Baseball Hosts Mississippi State This Weekend

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team hosts Mississippi State this weekend at Founders Park. The series starts on Friday, May 7 with a 7 p.m. first pitch. The series continues Saturday, May 8 at 4 p.m. and concludes Sunday, May 9 at 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus. Sunday’s game will be televised on SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Todd Walker on the call. Every Gamecock contest will be on the Gamecock Radio Network with Derek Scott and Tommy Moody on the call. Carolina is coming off a 7-6 win over North Florida on Wednesday afternoon. George Callil gave the Gamecocks the lead with a two-run single in the seventh. Mag Cotto earned the win on the mound and Julian Bosnic picked up his second save of the season.

PARKING INFORMATION
For the 2021 season, there will not be shuttles from either the Key Road Gravel Lot or the Colonial Life Arena parking lot. There will be passes at lot 1 available for $10 apiece.
 
Parking Lot Openings
7 p.m. Games – Gates open at 6 p.m., all lots open at 5:30 p.m.
4 p.m. Games – Gates open at 3 p.m., all lots open at 2:30 p.m.
2 p.m. Games – Gates open at 1 p.m., all lots open at 12:30 p.m.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Brannon Jordan (Sr. RHP) 4-3, 3.42 ERA, 37 BB, 80 SO
Mississippi State Christian MacLeod (So., LHP) 3-3, 3.49 ERA, 18 BB, 73 SO
 
Saturday
South Carolina Will Sanders (Fr. RHP) 6-2, 3.38 ERA, 8 BB, 45 SO
Mississippi State Will Bednar (Jr., RHP) 4-1, 3.14 ERA, 12 BB, 67 SO
 
Sunday
South Carolina Thomas Farr (R-Jr. RHP) 2-5, 3.67 ERA, 31 BB, 74 SO
Mississippi State Jackson Fristoe (Fr., RHP) 3-3, 4.97 ERA, 27 BB, 61 SO
 
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
The Bulldogs defeated The Citadel, 10-2, on Wednesday night in Charleston. Brad Cumbest homered and drove in four runs while Lane Forsythe had three hits in the win. Mississippi State is led offensively by Tanner Allen, who is hitting .360 with seven home runs and 40 RBI. On the mound, Will Bednar is 4-1 with a 3.14 ERA and Landon Sims has 60 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched.

SERIES VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE
Carolina has a 39-35 lead in the all-time series over Mississippi State. The two teams last played at the end of the 2019 regular season. The Bulldogs won 2-of-3 games from the Gamecocks, with Carolina winning the series finale, 10-8. Andrew Eyster homered twice in that win while Brett Kerry went 6.1 innings, striking out four, to earn the win on the mound.
 
CALLIL COMES UP BIG VS. UNF
Senior George Callil belted a two-run single to center to give the Gamecocks a 7-6 lead in a win over North Florida on May 5. Callil now has 13 RBI on the season and is hitting .286 in his last five games.
 
KINGSTON, LEMONIS HAVE USA BASEBALL CONNECTIONS
The two head coaches in this weekend’s series — Mark Kingston and Chris Lemonis — both were a part of the 2019 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Kingston was an assistant coach while Lemonis was a consultant. MSU’s Tanner Allen also was on that squad that went to Japan and Taiwan to play.

WIMMER DOUBLES THE FUN
Sophomore Braylen Wimmer currently is tied for the SEC lead with 13 doubles. He doubled in Carolina’s 9-5 win over The Citadel on Tuesday night (April 27). Wimmer is hitting .284 on the season with eight home runs and 24 RBI.