USC Baseball Permanently Dismisses Two Stars

Nick Fuller and Lonnie Chisenhall, two of the South Carolina baseball team’s brightest stars, were permanently dismissed from the team today due to felony criminal charges of burglary and grand larceny pending against them in Richland County. Both men are currently incarcerated at Richland County’s jail, The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

Fuller has six warrants outstanding, three for burglary and three for grand larceny. Bond has been set for Fuller at $15,000.00. Fuller is a right-handed pitcher who was a third-round pick in the major league baseball draft last year, who spurned that offer to instead play for the Gamecocks. This season he has made six appearances, all in relief. In five innings of work, he did not allow a hit or run while walking seven and striking out seven.

Chisenhall has one count each of burglary and grand larceny pending against him. Bond for Chisenhall has been set at $5000.00. An outfielder and pitcher, he was picked by Baseball America to be the national freshman of the year. He had started in 19 straight games for the Gamecocks until missing yesterday‘s game against LSU, hitting .313 with one home run and 13 RBI. He started at pitcher in last Tuesday's game.

According to USC police incident reports, the charges stem from break-ins that occurred on the USC campus involving $3100 cash taken from USC assistant baseball coach Jim Toman's locker, and three Dell computers taken from the USC academic enrichment center. The arrest warrants also state that they took a flat-screen TV, a video game system and DVDs from a dorm room on March 13th.

The dismissal of the two players from the Gamecock baseball team was technically due to “a violation of athletic department policy.” South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner’s official statement was short and to the point: “This is a very unfortunate situation. Both of these young men come from outstanding families and I feel bad for their parents. It is inappropriate for me to make any other comments, as this case is now in the hands of the legal authorities, but they are no longer part of the Gamecock baseball program.”