April 24, 2003

Oxford, Miss. – The South Carolina baseball team resumes conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Ole Miss beginning on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET. Carolina owns a 27-15 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the SEC, one-half game ahead of Florida for first place in the SEC Eastern Division. Ole Miss is 25-17 overall and 10-8 in the SEC.

Last season South Carolina renewed its series with Ole Miss winning two of three games in Columbia. The rivalry began in 1994 and 22 games have been played with South Carolina holding a 15-7 lead. The Gamecocks have won seven consecutive games vs. the Rebels in Oxford, Miss. dating back to the 1996 season. This is the Gamecocks first time in Oxford since 1998 when Carolina swept a three-game series.

Senior LHP Steven Bondurant will start for Carolina on Friday with T.J. Beam taking the mound for the Rebels. Bondurant is 4-2 on the year with a 3.50 ERA. The senior from Providence Day, N.C. allowed just four hits and no runs in his last start vs. Mississippi State last Friday. Bondurant has worked at least five innings in each of conference start including at least seven innings in four of the seven games. Junior LHP David Marchbanks (9-2, 2.22 ERA) is scheduled to start on Saturday with Sunday’s starter to be announced. Marchbanks currently leads the SEC in wins (9) and innings pitched (81.0) and enters his Saturday start fresh off his performance last Saturday in which the junior from Simpsonville, S.C. won two games in one day. Ole Miss has yet to name a starter for both Saturday and Sunday’s contests.

Live audio broadcast and live stats will be available at USCSPORTS.COM for all three games. Saturday’s game is set for 5 p.m. ET with first pitch on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET.