USC Baseball Team Heads to Omaha

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — While the Gamecocks will be hitting the practice field in Omaha tomorrow morning, they didn’t leave Columbia without a proper Gamecock goodbye. The words, “Go Gamecocks,” echoed across the parking lot of Carolina stadium Thursday morning as fans of all ages showed up to watch the team leave for Omaha. Janice and John O’Cain brought their grandchildren to the event, and Janice says it was for good reason. “Because of the excitement in Columbia, we can be proud for the Gamecocks to go to Omaha and be National Champions,” says O’Cain. Deborah Johnson, brought a Gamecock Flag she received for Mother’s Day,with the words “2010 National Champions” on it with her to the event on Thursday. She tells us, she hopes the flag will help. “Maybe it will give them the extra umph to do it again,” says Johnson. The fans were not alone, the Gamecock send off would not be complete without, Cocky of course. South Carolina Head Baseball Coach, Ray Tanner was also on hand Thursday morning to thank them for all of their support. “You guys mean so much to us, there’s no doubt that there’s a lot that goes into having a successful program, but certainly we understand, the players and the coaches and I, understand that we are only as good as you are. And you guys are the best fans in the country,” says Tanner. One by one, the players walked to the bus through a sea of garnet and black with fans cheering. Some even stopped to sign autographs for their adoring fans before loading the bus. Meanwhile, Coach Tanner had just one more thing to say to the crowd. “We’ll do our very best, wil do everything we sincerely can. We’ll battle our rear-ends off to maybe once again, bring you back some hardware,” says Tanner. It’s words like those that make John O’Cain proud of the Gamecocks. “The coaching staff and the players and the attitude and spirit they have, I think it’s a great compliment to the state of South Carolina,” says O’Cain. The Gamecocks play Sunday at 7pm against Texax A&M. ABC Columbia’s Tim Hill will be in Omaha with the Gamecocks. Stay with ABC COLUMBIA NEWS for complete coverage.