Feb. 2, 2004

Columbia, S.C. –
Tickets are now available for the first “Battle of the Border” between the University of South Carolina and the University of North Carolina baseball teams. The game is scheduled for Wednesday, March 31 at 7:15 p.m. at Knights Stadium in Ft. Mill, S.C., home of the Charlotte Knights, Triple-A Affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Souh Carolina is ranked seventh in Baseball America’s Preseason Top 25 and picked to win the SEC Eastern Division, in the preseason SEC baseball coaches poll. In the 2003 season, the Gamecocks reached the College World Series for the second consecutive year, compiled a 45-22 overall record and won its fourth SEC Eastern Division title in the last five seasons. Over the past four years, the South Carolina baseball program is the second winningiest program in Division I baseball with a 207-70 record making four straight appearances in the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Super Regionals. USC has also won four of the last five SEC Eastern Division Titles and two of the last four SEC Championships.

South Carolina and North Carolina have met the last two years in postseason action with the Gamecocks eliminating the Tar Heels in the 2002 NCAA Regional and the 2003 NCAA Super Regional. Both teams incoming recruiting classes were ranked No. 1 in the 2003 Collegiate Baseball Recruiting Rankings. This is the first regular season game between the two schools since the 1988 season when the Gamecocks and Tar Heels played twice at Chapel Hill.

All tickets available for the game are general admission and are $8. Seating is available on a first come first serve basis. The Tar Heels will be the home team and in the third base dugout and the Gamecocks will be the visiting team and in the first base dugout. Tickets can be ordered by visiting the Charlotte Knights Box Office at Knights Stadium,
online at www.charlotteknights.com, or by calling (704) 36-HOMER.