manifest themselves in the music of the show. Henderson said the cabaret will include show tunes, jazz, pop and hip hop with intentions of leaving the audience with “tingles, feels, and love.” “So when we’re exploring Eros, we’re going to hear songs t hat talk about passion, fi re, sexuality,” Henderson said. “So basically the tunes ARE the exploration of these different words.” T he catchy t it le may sou nd familiar to you, as Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of hit Broadway musical “Hamilton,” coined the line “love is love is love” in his 2016 Tony Award acceptance speech. The speech was a sonnet written for his wife, but that specific verse was a tribute to the massacre that had occurred the same day at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando.

Michael Hazin, an actor and Trustus company member, spoke to this common thread between the show and Miranda’s speech. “I think when people with the talent and passion that someone like Lin-Manuel has, uses [their] platform to talk about love and how universal it can be can only be a good thing, especially in the time we’re in, where hate seems to be easier,” Hazin said. Henderson also thinks that this message of universal love — one advocated for and popularized in the ‘60s — is equally as important today. “Right now, I feel we deal with a lot of unloving behaviors from those around us. W hether it be social media, politics, the news and countless other sources – there’s a lot of pain out there right now,” Henderson said. “We’re hoping that LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE cures what ails our audiences, and sends them back into the world with their hearts full and their pain relieved.”

FROMACTORPAGE5 of Francis’ story, Gaughan has written a character that she wishes there were more of in the business. “I’ve rarely had the opportunit y to play strong, competent women,” Gaughan said. “You’d be surprised how many plays demand that women just be in love with a man or cry a lot or do both of those things at the same time. Those roles get repetitive and don’t really reflect my own experience as a woman.” A lthough participation is a thesis requirement, Gaughan has not found t he experiences any less rewarding. Despite its challenges, her work has led her to discover that she is capable of much more than she gives herself credit for. “I didn’t know that I was a playwright. That was a great discovery,” she said. “I was terrified of the blank page at fi rst, but over the course of the project, I found my voice. I learned to dream big and then compromise in the most creative way possible. And more often than not, that compromise is more interesting than the original idea.”

Courtesy of Kimberly Gaughan

BLADEPAGE5 you begin to understand why it was con sidered a b omb. “Spider-M a n Homecoming” had a budget of $175 million, and “Wonder Woman” had $14 9 m i l l ion . “ T hor : R a g n a rok ” had $180 million, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” had $200 million and “Tra nsfor mers: The Last K n ight” had $217 million. Each of these fi lms come from well-established franchises and/or genres that are well-tested and well-proven to strike a chord with a large audience. A nd, while some of these films are quite enjoyable, none of them are pushing the boundaries of their respective genres or attempting to stand out in the way that “Blade Runner 2049” does. When I watch “2049,” I feel like I’m watching something that never should have happened. It feels as if the studio executives were tricked into thinking they were throwing money at the next “Star Wars” only to receive a nearly 3-hour mood piece dealing with what it means to be human and the moral grayness that surrounds the idea of maintaining peace and order. With its blockbuster budget paired wit h the avant-garde style that Villeneuve brought to t he t able, “20 49 ” wa s destined to be both one of the best sci-fi fi lms ever made and one that loses a great deal of money. The fear is that studios will blame Villeneuve’s unique direction as the reason for the fi lm’s failure and decide against this sort of style in the future in favor of the safe and simple action films that already flood the fi lm industry. My hope is that they instead blame “Blade Runner 2049”’s budget. R e c e n t l y, w e h a v e s e e n m a n y examples of unique and innovat ive f ilms t hat don’t necessarily f ind a large audience, but are nevertheless considered successes because t heir budget is sig n if ica nt ly lower t ha n the bigger blockbusters. Last year’s “Logan” was made with $97 million. “Baby Driver” had a budget of $34 million. “Deadpool” had a budget of $58 million. Other well-respected sci-fi films also found success on smaller budget s l ike “Ex Mach i na” at $15 million, “10 Cloverfield Lane” at $15 million and Villeneuve’s own “Arrival” at $47 million. “Blade Runner 2049” is the dream sci-f i movie with a monster budget and no narrative restraints, but it isn’t sustainable. While I would love to live in a world where every quirky artistic director with a great idea could have $150 million to make their fi lm, that isn’t the world we live in. Films like “2049” absolutely can succeed, but they have to be made with the right budget in mind. Even “Blade Runner 2049,” which placed 34th in the overall 2017 box office, would probably had been counted as a large success if its budget had been kept at a reasonable level. So, to the executives whose money can decide whether we’ll be watching “Transformers 20” or something truly innovative, please don’t take “Blade Runner 2049” as a sign that art fi lms can’t be successful. Instead, look at it as an example of the importance of controlling a budget.

Legal marijuana comes to small screen Brad Dountz @TDG_ARTS

I n recent years, st ates a l l over the country have passed legislation legalizing recreat ional marijuana, and more could be on the way. With m a r iju a n a st a r t i ng to b e c ome a mainstream commercial product, it seems only natural for it to casually seep into the culture in a way that makes it seem less taboo or dangerous. Net works have started realizing t hat t here is a market for qualit y programming that dives into the world of marijuana. Stoner comedies like “Cheech & Chong” no longer paint

an accurate portrait of how marijuana affects people’s daily lives, but television has slowly adapted to the times by showing marijuana and its consumers as fairly and honestly as possible. In 2005, “Weeds” began its eightseason run and was one of the first shows where the plot and characters were closely associated with marijuana. L a b e le d a s a c o m e d y, “ We e d s” followed a w idow who resor t s to dealing marijuana illegally. The show’s main character becomes immersed in the criminal underworld, money laundering and prison. It makes sense to explore the dangers of selling marijuana illegally even if

Courtesy of Tribune News Services

its main goal is to be funny. Although there is still illegal marijuana trade happening in the countr y, TV has documented the changes that have occurred in policy and public opinion as marijuana becomes more widely accepted. The channel “Viceland” has made a name for itself by broadcast ing doc u ment a r y-st yle shows gea red toward a younger audience. It has countless shows based off long-form journalism on a variety of subjects such as cooking, sex and, yes, marijuana. The show “Weediquette” follows host Krishna A ndavolu as he travels the country and beyond to document the world of medicinal and recreational marijuana as it stands today. For three seasons, “Weediquette” has dived deep into many issues that are constantly associated with marijuana. He talks to all sides of the issue which include users, dealers, marijua na farmers, business owners, parents and law enforcement in order to get a better handle of this ever-changing issue. In one of the online episodes, Andavolu interviewed and smoked with the president of Uruguay at the time, Jose Mujica. Even though Andavolu has a bias towards being pro-marijuana, he does a good job of giving an objective viewpoint of the matter, so viewers are able to learn about the world of marijuana and not get a lecture or feel like they are being peer pressured into it. In terms of scripted T V, “High

Maintenance” is probably the most realistic depiction of how marijuana is used. Created by ex-husband and wife team Ben Sinclair and K atja Bl ic h f e ld , “ H i g h M a i nt e n a nc e” follows The Guy, played by Sinclair, an unnamed marijuana dealer who delivers to an eclectic group of people all across New York City. The show’s subtle storytelling has the same level of irreverence as a Richard Linklater or Noah Baumbach ﬁ lm. The Guy is in each episode for varying amounts of time, so the real stars are those he delivers to and the people they come in contact with. In “High Maintenance,” marijuana is only a MacGuffin that moves the story along; the show is really about how people of different ages, races, ethnicities, economic backgrounds and personalities live. Sinclair and Blichfeld have enough conﬁdence in the viewer to know what not to say and what to show. A show about a pot dealer maybe a good way to attract certain viewers, but it can surprise anyone how much they can relate to what is going on with the characters in “High Maintenance,” regardless of whet her t he v iewer smokes or not. “High Maintenance” and “Weediquette” are just two examples of how marijuana has started to seep into TV and pop culture. As people’s opinions change about the drug, the better chance these new kind of voices have of being heard — and the more open minds will become.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

While you might be having a nice night with your partner or enjoying a full pint of ice cream by yourself, our opinion writers both single and taken have been contemplating the relatively new frontier of the dating market: dating apps. From Tinder, to Grindr, to OkCupid and beyond, there are any number of ways to meet the person of your dreams (or nightmares) with little more help than your phone’s front-facing camera and your typing thumbs —

and our writers have things to say about all of them. For this issue, we decided to grant anonymity to columnists if they asked for it so they could feel free to discuss their dating experiences without revealing personal information about themselves or their dates. The data for the graphs for this page are taken from your responses on our Twitter and Instagram pages.

Which dating app do you like better?

What’s your opinion on dating apps? 22% Thought they were fun

3% OkCupid

21% Other 54% Tinder

78% Do not like them

22% Bumble

Dating app Hater offers users new way to match 40 percent of Americans use dating apps, and 20 percent of current, lasting relationships started with an online encounter. In the college dating scene, dating apps are of everincreasing importance, and in the world of Tinder clones some apps struggle to stand out among the rest. Hayden Hater is a dat ing app t hat was Blakeney released last Februar y. It mimics Third-year history ot her dat ing apps in t he t y pical student “sw ipe lef t /right” format w it h a location feature. Like Tinder, it’s designed to help you ﬁnd a hookup or a long-term partner. However, Hater’s distinct feature is its “love or hate” tab, where users can swipe in four directions

on different topics or ideas, ranging from hairstyles to types of dogs to winking. The app retains the information and builds a proﬁle for you based on your responses and matches you to others on a percentage system. W hat are the implications of this? For one, instead of just an individually filled out quiz like eHarmony or a short bio like Tinder, Hater continually builds up your proﬁ le with likes and dislikes. This means that instead of creating, and maybe altering, a persona online, users have to answer relatable questions before coming into contact with others. The similarity between their responses and yours appears as a percentage below their name. Relatability is Hater’s strong suit. All of the

Farmers Only: real people, real farmers A re you a good oldfash ioned country boy or girl tired of g et t i n g bu r ned b y t h e s e c it y folk? Do Jared you wa nt Bailey Second-year to make English and sure you political science never spend student another Valentine’s Day without t h at dow n home t a l l dr i n k of water you de ser ve? O r a re you , like me, single and just looking for anything to distract you from all the photos of happy couples on your Instagram feed? If you answered yes to any of those questions — but especially the last one — look no further than FarmersOnly.com! As soon as you log in to the website, you can tell it’s authentic — only someone thoroughly fed up with all the trappings of fancy city folk could design a modern dating website that looks about as soph ist icated as an u nof f ic i a l St a r Wa r s Fa n C lu b c h at r o o m optimized for Windows 2000. Instantly you are immersed in a fascinating environment aw k w a rd l y t r y i n g t o ju x t ap o se t r ad it ion a l Americana with modern hookup culture — one of the T-shirts in their gif t shop prominent ly features a pick-up truck

with the caption “Your bed or mine?” The site is perfectly tailored for people who only recently discovered both dating a nd t he i nt e r ne t . It s FAQ page answers such bu r n i ng que st ion s a s “I’m a woman ... Isn’t it inappropriate to send a f lirt?,” “What is your v iew on catf ish?,” and “ D o e s Fa r m e r s O n l y conduct criminal background checks?” – don’t worry, they don’t! The profiles need to be seen to be believed. With fewer words than y o u r a v e r a g e Tw e e t , these users are able to ma ke you feel t h i ng s e ve n t he g re at p o e t s never could. Some offer unique and potent imager y. For example, “I’m a cou nt r y g irl at heart seeking a man who I can sow my seeds with.” Brilliant. Others leave you w it h many follow up questions. Take for i nst a nce t h is gem: “I grew up in a house full of guys. I know my way a rou nd a m a n pret t y good. I have 5 brothers and they all say im the best rider in redwood cou nt y!” Wordsm it hs like t hese could bring whole nations to their knees, but, fortunately for the rest of us, they’re willing to settle for just farmers. Many of the accounts look fake — though the romantic in me wants to believe that there really are girls out there who

love mudding, shooting g u n s a nd t e l l i n g m e t hat t hey “t h in k [my] t ractor is sex y.” In all s e r io u s ne s s , t ho u g h , t he r e d o s e e m t o b e some genuine and sweet people looking for love on the website. In fact, s o me of t he a c c ou nt bios for elderly widows/ widowers were extremely t o u c h i n g . H o w e v e r, re a l i s t ic a l l y, mo s t of the people on this site a re probably people l i ke me w it h not h i ng better to do who enjoy the opportunity to mess with strangers and feel a little clever. I s a y f e e l c le v e r, because, geniuses as we were, it only took me and my research partner ﬁve minutes to get conned. Long stor y shor t: my r e s e a r c h p a r t ner g ot c at f i s he d b y a s e e d y gener ic a lter nat ive farmer dating site and ended up entering her credit card number and getting charged $50 for a t hree day “$1 trial.” Good times. Fo r b e t t e r o r f o r w o r s e , Fa r m e r s O n l y t r u ly embodies it s (completely real) slogan “You don’t have to be lonel y …” T here a re definitely worse places you could be spending your t ime, and it sure beats sitting on Facebook and stalking your ex. It’s a mixed bag for sure, but give it a shot! You might ju st f i nd someone to “sow [your] seeds with.”

