Baseball Hosts The Citadel, Gardner-Webb in Double Midweek

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team gets ready for five games this week at Founders Park, starting with midweek contests against The Citadel and Gardner-Webb. The Gamecocks face The Citadel on Tuesday, March 5 and Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, March 6. Both games will start at 4 p.m., which is a time change from the original schedule. Both games will be streamed on SEC Network + with Burch Antley and Michael Roth on the call. All games will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott, Drew Meyer and Tommy Moody on the call. Carolina is coming off winning the Palmetto Series against Clemson, taking Friday night’s game, 5-4, and winning on Sunday in Columbia, 14-3.

PARKING INFORMATION

> For the third straight season, shuttle parking for the University of South Carolina baseball season will be operational at the Key Road Gravel Lot (1105 Key Road) and in Lot B of the Colonial Life Arena parking lot. Shuttles will begin running two hours prior to game time.

We strongly recommend that fans use the baseball shuttle from Key Road to Founders Park over the CLA shuttle for the convenience, spacious parking (650 spaces) and less congestion than at the arena. Please remember that at the arena, shuttle parking will be limited to 50 spaces because of the student demand for parking in this area. There is a high student demand Monday through Thursday that lasts until 7 p.m. because of classes. Lots A and B are also reserved for men’s and women’s basketball parking on Feb. 19, 26, March 3 and March 9.

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

BUSINESS LOTS DURING AFTERNOON GAMES Business lot parking passes will be honored in Lot 1 ONLY for the Feb. 15, 19, 20, 22 and 26 afternoon baseball games based on availability. The businesses at 405 (Lot 9) and 401 (Lot 10) Huger Street request that you begin parking at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays. Other business lots open at 5 p.m. on weekdays. Parking is allowed in Lot 8 (the Cregger lot) on the Williams St. side for the afternoon early games.

GAME DAY PARKING INFORMATION (including public game day lots (PGDL: $10/$5 per game))

Weekday 4 p.m. Games (Feb. 15, 19, 20, 22, 26, March 4, 5)
Game time: 4 p.m.
Stadium opens: 2:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PDGL Open: 1 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 p.m.

Weekdays
Game Time: 7 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 5:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 4 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 5 p.m.

Saturday
Game Time: 4 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 2:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 1 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 1 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 p.m.

Sunday
Game Time: 1:30 p.m.
Stadium Opens: Noon
Business Lots Open: 10:30 a.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 10:30 a.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 11:30 a.m.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION

Tuesday
South Carolina TJ Shook (R-So. RHP) 1-0, 8.31 ERA, 4.1 IP, 2 BB, 10 SO
The Citadel Cameron Reeves (Fr. RHP) 0-0, 7.36 ERA, 3.2 IP, 5 BB, 2 SO

Wednesday
South Carolina TBA
Gardner-Webb Noah Davis (So. RHP) 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 3 BB, 7 SO

SCOUTING THE CITADEL

The Bulldogs swept North Alabama in Charleston this past weekend, outscoring the Lions, 21-10. Ryan McCarthy and Ben Peden each had three hits and two RBI in the 8-3 win on Sunday. McCarthy leads The Citadel with a .429 batting average while Tyler Corbitt is hitting .371 with nine runs scored. The Bulldogs will start Cameron Reeves on Tuesday. He has made two appearances with a start in 3.2 innings pitched.

THE SERIES

Carolina leads the overall series 133-49-1 as the two teams split the season series last season, each winning on the other team’s field. The Citadel defeated the Gamecocks, 4-3, on Ben Peden’s ninth-inning home run on March 20. Carolina then won in Charleston, 12-1, on April 10 as Jacob Olson went 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and five RBI.

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB

The Bulldogs split the two-game set against Appalachian State this past weekend, winning the first contest, 12-3, before dropping the nightcap, 24-3. Taber Mongero had three hits in the win over the Mountaineers. Corey Howard leads Gardner-Webb with a .375 average while Chandler Redmond has seven home runs. On the mound, Gardner-Webb will start Noah Davis, who has seven strikeouts in nine innings pitched this season..

THE SERIES

The two teams have met on the diamond three times with Carolina holding a 2-1 series advantage. Gardner-Webb won the last meeting in 2013, 7-6, in Shelby, N.C.

RANKINGS

South Carolina returned to most of the national polls this week after defeating Clemson in two of three games on March 1-3. The Gamecocks are ranked 19th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll and 20th in the Baseball America poll. Carolina is 24th in both the D1Baseball.com and USA TODAY Coaches’ poll.

GAMECOCKS SLUG TOWARDS NCAA STAT LEADERS

Carolina currently is second in the country with 23 home runs this season after 11 games. TJ Hopkins has five home runs to lead the team while Luke Berryhill and Jacob Olson have four apiece. New Mexico State leads the country with 29 home runs. Carolina also is fourth in the country in slugging percentage at .561. Berryhill has a team-best .872, which is second in the SEC and 17th in the nation.

SEC LEADERS

Cam Tringali is eighth in the SEC in ERA (0.77), ninth in opponent’s batting average (.154) and tied for the lead in appearances with six. Reid Morgan is third in the conference in innings pitched at 20.2. At the plate, TJ Hopkins is second in home runs (5), tied for second in triples (2), fourth in slugging percentage (.830), tied for fourth in RBI (16) and tied for the lead in total bases (39). Luke Berryhill is second in slugging percentage (.872), third in total bases (34) and tied for sixth in RBI (14). He also is tied for third with four home runs. Jacob Olson also is tied for third with four home runs. As a team, SC is eighth in batting average, 10th in ERA and 14th in fielding percentage.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks face Valparaiso in a three-game set this weekend (March 8-10) at Founders Park. Friday’s game begins at 7 p.m. with Saturday’s game starting at 4 p.m. The series concludes Sunday at 1:30 p.m.