Baseball Hosts Arkansas Starting Thursday Night at Founders Park

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team hosts top-ranked Arkansas in a three-game SEC series starting Thursday, April 22 at 7 p.m. Friday’s game also is scheduled for 7 p.m. with Saturday’s game starting at 4 p.m. Thursday’s game will be televised on SEC Network with Dave Neal and Ben McDonald on the call. Friday and Saturday’s games will be on SEC Network Plus. Every Gamecock contest will be on the Gamecock Radio Network with Derek Scott and Tommy Moody on the call. Carolina is coming off winning 2-of-3 games at LSU this past weekend, including sweeping a doubleheader against the Tigers on Saturday by scores of 4-2 and 9-0. Brady Allen had the game-winning two-run double in game one while Will Sanders pitched six scoreless frames in game two.

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.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Thursday
South Carolina Thomas Farr (R-Jr. RHP) 2-3, 3.28 ERA, 24 BB, 64 SO
Arkansas Caleb Bolden (R-Jr., RHP) 2-0, 4.63 ERA, 12 BB, 26 SO

Friday
South Carolina Brannon Jordan (Sr. RHP) 4-2, 3.15 ERA, 29 BB, 72 SO
Arkansas Peyton Pallette (So., RHP) 1-2, 4.06 ERA, 13 BB, 51 SO

Saturday
South Carolina Will Sanders (Fr. RHP) 6-1, 2.11 ERA, 6 BB, 40 SO
Arkansas TBA
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
The Razorbacks took 2-of-3 games against Texas A&M this past weekend. Matt Goodheart was a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week after going 10-for-17 at the plate with five home runs in four games last week. Goodheart is hitting .343 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI while Brady Slavens has 10 homers and 45 runs-batted-in. On the mound, Kevin Kopps has four saves and 54 strikeouts in 32 innings with a perfect 6-0 record. Arkansas’ midweek game against Grambling was cancelled due to wintry weather in Fayetteville.
 
SERIES VS. ARKANSAS
This will be the first time the two teams will meet on the diamond since 2018, when the Gamecocks and Razorbacks met seven times, including three in the Fayetteville Super Regional. Arkansas has a 41-33 series advantage and won 5-of-7 games against Carolina in 2018. The Gamecocks won the middle game of the super regional, 8-5, behind a grand slam from LT Tolbert and a quality start from Cody Morris. Carolina swept Arkansas in the last meeting in Columbia in 2016.
 
COMEBACK KIDS IN LSU WIN
Carolina was trailing 2-0 heading into the top of the seventh in game one of a doubleheader at LSU on April 17, but the Gamecocks scored four runs in the inning to earn a 4-2 win in an eventual doubleheader sweep. David Mendham and Colin Burgess led off the inning with singles. They moved up 90 feet on Noah Myers’ sacrifice bunt and scored on Braylen Wimmer’s double to right. After George Callil was hit by a pitch, Brady Allen brought in a pair with a double to left.

MENDHAM DELIVERS IN LSU SERIES
David Mendham was 4-for-9 with a triple, a home run and two RBI in the LSU series. His single in the top of the seventh inning in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader started the eventual four-run inning. Then in game two, he homered in the first inning in the 9-0 win. Mendham is hitting .306 in his last 10 games with seven RBI.