“hate or not hate” questions are mundane, and I think this makes them more personal. It’s easy on Tinder or anywhere else to be tempted to put up a front or try to be something you are not. Statistics show that more than half of people on apps have proﬁ les that are less than honest in reﬂection of reality. A nswering questions on an app that would normally only come up in a dorm room at 3 a.m. seems more genuine than posting year-old photos and opens both users to an avenue of mutual understanding and conversation. Overall, I think Hater has a strong concept. Taking Tinder’s model seems almost cliché in the market of dating apps, but the twist Hater puts on the formula is unique and adds to the platform.

Asexual perspective on using dating apps My experience using dating apps and websites as an individual on the asexual spectrum has been very difficult and isolating at times. I have never felt comfortable using Tinder, as it has a reputation for being a “hook-up” app. Being somewhere between sex-averse and sex-indifferent, I am not prepared to receive the sexually explicit messages I heard my friends say they have received on the app. I have used OkCupid a few times before when I was single. However, the response was not much better. I am very open on my profiles about my asexuality, to make it clear what I am interested in and to hopefully avoid sexually explicit messages. I either get people who still message inappropriate things (clearly not reading the profile), or who say things along the lines of, “Good luck finding a person who can put up with you and your problems.” I n add it ion , you f i nd t he people who think that you have just a mental condition that can be “cured” or you just haven’t

been with the right person. The two times I met people for casual dates from OkCupid ended up in awkward conversations about what I was OK with physically and what I wasn’t OK with. There weren’t any questions to further get to know me and my personality or what my interests were. It just seemed t hat my lack of sex ual attraction and interest in sexual activity, in my case, was the only thing that really mattered. I have tried some asexual dating sites, and I have met some really cool people on there, with whom I enjoy talking. However, these sites are very small communities, with many accounts no longer active, or the individuals I connect with the most live in other countries and on other continents. It makes forming a companionship-type relationship very difﬁcult. I am currently in a very positive, healthy relationship; however, if something did ever happen, I would probably never turn to dating sites/apps again.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR REQUIREMENTS

Letters to the editor must not exceed 300 words. Students must include their full name, major and year. Faculty and staff must include their full name, position and department. Community members must include their full name and applicable job title. Verifiable statements of fact must include at least one source; if we cannot verify a statement of fact, your letter will

not be published until the writer implements necessary changes or provides reputable sources for any facts in question. Letters are edited for clarity, style and grammar. Email submissions to opinion@dailygamecock.com or mail them to The Daily Gamecock 1400 Greene Street Columbia, SC 29225

Thursday, February 15, 2018

HOUSING

TRAVEL BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK $189 for 5-Days. All prices include: Round-trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of ten resorts. Appalachia Travel. www.BahamaSun.com 800867-5018

Charming 2 br 1.5 bath duplex townhouse Hardwood ďŹ&#x201A;oors Energy eďŹ&#x192;cient / Water included Pets ok Call JeďŹ&#x20AC; 8032389185

Charming 3 BR 2 BA Hardwood ďŹ&#x201A;oors Walk in closets W/D connections/DW Newer Construction Energy EďŹ&#x192;cient Email massagebydebby@gmail.com

PHD â&#x20AC;˘ JORGE CHAM

HOROSCOPES

Aries

Begin a transformative ph a s e i n f r iend s h ip, s o c i a l net work s a nd c o m m u n it y, w it h this New Moon Solar Eclipse. Take a group endeavor to new heights.

Taurus

Complete old projects and begin a new professional phase, with this New Moon Eclipse i n A q u a r iu s . A c c ept new responsibilities as you prepare your next endeavor.

Gemini

Open a new door for educat ion, t ravels and exploration, w it h t h is Aqua r iu s Eclipse. Discover new possibilities. Study with a master.

Cancer

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 DĂa de San ValentĂn flowers &DOLIRUQLDÂˇV __ Gabriel Mountains 9 Construction rod 14 Remove from the bulletin board 15 Blood type letters 16 Like 36 piano keys, traditionally 17 Lewis with 12 Emmys Â´7KDW Âś V Showâ&#x20AC;? exchange student whose QDWLRQDOLW\ LVQÂˇW revealed 19 Lessen %HHU KDOO snacks 23 Surf and turf, say 24 NASA vehicle 25 Tempe sch. 28 Time for action 'HOL VQDFNV 33 Actress Neuwirth with Tonys and Emmys 34 Slim craft %DNHU\ VQDFNV 41 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tempt not a desperate manâ&#x20AC;? speaker 42 Pretty good 'LQHU VQDFNV 46 California wine valley )DYRULWH 51 One of three rhyming mos. 52 Pavement cloppers 54 Component of balanced health ... and what each answer to a starred clue looks like it should be part of? /RVH RQHÂˇV FRRO in a big way 0XUPXU 61 Lift with force 62 Car or tree feature

2/15/2018

A lucrative phase dawns u nder t h i s A qu a r iu s Ne w Mo o n E c l ip s e . Find creat ive ways to grow your familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nest egg. Launch a proďŹ table initiative together.

Leo

Collaborat ion blo om s a ne w. B eg i n a new d irect ion i n partnership under this Aquarius Solar Eclipse. Support each ot her t h rough cha nges or transformations. Start another chapter.

Virgo

Embrace healthy lifestyle practices with this New Moon Eclipse. Nurture yourself before caring for others. New energy ďŹ&#x201A;oods your work, health and vitality.

Libra

This New Moon Eclipse i n Aqua r iu s spa rk s a family, fun and passion phase. A roma nt ic relationship transforms. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all for love and love for all.

Scorpio

A new domestic phase arises with this Aquarius S ol a r E c l ip s e. Wr ap your love around home a n d f a m i l y. C r e a t e somet hing wonderf ul together.

Sagittarius

M i r ac le s a nd bre a k t h r ou gh s a r i s e in conversation under t h is Aqua r ius New Moon Eclipse. Adapt communications t o a ne w s t o r y. Sh a re g r at it ude a nd appreciation.

Capricorn

Surpass old limitations a nd ba r r ier s i n you r relationship with money, w it h t h is Eclipse. Step into new levels of prosperity. Begin a new six-month phase.

Aquarius

A new personal phase daw ns wit h t his New Moon Solar Eclipse in your sign. Take charge. Develop your talents, capacities and skills to new levels.

Pisces

Insights, breakthroughs and revelations sparkle u nder t h i s A qu a r iu s Ne w Mo o n E c l ip s e . D i s c o v e r s o me t h i n g about the past. Begin a new ph i losoph ica l, spirit ual and mindf ul phase.

63 Tote )LOP ZLWK ORWV RI shooting stars? 65 Ships 66 Stat for Clayton Kershaw )OH[LEOH )O\HUV e.g. DOWN 1 Blitzed, in football 2 In stock 3 Peloponnesian War victor 4 Put on the line? 5 Wading bird 6 No-risk 7 Help with an inside job, say 8 Gas pump part 9 Genuine article )ORZV RXW )HDWKHU\ ZUDS 12 House pest 13 Bread with caraway seeds 21 Insurgent 22 Charged fish? 25 Indigenous Japanese 26 Notice 27 Multi-tools have many 2OG KRRSV RUJ 31 Board 32 Solo with a Wookiee co-pilot 33 Nowheresville,

2/15/18

1 2 3 4 with â&#x20AC;&#x153;theâ&#x20AC;? 35 Cut closely 36 Sharpen 37 Skip over 38 Board bigwig 39 Heart test letters %URWK WKDWÂˇV WKH base of miso soup 44 Cath. or Prot. 45 Christmas eave decor 46 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The agreement is offâ&#x20AC;? 47 Take wing 48 Rather put out 49 Starlike flowers )LJXUH HLJKW steps, in an Argentine tango 54 Posterior

55 Acidic 56 Draped garment )*ÂˇV WKUHH 58 Exist 59 Many a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Call the Midwifeâ&#x20AC;? character Solutions to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s puzzle

Thursday, February 15, 2018

O T E M O C WEL

Victoria Ric

a Ric ia torrria cto Vic

hman

n an ma hm

Sara Yang

Victoria Ric

hman

THE

A R E N O T S G N I K

Claudia Chakamian @C_CHAKAMIAN

New head baseball coach Mark Kingston stands on the mound, s u r rou nde d b y h i s t e a m , a s spring scrimmages wrap up. The anticipation that has been building up over the past seven months is almost here, and he knows the next time his team meets like this will be for Opening Day. “I’m anxious, these k ids are anxious to get out there, we’re all anxious to show all the work that’s been put in over the last seven months,” Kingston said during the final week of scrimmages.

“We’re a week away now but we’re probably even more anxious to get out there and get on the field as a group.” Kingston was hired by athletic director Ray Tanner in June, and he started putting the work in right away. Between a stock of new arms and plentiful options to fill the infield, the Gamecocks have been busy making all of the pieces work. “I just think right now, my hope is that we’re a complete team,” K ingston said. “That on most days we pitch well, we hit well, we play good defense. I want to be a

well-rounded team and I think we have the chance to do that.” K ingston has been satisf ied with the overall work his group has put in during spring practices. To start t he f inal weekend of scrimmages, Kingston was very pleased with his team’s effort and feels conf ident that they have become the well-rounded team that he wants them to be. Kingston is entering a baseball communit y t hat is passionate about their team. He recognizes how important having a successful program is to this community but is ready for the pressure that he

may face. “We wa nt to w i n at a ver y h igh level, a nd when you do that here the support you have is unbelievable,” Kingston said. “They have high expectations and that’s OK, we do too.” W it h bot h fa l l a nd spr i ng scrimmages open to the public, fans have been able to get an early look at the team and meet the new head coach. From just what he’s seen and who he’s met so far, K ingston feels an even deeper connection to why he decided to

Thursday, February 15, 2018

KINGSTONPAGE9 call Carolina home. “Well it’s clear that there’s a passion for baseball here and that’s one of the big reasons why I wanted to come here, why I want t his to be my last stop in college baseball,” K ingston said. “They have the same passion for the game that I do, that my staff does. I’ve dedicated my whole life to this sport and it’s great to be in a community they have the same passion.” Kingston has faced many challenges and made many dec ision s si nce pr ac t ice s started but feels he has handled the pressure well. Coming into this environment can be tough, but with the support of the fans and team, he feels like they are ready for this weekend. “As a coach, you make sure you’re on top of everything,” K ingston said. “I wouldn’t say anything concerns me at this point, we just want to make sure we stay on top of the things that are important. And that’s how you prepare, it ’s t he m t a k i n g c a r e of themselves from a nutrition st a ndp oi nt , f rom a sleep standpoint.” A s K i ng ston wa l k s of f the field to wrap up spring scrimmages, he feels ready for whatever is thrown the team’s way. He’s worked with the

File Photo: Valencia Abraham / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Athletic Director Ray Tanner hired Mark Kingston in late June after relieving Chad Holbrook of his duties earlier in the month. team, figured out a rotation, played with different lineup possibilities and can see the excitement building from the Gamecocks.

As he looks at the field from the dugout, that anticipation continues. The next time he stands t here, sport ing his garnet and black, Founders

Pa rk w i l l b e f i l le d w it h thousands of fans ready for baseball. And as Adam Hill takes the mound under the lights, fans will hopefully get

what they’ve been waiting for and get back to t hose winning ways, as the Mark Kingston era will be officially underway.

Mid-year enrollee John Gilreath ready to prove himself in pen Shelby Beckler @SBECKLER13

Sara Yang / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Pitching coach Skylar Meade comes to South Carolina after three years with the Michigan State Spartans.

New pitching coach Skylar Meade working with young pitching staff Shelby Beckler @SBECKLER13

The new face of South Carolina’s pitching staff has left his mark on the team in a short period of time. Skylar Meade came to the Gamecocks with hopes to establish strong relationships with the players as they grow and develop throughout their collegiate pitching career. There has been nothing but positivity and gratitude from the rest of the coaching staff towards Meade. Head coach Mark Kingston is satisfied with the hiring of their new pitching coach, despite the loss of former pitching coach Jerry Meyers. Meyers took a leave of absence from the team due to a medical issue. In his latest press conference, K ingston acknowledged that even though Meyers would always be a part of South Carolina baseball, he expects Meade to be a great addition. “If we had to replace him I think Sk ylar Meade has been t he absolute perfect f it,” Kingston said. Since Meade arrived, he has been focused on player development. He wants to make sure they’ve got the stamina to fi nish strong in tight games and secure wins. Despite losing their dominate closer Tyler Johnson to the 2017 MLB Draft, Meade has worked hard to build up his current crew, and Kingston has noticed the difference.

