Baseball Ends Homestand Tuesday Night vs. Gardner-Webb

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team ends its five-game homestand on Tuesday night (March 15), hosting Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m.  Tuesday’s game will be on SEC Network Plus with Dave Weinstein and Kip Bouknight on the call. All games also will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott and Tommy Moody on the call. The Gamecocks are coming off a series win over No. 1 Texas this past weekend, sweeping a doubleheader on Sunday. Matthew Becker struck out 11 batters in six innings pitched in the 9-4 nightcap win.
 
PARKING INFORMATION
Shuttle parking for the University of South Carolina baseball season will be operational at the Key Road Gravel Lot (1105 Key Road). Shuttle begins two (2) hours prior to first pitch and continues until 1 hour after the game.

For GPS purposes, the address for the Key Road Gravel Lot is 1105 Key Road, Columbia, SC 29201.

GAME DAY PARKING INFORMATION (including public game day lots (PGDL: $10/$5 per game). All gameday lots are cashless. Please have a debit card or credit card ready for payment upon entry into parking lots.

Weekdays
Game Time: 7 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 6:00 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 6 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 5 p.m.

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB
The Runnin’ Bulldogs are coming off a four-game sweep of Brown this past weekend. GWU walked off Brown on Friday with a 13-12, 10-inning win as Alec Burns brought home the winning run with a single. On the season, Curtis Robison has 10 doubles and 15 RBI in 18 games, while Bo Rusher has five extra-base hits and 10 RBI. On the mound, Joe Simeone has a pair of wins and 25 strikeouts in 22.2 innings pitched.

SERIES VS. GARDNER-WEBB
Carolina holds a 3-2 series lead on Gardner-Webb heading into Tuesday’s game. Last season, the Gamecocks won 9-4 on March 30 as Brady Allen and Wes Clarke each drove in three runs and Jack Mahoney struck out six in four innings to earn the win.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina Aidan Hunter (Fr. RHP) 2-2, 5.65 ERA, 14.1 IP, 9 BB, 18 SO
Gardner-Webb Jason L’Etoile (Fr. RHP) 0-0, 13.50 ERA, 4.2 IP, 2 BB, 5 SO
 
BELK, BECKER WIN WEEKLY SEC HONORS
Senior Brandt Belk and freshman Matthew Becker of the University of South Carolina baseball team have been named the Southeastern Conference Co-Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week, it was announced this afternoon (March 14) by the league office. Both players were integral in the Gamecocks’ series win over No. 1 Texas this past weekend. Belk helped the Gamecocks to a series win against No. 1 Texas with eight hits in the three-game series. He was 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and two runs scored in Saturday’s game, then had a pair of hits in each of the wins over the Longhorns. Belk scored seven runs on the week and had four extra base hits to go with four RBI. Becker made his first start as a Gamecock and excelled, allowing just one hit, a solo home run in the first, and striking out 11 in six innings to help Carolina earn a series win over the Longhorns. Becker had at least one strikeout in all six innings of work and only two Longhorns got past first base while he was on the mound.

GAMECOCKS BEST NO. 1 TEXAS
Carolina won both games of a doubleheader and secured a series win over No. 1 Texas on March 13, winning the opening game, 4-2, before taking the nightcap, 9-4. In the three-game series, the Gamecock bats hit .344 with a .417 on-base percentage. Brandt Belk led the team with eight hits while Braylen Wimmer was 6-for-11 with three RBI. Will Sanders and Matthew Becker had solid six-inning starts, with Becker striking out 11 in the second game of the double dip. Carolina won a series over a No. 1 team for the first time since April 15-17, 2011, when Carolina won two games against No. 1 Vanderbilt.

SEC LEADERS
Michael Braswell is sixth in the SEC with a .417 batting average. Braswell is fifth with 25 hits, is tied for sixth with 14 walks and is fifth with a .527 on-base percentage. Andrew Eyster is tied for sixth with 21 RBI and Braylen Wimmer is tied for fifth with five stolen bases. On the mound, Will Sanders is tied for third with 25 innings pitched. Braswell is tied for second with three saves.

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks open SEC play this weekend at No. 7 Tennessee. The series begins on Friday night (March 18) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s game will be televised on SEC Network with Jon Shiffrin and Chris Burke on the call.