COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team closes out the 2022 regular season with a three-game series at Florida. The series starts Thursday night (May 19) at 7 p.m. and continues Friday night (May 20) at 7 p.m. The three-game set concludes Saturday afternoon (May 21) at 2 p.m. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus. All games also will be broadcast on the Gamecock Sports Network with Derek Scott and Tommy Moody on the call. The Gamecocks are coming off an 8-3 loss to Charlotte on Tuesday night at Founders Park. Matthew Becker threw four no-hit innings in a start while Talmadge LeCroy had a pair of hits.

SCOUTING FLORIDA
The Gators are coming off a 7-5 win over Florida State in Gainesville on Tuesday night. Sterlin Thompson hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. The Gators, winners of eight of their last 10 games, are led offensively by Wyatt Langford’s .365 batting average and 19 home runs. Jud Fabian also has 19 home runs and 48 RBI. On the mound, Brandon Sproat is 7-4 with a 3.97 ERA and 66 strikeouts.

SERIES VS. FLORIDA
Carolina holds a 50-48 series advantage on Florida heading into the weekend series. The Gamecocks swept the Gators in Columbia last season, highlighted by a 9-8, 14-inning win on Friday night as Colin Burgess doubled in the winning run two batters after Andrew Eyster tied the game with a home run. The last time the two teams met in Gainesville was in 2019, with Florida winning 2-of-3 games.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Thursday
South Carolina Brett Thomas (Jr. RHP) 1-1, 5.85 ERA, 20.0 IP, 14 BB, 20 SO
Florida Brandon Sproat (So. RHP) 7-4, 3.97 ERA, 68.0 IP, 27 BB, 66 SO
 
Friday
South Carolina Noah Hall (Jr. RHP) 3-4, 4.40 ERA, 73.2 IP, 29 BB, 74 SO
Florida Brandon Neely (Fr. RHP) 2-1, 3.86 ERA, 49.0 IP, 15 BB, 54 SO
 
Saturday
South Carolina Will Sanders (So. RHP) 7-3 , 3.76 ERA, 81.1 IP, 26 BB, 78 SO
Florida Nick Pogue (R-So. RHP) 3-2, 4.70 ERA, 23.0 IP, 9 BB, 21 K
 
SEC TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
Carolina needs one win at Florida or a Mississippi State loss to Tennessee to qualify for the 2022 SEC Tournament. The Gamecocks are currently the 10th seed if the season ended today. Carolina is one game behind Florida and Ole Miss and two games back of Vanderbilt, LSU and Georgia going into the final three games of the regular season.

HALL NAMED SEC CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Noah Hall was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced on May 16. Hall earns his second SEC Pitcher of the Week honor this season. He also was named Co-Pitcher of the Week after his performance against Alabama on May 2. Hall helped Carolina to its first SEC shutout of 2022 as he pitched a career high eight innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight in a 7-0 win over Kentucky. He allowed just three base runners to reach second base in his eight innings while he ended the third, fifth, sixth and eighth innings with strikeouts. Hall lowered his ERA to 4.40 and his conference ERA to 3.19 with the win.