“When a guys is out there on the mound, he needs to walk out there like he’s expecting to dominate,” Kingston said, “and I know that Coach Meade will take care of that.” The reception from the pitching staff has also been posit ive. One of Meade’s goals when coming to South Carolina was to adapt to the system and adjust his coaching st yle accordingly. According to Kingston, there has not been a problem with the Meade adjusting to the program. “It’s been great. Our pitchers love him,” said Kingston. Experts praised the amount of talent that Meade will bring to South Carolina pitching following his hire. Meade comes to the Gamecocks after three seasons at Michigan State as pitching coach, where the Spartans had the Big Ten’s best ERA in 2016. He hopes to bring that same style and success to the mound at Founders Park with a very young pitching staff. If he is able to reach all levels of pitchers through coaching in new lively way, Kingston believes that Meade will help this year’s team to meet the program’s high standards. “He brings so much to the table for us,” K ingston said. “He’s young, he’s energetic, he’s a student of the game, he’s on top of every modern technology to help our guys and our team.”

Freshman pitcher John Gilreath is eager to bring much needed a nswers t o S o u t h C a r o l i n a’s preseason. I n t he eyes of t he 5 - f o o t-11 R o c k H i l l nat ive, committ ing to the Gamecocks was an o p p o r t u n it y t h a t h e could not pass up, even when he had to begin t he journey sooner than anticipated. That mea nt h i m g iv i ng up h is sen ior baseball season at Northwestern High School. The Northwestern Trojans are entering the 2018 s e a s o n a s s t at e champions, but Gilreath felt ready to leave and of f icially become a Gamecock. Sout h Carolina is f illed w it h new, f resh ar ms af ter losing t wo starters and some main bullpen players, so there was an evident need for someone to step up. Gilreath did just that. “ G i l r e at h i s g o i n g to get t he ball,” head coach Mark K ingston said about how much he plans to use his pitcher. “Gi l reat h has come in and done ver y well. H is fastba l l has been up to 90. He’s got good command. He’s got good mound presence.” K i n g s t o n ack nowledges t hat adding Gilreath’s name to the roster was not a coi ncidence. Towards the end of spring scr im mages, he was able to prove himself. Not only is his ability to pitch hard competition to match, but his particulars give him an earned advantage. Gilreath is one of six left-handed pitchers on the team, which will give

him some an advantage when it comes to playing time and coming in to f a c e c e r t a i n b at t e r s . According to Kingston, t he f re s h m a n s hou ld not be concerned about sitting on the bench. “We’re not going to be afraid to use him,” K i ng ston s a id. “ He’s earned the right to get the ball for us with some very good outings.” T he a n nou ncement i n Oc tober about h is early enrollment was a shock to many because committ ing t his early is not com mon in t he spor t. Gilreat h is t he second baseball player to enroll early to South Carolina. T h is g ave G i l reat h more t ime to g row as a leader a nd to prove h i m s el f o n t h i s ver y new team. Seeing that playing time this spring and getting to jump-start h is G a mecock c a reer has been something he’s looked for ward to. He is beginning to feel the pressure of competing for a spot , but i n t he e nd he j u s t w a nt s t o take South Carolina to a place it hasn’t seen in a while. With anticipation for Gilreath high, it’s clear why he’s in Columbia a semester early. “The reason why we allowed him to come early is because we t hou ght he c ou ld help. He may be even a little better than we anticipated,” K ingston said as spring practices wrapped up. Although handing the ba l l to a f resh ma n i n pressure situations could be a bit of a challenge, bot h K ingston and pitching coach Sk ylar Meade feel ready t hat Gi l reat h w i l l step up when they need him to.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

12 Thursday, February 15, 2018

Veteran Adam Hill anchors opening weekend rotation Claudia Chakamian @C_CHAKAMIAN

With the departures of pitchers Clarke Schmidt and Wil Crowe to the 2017 MLB Draft, the weekend rotation has been the biggest question on everyone’s mind entering Opening Weekend. As scrimmages have wrapped up and baseball season is finally here, there is clarity as to who will get the ball for the first weekend. Junior Adam Hill will get his fi rst shot at being the Friday night starter. Hill started his Gamecock career as a middle of the week starter, but worked his way into the rotation a few weeks into his freshman year. He took the mound on Sundays for his first two years, but feels ready to take over under the lights. “I’m just going out there going to pitch, I mean, it’s just a different day,” Hill said. “People say it’s different, but wherever I’m pitching for us I’m going to go out there and give it my all and just do what I’ve been doing, just try to throw strikes and get

ahead of hitters and get some outs for us.” During his sophomore year, Hill lowered his ERA down to a 3.04 over 14 starts, allowing 29 runs on 56 hits. He walked 39 batters but struck out 87 batters during the 77 innings he pitched. Hill will hand the ball off to sophomore Cody Morris for the Saturday start. Morris saw playing time during his freshman year, primarily during midweek games, as he is one of the more consistent newcomers on the team. Morris finished the season with a 3.66 ERA across 10 starts. He gave up 19 runs on 27 hits over 39.1 innings of work, while walking eight and striking out 47. Morris was originally looked at as a potential closer, but worked hard enough during the offseason to earn a rotation spot. “Morris needs to look at himself like a dominator because that’s how we’re going to make sure he feels about himself” head coach Mark Kingston said. “He has the stuff to be an elite Saturday guy.” Morris made one weekend start last season, getting

the ball for the Sunday game against Tennessee. He allowed just one run on three hits and struck out four in the Gamecocks win. That brief start and the work he’s done during the preseason has given Kingston and the rest of the coaching staff the belief that he will shine in the rotation. The Gamecocks went with freshman R idge Chapman for this Sunday’s start against VMI. This will be Chapman’s first go-around for the Gamecocks, as he’s a junior college transfer from Spartanburg Methodist College. He had a 2.84 ERA with 98 strikeouts during his sophomore season there. He’s shown ability and strong command on the mound that ultimately led Kingston to the decision, as he earlier said it was between him and freshman Logan Chapman for the final rotation spot. Although this rotation is much different than what the Gamecocks have seen in the past few years, the pitchers feel confident and are ready to take the mound this weekend.

