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University of South Carolina alumni and fans are swelling with pride after the Gamecock baseball team defeated UCLA in the College World Series, earning the title of 2010 National Champions. The South Carolina Gamecocks sealed the championship with a thrilling 2-1 victory over UCLA in 11 innings at famed Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.
This is USC’s first national championship in baseball, and they have received a joyous welcome back to the Palmetto state with a public reception in the Colonial Center arena that was attended by 14,000 fans, a parade through downtown Columbia, and a USC flag flying above the dome atop SC Statehouse.
The Gamecock players and coaching staff are still trying to grasp the reality that they are national champions. “That just sounds amazing. Just to put the university on our backs like that and to give all the other sports hope that they can do this, you know, it’s an unbelievable feeling” said Whit Merrifield, who singled in the game-winning run for Carolina.
Jackie Bradley, Jr., was named the tournament’s Most Valued Player. “It’s amazing, we’re national champions now,” said Bradley. “I don’t have any words for it.”
One of the Gamecock players from the Upstate, catcher and team captain Kyle Enders said, “I dreamed of this when I was a little kid growing up and going to high school. I would watch the College World Series and to be standing here as national champions, I couldn’t ask for anything more.” Speaking directly to his Upstate fans, Enders said, “I appreciate all your support. I love you mom.”
