Baseball Hosts Pair of Midweek Games

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team continues its nine-game homestand to open the season as the Gamecocks face Winthrop and Queens in a pair of midweek contests. Carolina hosts Winthrop Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 21) at 4 p.m. and Queens Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 22) at the same time.

Both games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus. All games also will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott, Tommy Moody and Stuart Lake on the call.

The Gamecocks are coming off a three-game sweep of UMass Lowell to open the 2023 season. Carolina belted 14 home runs on its way to 49 runs on the weekend.

PARKING INFORMATION
Shuttle parking for the University of South Carolina baseball season will be operational at the Key Road Gravel Lot (1105 Key Road). Shuttle begins two (2) hours prior to first pitch and continues until 1 hour after the game.

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. 17, 21, 22, 24 and 28 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). All gameday lots are cashless. Please have a debit card or credit card ready for payment upon entry into parking lots.

Weekday 4 p.m. Games (Feb. 17, 21, 22, 24, 28)
Game time: 4 p.m.
Stadium opens: 3:00 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PDGL Open: 2 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 p.m.

Weekdays
Game Time: 7 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 6:00 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 5 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 5 p.m.

Saturday
Game Time: 2 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 1 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 12 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 12 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 12 p.m.

Sunday
Game Time: 1:30 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 12:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 11:30 a.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 11:30 a.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 11:30 a.m.

SCOUTING WINTHROP
The Eagles also had a sweep in its first three games, defeating Long Island University by scores of 6-3, 9-7 and 12-1. Ty Hooks and Will Martin had three hits apiece in the Sunday win, while Alex Logusch struck out 11 in six innings in Friday’s season opener. Winthrop is picked to finish ninth in the Big South’s preseason poll.

SCOUTING QUEENS
The Royals were swept at Appalachian State this past weekend, falling by scores of 5-2, 5-2 and 13-5. Nick Brassington had three hits on the weekend, while Daniel Bagwell struck out three in three scoreless innings of work. The Royals, who are in their first year in Division I and are in the Atlantic Sun Conference, will start righthander Jeffery Maidhof on Wednesday. He pitched three innings against App State, allowing four earned runs and seven hits with a strikeout.

SERIES VS. OPPONENTS
Carolina is 23-7 all-time against Winthrop heading into Tuesday’s game. The Gamecocks are 17-4 versus the Eagles in Columbia and in 2022, swept the two-game midweek series, winning 7-1 in Columbia and 5-2 in Rock Hill … Carolina and Queens have not met on the diamond.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina Eli Jerzembeck (Fr. RHP) First Year at Carolina
Winthrop Brody Hopkins (Jr. RHP) First Year at Winthrop
Wednesday
South Carolina James Hicks (R-Jr. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.0 IP, 0 BB, 2 SO
Queens Jeffery Maidhof (Sr. RHP) 0-1, 12.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 0 BB, 1 SO

HOME RUN DERBY
The Gamecocks hit 14 home runs in the three-game series against UMass Lowell, the most in the nation after the first weekend of play. Carolina belted five home runs on Friday, four on Saturday and five more on Sunday. Will McGillis and Gavin Casas had three home runs apiece while Cole Messina and Braylen Wimmer had a pair of round trippers. Wimmer had a grand slam on Saturday while the Gamecocks hit back-to-back home runs both on Friday and Sunday. The Gamecocks are slugging .832 after the weekend, led by Wimmer’s 1.250 percentage.

RUNS APLENTY IN UML SERIES
The Gamecocks scored 49 runs in three games in the sweep of UMass Lowell Feb. 17-19. The 20 runs on Opening Day were the most scored in a season opener since the 2008 season, when Carolina put up 22 on East Carolina. The 37 runs in the first two games were the most since 2004 when Carolina put up 41 on Charleston Southern and the 49 runs are the most in the first three games since the 1980 season, when Carolina scored 59 runs in its first three contests.

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks host Ivy League foe Penn this weekend for a three-game series at Founders Park. The series begins on Friday afternoon (Feb. 24) at 4 p.m. Saturday’s game is scheduled for 2 p.m. with Sunday’s series finale at 1:30 p.m.