Victoria Richman / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Sara Yang / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Closing time: Gamecocks fill bullpen void Shelby Beckler @SBECKLER13

As the new pitching coach, Skylar Meade has not only had to fill the starting rotation spots, but also test out the arms in the bullpen. Another big loss last season to the MLB Draft was Tyler Johnson. Johnson was a powerful closer for the Gamecocks, who will always be remembered for his magical performance in 2016. In a winner moves on regional game at home, Johnson got the start and pitched his first complete game of his career that advanced the Gamecocks to the Super Regionals. W h ile Meade a nd head coach Mark Kingston may not have found anyone with that pitching caliber during preseason, they have been able to pinpoint some players who will be able to start to fi ll that void. Wit h such a you ng bullpen, t he process has not been easy for South Carolina. Junior Eddy Demurias is a player that Kingston has had on his mind while struggling to fi nd a player to fulfi ll Johnson’s shoes. “Much like our starters, t hat’s to be determined,” Kingston said. “W hen you don’t ret urn g uys in roles, then you have to put them in those situations to see who handles it best. Eddy Demurias is obviously one of the guys we’ll look at there.” In addition to Demurias, Ridge Chapman and Logan Chapman are players that Kingston also has his eye on to secure the position. While K ingston named Ridge Chapman to start on Sunday, he’ll also look to Sawyer Bridges to fi ll the bullpen. “Bridges is a guy we will look at

t here so far he has looked really good,” Kingston said. “He may have the stuff and the makeup to be a guy that can be looked at. We’ll have options, it’s just a matter of who is the best option and that is what the next three weeks is for is to try and figure it out.” D e s pit e t he s c r i m m a g e s a nd inner squads, K ingston makes it clear that you never are exactly sure until the lights are turned on and fans are cheering to get a whole new perspective and look.

“You can have a closer that has great stuff,” Kingston said. “If he’s not a competitor, if he doesn’t love the ball in the ninth inning with 10,000 fans, maybe he’s not a closure type.” The act of select ing t he right players for this spot is crucial and will not come overnight for Kingston and his staff. T he pressu re is on for Sout h Carolina to find what players are going to step up and execute fully for this season. Kingston addresses

how their cannot be any room for an opponent to capitalize on mistakes and win the game. He is already awa re of t he potent ia l t hat key players have, but the staff will have to figure out which guys will throw the most strikes, the most quality strikes and minimize free passes. “Our job is to continue to evaluate where guys are and at the end of the day figure out how the pieces of the puzzle fit together,” Kingston said. “We can go into it with an idea, but then evaluate as we go.”

Sara Yang / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Freshman right-hand pitcher Logan Chapman has impressed the coaching staff during fall and preseason scrimmages.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

2/16 - 2/18

vs. VMI

3/29 - 3/31

vs. Tennessee 4/20 - 4/22

3/9 - 3/11

vs. LSU

vs. Princeton

5/4 - 5/6

3/16 - 3/18

vs. Ole Miss

vs. Florida

Gamecocks ready for tough slate Victoria Richman / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Jackson Gates @JAXBGATES

As per usual, the SEC is full of powerful teams that the Gamecocks will battle against for the second half of the season, but fi rst the team will start with a 10-game home stand. This season Gamecock baseball will face eight teams ranked in the preseason Top 25, and seven of those are fellow members of the SEC. These

teams include the reigning national champion and No.1 preseason-ranked Florida Gators as well as the 2017 runner-up and No. 16 preseason-ranked LSU Tigers. B e f or e t he G a me c o c k s r e ac h t h i s s t out conference schedule, they’ll face off against their bitter rival, the Clemson Tigers. This series starts March 2 at Founders Park, continues at neutral site Greenville and fi nishes March 4 in Clemson. Last year, the Gamecocks lost the series 2-1. No

game was decided by more than two runs, and the final outing went to the 11th inning. This year’s Clemson squad is led by fi rst basemen Seth Beer, who had 16 home runs in 2017 along with a batting average of .298 and 53 RBIs. This year’s tough SEC schedule k ick s of f March 16 with a three-game home series against preseason favorite Florida. The G ators are SEESCHEDULEPAGE14

14 Thursday, February 15, 2018

Three Gamecocks utilize Cape Cod experience to advance their skills for upcoming season Claudia Chakamian @C_CHAKAMIAN

Three Gamecocks entered a completely different territory this summer, leaving the heat and humidity of South Carolina for a much cooler environment in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to play against some of the best college baseball players in the country. Adam Hill, Jacob Olson and Carlos Cortes all saw time with the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer, getting the chance to advance their skills alongside some of the top players from around the country. The Cape Cod Baseball League consists of ten teams featuring college players from schools and conferences all over the country. Players who compete in the Cape often go on to get drafted the following year, using the skills they learned to help raise their draft stocks while back in school. Many Gamecocks have spent time there over past summers, but three players from the current team got the chance to play against the best. C o r t e s s p e nt t h e e nt i r e s u m m e r u p i n Massachusetts, playing 45 games for the YarmouthDennis Red Sox. He had 21 runs on 37 hits with five doubles, one triple and four homers, while driving in 21 runs. He was also named a 2017 CCBL AllStar, but received the honor by replacing the injured Olson. Cortes helped the defending champion Red Sox return to the playoffs, but they fell short of trying for another title. Cortes, who last collegiate season was looked at as one of the top freshman in the country, lived up to expectations but went through a slump during the Gamecock’s season. He tried too hard to get the big hits every at bat instead of just playing smart, but the hitting fi nally clicked again, and he began to break out of his slump. He went to the Cape to try to work on chasing those bad pitches and learned a lot from playing there couple with his struggles last season. “It was good, I got to be on my own, no coaches to pat me on the back,” Cortes said of playing for Yarmouth-Dennis. “It was a good experience. It made me more mature as a baseball player, as a man, to be ready at any time. And just kind of learning, struggling and then doing good and learning what I need to do, what I need to keep my body ready to play every day, because obviously we played every day.” Olson and Hill got to stay teammates on the Cape, as t hey bot h had brief st ints wit h t he Chatham Anglers. Hill played just three games for the Anglers but had a 2.76 ERA and struck out seven batters while walking four over 13 innings of work. Getting to pitch against some of the best players in the country gave Hill the chance to deal with pressure as he prepares to take the Friday night role for the Gamecocks. “There’s not much of a comparison, it’s about as

close to the SEC as you can get,” Hill said. “It’s the best from everywhere playing in one league. It was a great experience, I mean I enjoyed my time on the Cape. It really helped develop me as a pitcher because there’s no off hitters in the lineup ... so it really helped me grow and learn how to attack every hitter.” Olson played 23 games for Chatham over the summer, using his versatility to play all over the field. He hit .308 with 16 runs on 28 hits, plus 11 doubles and two home runs during his time. The strong display earned him a spot as a Cape Cod All-Star team, but he got injured before the game arrived. Getting to play on the Cape helped Olson tune up the things that he really wanted to improve on during the offseason. “It’s a new experience, you’re playing every day

so that’s something you don’t do here,” Olson said. “Up there with the competition, it’s the best of the best of the best. Every pitcher you see is someone who dominates college, so pitch selection was good for me and working on that because it was the best pitches I could see.” Olson had his ideas about what he wanted to improve on, but now he has an even more motivating factor behind him. Olson’s cousin recently passed away, and Olson is now ready to play every game in memory of him. These three players said they enjoyed their time on the Cape, and Olson and Hill especially enjoyed getting to play together. While they had the chance to improve their skills against the best, they hope they can use what they learned to lead South Carolina to a successful season.

