Baseball Faces Clemson in Annual In-State Series

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team faces Clemson in the annual series between the in-state rivals this weekend. The series starts Friday afternoon (Feb. 26) at 4 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, then moves to Fluor Field on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 27) for a 4 p.m. start. The series concludes Sunday afternoon (Feb. 28) at 1:30 p.m. at Founders Park.
         Friday’s game will be on ACC Network Extra with the final two games on SEC Network Plus. All three games will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott, Tommy Moody and Kip Bouknight on the call. Carolina is coming off a 12-4 win over Winthrop on Tuesday night (Feb. 23) where the Gamecocks belted seven home runs, three off the bat of Wes Clarke.
 
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
4 p.m. Games – Gates open at 3 p.m., all lots open at 2:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. Games – Gates open at 12:30 p.m., all lots open at noon
Noon Games – Gates open at 11 a.m., all lots open at 10:30 a.m. 

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Thomas Farr (R-Jr. RHP) 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 2 BB, 8 SO
Clemson Davis Sharpe (R-So. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 1 BB, 9 SO
Saturday
South Carolina Brannon Jordan (Sr. RHP) 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 4.0 IP, 4 BB, 4 SO
Clemson Mat Clark (Gr. LHP) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 0 BB, 6 SO
Sunday
South Carolina Julian Bosnic (R-So. LHP) 0-0, 2.70 ERA, 3.1 IP, 4 BB, 9 SO
Clemson Ty Olenchuk (Fr. RHP) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 0 BB, 3 SO
 
SCOUTING CLEMSON
The Tigers opened the 2021 season with a three-game sweep of Cincinnati at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The series was capped by a walk-off, 10th-inning single form James Parker that gave the Tigers the 8-7 win. Bryce Teodosio and Parker led the Tigers with a .455 batting average in the series while Jonathan French had five RBI. On the mound, Davis Sharpe struck out nine in five innings of work on Opening Day.
 
SERIES VS. CLEMSON
Clemson leads the all-time series with Carolina, 181-141-2. The Tigers took 2-of-3 games from the Gamecocks in 2020. Carolina won the middle game at Segra Park, 8-5, as Jeff Heinrich drove in three runs and Thomas Farr earned the win on the mound, striking out three and allowing just two hits in five innings of work.
  
CLARKE HAS A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER
Wes Clarke had a first four games to remember to start the 2021 season. The SEC Co-Player of the Week and National Player of the Week by three different outlets went 10-for-13 with six home runs, 12 RBI, 30 total bases, 11 runs scored, two doubles and seven walks. Clarke hit two home runs on Feb. 20 against Dayton and had three in the 12-4 win over Winthrop. It was the first time a Gamecock had three home runs in a game since Justin Smoak had three against USC Upstate on April 15, 2008. Clarke currently leads the nation with six home runs and leads the SEC in home runs, batting average, hits, RBI, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage and is tied for the lead in walks.
 
LUCKY SEVEN
The Gamecocks hit seven home runs in the 12-4 win over Winthrop on Feb. 23, three from Wes Clarke and one apiece from Andrew Eyster, Braylen Wimmer, David Mendham and Josiah Sightler. It’s the first time the Gamecocks have hit seven home runs in a game since May 5, 2010 against Winthrop and Wimmer, Clarke and Mendham went back-to-back-to-back, the first time the Gamecocks have had three straight longballs since they had five in a row in the 2006 Athens Super Regional against Georgia.

BOSNIC BREAKS A RECORD IN FIRST CAREER START
Julian Bosnic set a Carolina record with eight consecutive strikeouts in the Sunday win over Dayton (Feb. 21). Bosnic hit the first batter but then struck out eight consecutive Flyers before a walk on a 3-2 count. He broke the record of seven, set by Adam Hill vs. Charleston Southern in 2018 and Alex Farotto vs. Mississippi State in 2007.

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks travel to Winthrop Ballpark to take on the Eagles Tuesday night (March 2) at 6 p.m. in Rock Hill, S.C.