Courtesy of Kerry Sheehan Delany

SCHEDULEPAGE13 looking to repeat this year with preseason A ll-A merican start ing pitchers Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar and A ll-A merican reliever M ichael By rne spearheading t he bullpen. Last year the Gamecocks lost their series in Gainesville 2-1 but held their own against the future champions. The Gamecocks will face a big challenge on April 3 in a neutral site game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are currently ranked No. 6. This game opens a tough

slate for the Gamecocks, and they don’t have t he best t rack record playing in this series. The Tar Heels defeated the Gamecocks 20-5 last year and 15- 0 t he year before at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte. First year head coach Mark Kingston is looking to turn this streak around. From there, the Gamecocks start a grueling eight-day stretch. They’ll play the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington, return home to play in-state foe The Citadel and then travel to Fayetteville to take on the No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks, who are predicted to win the SEC West. W hile the Gamecocks didn’t play

the Razorbacks in 2017, they became all too familiar with the Wildcats, losing the season series 3-1 and again in the SEC tournament. The SEC slate doesn’t get any easier from there. The Gamecocks return home to play the 2017 College World Series runner-up LSU Tigers. They then go to Nashville to play the perennial powerhouse Vanderbilt Commodores, who are currently ranked No. 14. The G amecock s split last year’s season series with Vanderbilt 2-2, including a win in the SEC Tournament, but they were eventually knocked out by LSU in a blowout loss. The G amecock s

will be eager to face both of these teams as the regular season begins to round out. The season ends with a mix of nonconference and conference games highlighted by a series with the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels at Founders Park. The last games of the regular season will be against a highly competitive No. 10 Texas A&M team in College Station. The G a mecock s have a lot to prove af ter falling short of high expectat ions last season, but t he tough slate that awaits them will m a ke for a n exc it i ng sea son at Founders Park and beyond.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Bradley Jr. ready for another MLB run Matthew Edwards

@MATT_EDWARDS32

As Opening Day is right around the corner for the Gamecocks, a few South Carolina players are getting their first shot at the big leagues, and former players used to this routine are starting to arrive at spring training for the upcoming MLB season. But Jackie Bradley Jr., who once donned a Gamecock jersey himself, may soon find himself with a different team. This offseason, his name has surfaced in trade rumors as the Boston Red Sox look to add powerful bats to a lineup that ranked last in total home runs out of all American League teams in 2017. However, it would be unwise for the Red Sox front office to trade Bradley Jr., as he brings a lot to the table. Gamecock fans are well aware of this talent. The South Carolina alumnus almost routinely makes sensational catches in the outfield at Fenway Park, similar to what he did at Founders Park, that make their way onto highlight reels on televisions and smartphones across the country. His speed on the base paths does not go unrecognized, and he figures to be a fixture in the Red Sox outfield for the upcoming campaign. Considering what he did during his college career for the Gamecocks, it probably does not surprise many South Carolina baseball fans that Bradley Jr. has put together a respectable career at the next level. In 2009, Bradley Jr. was a consensus 2009 freshman All-American by Baseball America and named to 2009 SEC AllFreshman Team. He regularly put together strong performances, including compiling four hits in six at-bats with three runs, three RBI and a home run in a 20-19 win over Kentucky. Later in his freshman season, Bradley Jr. was a key contributor in a 20-6 rout of College of Charleston in which he posted a career-high 5 hits to go along with three runs scored and a pair of RBI. Bradley Jr. did not take his foot off the gas pedal during his next season in garnet and black and made a name for himself in 2010. Ever since he delivered a pinch-hit single in his first at-bat of the year against East Carolina, the only direction he went was up. In the South Carolina Clemson series, he earned the Tom Price Award for MVP of the Gamecocks after going 6 for 12 with a home run, three runs scored and four RBI. Subsequently during the 2010 season, Bradley Jr. was named to NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team, SEC All-Defensive Team, earned second-team All-SEC honors, All-Tournament Team at College World Series and Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series. On top of playing on a South Carolina team that captured its first-ever national title, he also played for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. The following year, Jackie Bradley Jr.’s name was called at the MLB Draft when the Red Sox selected him 40th overall. Prior to that, in what would be his final season with the Gamecocks, he was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team. For good measure, he was also a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Perhaps a player as decorated as he was destined to reach the majors, and he accomplished that feat two years later when he made his major league debut for the Red Sox in 2013. However, as things stand in 2018, Bradley Jr’s chances of being on the Red Sox roster when Opening Day comes around on March 29 are cloudy. If Jackie Bradley Jr. does ultimately find himself part of a trade package from Boston to another franchise, Gamecock fans should know that he will continue the success that he started at South Carolina and continue to put the program on the map.

File photo: Sam Bennett / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Gamecocks use low rankings as motivation Joe McLean

@JOEMCLEAN97

After failing to make the NCAA Tournament last year, losing two starting pitchers and getting a new head coach, the Gamecocks have not received much attention entering the 2018 season. In the latest preseason rankings the Gamecocks were picked to fi nish fourth in their division, and they remain unranked in national preseason polls. In their lowest preseason conference ranking in four years, South Carolina received 50 points in the SEC preseason poll. The Gamecocks were picked to finish behind division foes Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, who received 91, 74 and 72 points, respectively. South Carolina was not ranked in Baseball America’s preseason Top 25 poll for just the third time in 10 years. D1Baseball also did not have the Gamecocks in their Top 25 rankings. This is unfamiliar territory for the Gamecock program, but this team is using this to motivate them on opening day. “ We k now what we have,” ju n ior pitcher Adam Hill said. “We don’t really listen to what everybody else has to say. We know what we are, as a team, and we’re just excited to get out here and show what we can do.” The Gamecocks aren’t focusing on rankings to show they’re still a strong team this year, despite their new look. Although there are a lot of new, moving parts, South Carolina still believes there is a lot of success to come this season. “We’re a team that you’re going to have to watch out for,” junior Jacob Olson said. “Our lineup, we all know each other, we’re so close and we all know what we can do. We got most of our position players returning, we got some new pitchers that can go, got some old pitchers that are coming back, so we just feel really good.” Despite not getting much team recognition nationally, one athlete has stood out. Sophomore I N F/OF Carlos Cortes was selected for t he preseason All-SEC Second team and is ready to exceed preseason expectations. Cortes, who started 43 games and scored 27 runs last season, did not have an ideal 2017 season, as he went into a slump and ended the season hitting .286. Still, he led the team with 12 home runs. On top of that, he also was named to the

Victoria Richman / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Sophomore Carlos Cortes was named preseason All-SEC Second team after a strong freshman campaign. SEC All-Freshman team, as well as the SEC AllTournament team in 2017. A lt h o u g h n o t g e t t i n g m u c h p r e s e a s o n recog nit ion can be disappoint ing, t he team believes they have no time to focus on that. The

Gamecocks are ready to let this motivate them to get back to where they, and all the fans, want to be: in Omaha for the College World Series come June.

16 Thursday, February 15, 2018

Kingston shuffling around crowded lineup Claudia Chakamian @C_CHAKAMIAN

One of the biggest issues during the preseason for new head coach Mark Kingston has been making all of the puzzle pieces fit for position players. The infield is stacked, but this poses the question of who’s playing where. And with the outfield is a little scarce, Kingston has had to see who’s going to fit best where overall. As far as the infield, the Gamecocks have a variety of players who could see playing time. While fans recognize the names of Madison Stokes, LT Tolbert and Jonah Bride filling the diamond, many newcomers to the team have been battling during the preseason to earn a spot. Freshman Jordan Holladay is one player that has stuck out in Kingston’s mind. “You earn what you get and you get what you earn, and he’s earned the opportunity to be considered our first baseman,” Kingston said of Holladay. “Starting on opening day. He hasn’t won it yet, by any stretch, but when you hit four homers in a short period of time and you play as hard as he does and he’s a very mature kid for a freshman, he’s going to be considered as our first baseman.” Kingston also mentioned during scrimmages that freshman Noah Campbell will be playing during opening weekend. “Campbell will be in our lineup somewhere,” Kingston said. “Whether it’s at second base, whether it’s as DH, a lot of that will be dominoes and where guys fit in based on who’s in the lineup. But, Campbell will be in the lineup.” Kingston has looked at Bride to be the starting third baseman once again, and Stokes will most likely start at shortstop this weekend. Both veterans were swinging the bat well during scrimmages and finding the right pitches to send balls over the fences. With their experience and leadership added into the young infield Kingston has projected, it should create balance throughout the lineup. The freshmen continued to give Kingston a hard time pinpointing a set infield though, as Mason Streater displayed talent at third. He helped play a solid defense during the spring that will make him a good backup to Bride, in case he needs a day off or gets injured. As far as the outfield, the Gamecocks have some options, but not as many as in the infield. During scrimmages, Kingston still wasn’t ready to name a

Sara Yang / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Senior infielder Madison Stokes going after a ground ball during a scrimmage, ready to start his final season. starting trio. Still, he feels confident in some of the players he has. “We feel good about all five guys out there,” Kingston said of his outfielders. “I think a couple guys have kinda distanced themselves from the pack a little bit. [TJ] Hopkins is an elite player, [Carlos] Cortes is an elite player, [ Jacob] Olson has played really well ... is a very good right fielder and can hit. So, there’s some guys obviously that probably have the lead on those positions.” The three players Kingston mentioned are all experienced as they each saw playing time last year, but Cortes and Olson give Kingston some versatility. Both of them have the ability to play some infield positions as well, so it gives Kingston the option to

play them somewhere else to still get them in the lineup but put someone else in the outfield. Kingston also has a few options for what he can do with catcher. Chris Cullen played the most last season behind the plate, but Hunter Taylor also has experience, coming in clutch in some big games both at catcher and in the box. The Gamecocks also have freshman Elijah Bowers, who Kingston mentioned will get some playing time when the other two need a break. While Kingston finishes shuff ling around his lineup card before Opening Day, he has plenty of options to play around with but hopes that what he puts together will fi nd the magic to succeed right away.

JONAH BRIDE

Jonah Bride ready to lead Gamecocks in final season Paige Hutchinson @SPHUTCH

.282 average 33 runs 12

doubles

5 home runs

Sara Yang / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Jonah Bride’s accomplishments in his prior seasons go far from unnoticed. As a junior college transfer, Bride has worked his way to the top of the totem poll at Founders Park. A s a freshman in 2015 at Neosho Count y Community College, Bride hit .471 along with a single-season school record of 96 hits with 14 home runs and 93 RBI. His RBI ranked third-highest in junior college. Taking his talents to the next level, Bride has shown all gas and no brakes during his years at South Carolina. He consistently displays his skills on the field, but his work ethic and dedication haven’t gone unnoticed. “He comes to t he park ever y day to work extremely hard. He’s extremely coachable,” head coach Mark K ingston said. “Some days you’d think he’s a freshman because he’s always trying to learn and ask questions, and to me that’s a great characteristic. He’s one of the rocks of our team.” Bride proved himself on the field last season, starting in all 60 games at third base, holding a .371 on-base percentage and leading the team with 12 doubles. While he repeatedly found the pitches at the plate last year to help the Gamecocks, that’s not his only contribution, and Bride has been working all offseason to be ready for 2018. “With Coach Kingston he wants me try to hit the ball around for a little more power this year so I’m going to try to be more aggressive at the plate and just be a good teammate and try to be a team leader as well,” Bride said. Looking at Bride’s performance last season and during the fall semester, Kingston feels confident about his star player’s abilities, both offensively and defensively. As Bride is one of few seniors on the team, Kingston is ready for him to have another strong season and help lead the team back to where they want to be. “Jonah Bride w ill be our t hird baseman,” Kingston said. “He’ll hit in the middle of the order. He is a calm but motivated presence for our players … I think he’s probably the best defensive third basemen in our league.” As a player entering his fi nal collegiate season, as well as one who has seen a multitude of different coaching styles, Bride feels ready to take on this year with Kingston. While the team faces the pressure of returning to the postseason, Bride believes in the South Carolina team and coaching staff. “Coach Kingston, from day one, along with the rest of his staff, have been super encouraging for us,” Bride said. “The work, the work ethic he wants to instill in all of his players, it’s been awesome.” While this season may be unpredictable, Bride is just ready to go out there for one fi nal go. “ We’re ver y excited, a nd as I sa id, we’re prepared,” Bride said. “Opening day is very, very soon, and that’s super exciting.”