Baseball Hosts Penn to Continue Homestand
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team hosts Penn for a three-game series this weekend at Founders Park. The series begins on Friday afternoon (Feb. 24) at 4 p.m. and continues Saturday afternoon (Feb. 25) at 2 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 26) at 1:30 p.m.
All three games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus. All games also will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Tommy Moody and Stuart Lake on the call.
The Gamecocks have scored 80 runs in five games this season, winning a pair of midweek contests against Winthrop (19-3) and Queens (12-0). Ethan Petry hit a pair of home runs in the Winthrop win while Caleb Denny drove in five against Queens.
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 PENN
The Quakers will open their 2023 season on Friday in Columbia. Penn is coming off a 33-15 season, a tie for the regular-season title and a runner-up finish in the Ivy League championship series. The Quakers are no strangers to SEC competition, beating Texas A&M two out of three games last February. Wyatt Henseler returns for the Quakers, leading the team with a .383 average last season to go along with 14 home runs and 53 RBI. On the mound, Owen Coady was 7-1 with a 2.80 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched.
SERIES VS. PENN
This will be the first meeting between Carolina and Penn on the diamond. The Gamecocks are 37-4 against Ivy League competition. The last meeting against the Ivy League came on March 6-8, 2020, when the Gamecocks swept a three-game series against Cornell.
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Will Sanders (Jr. RHP) 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 4.0 IP, 1 BB, 3 K
Penn Owen Coady (Sr. LHP) 7-1, 2.80 ERA, 54.2 IP, 22 BB, 74 K in 2022
Saturday
South Carolina Noah Hall (Sr. RHP) 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 5.1 IP, 1 BB, 4 SO
Penn Cole Zaffiro (Jr. RHP) 2-1, 4.57 ERA, 45.1 IP, 22 BB, 51 SO in 2022
Sunday
South Carolina Jack Mahoney (Jr. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.2 IP, 0 BB, 9 SO
Penn Ryan Dromboski (So. RHP) 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 5.0 IP, 4 BB, 6 SO in 2022
HOME RUN DERBY
The Gamecocks hit 20 home runs in the first five games of the season, the most in the nation after a week and a half of play. Carolina belted five home runs on Friday in the win over UMass Lowell, four on Saturday and five more on Sunday. In the midweek, Carolina had five in the Winthrop game and one more against Queens. Gavin Casas leads the team with four home runs, while Ethan Petry, Braylen Wimmer, Cole Messina and Will McGillis all have three round trippers. Wimmer and Messina have grand slams while the Gamecocks hit back-to-back home runs both on Friday and Sunday against UML. The Gamecocks are slugging .777 after five games, led by Petry’s 1.308 slugging percentage.
NCAA HOME RUN LEADERS
- South Carolina 20
- Wake Forest 16
- Texas State 13
- Old Dominion 12
Troy 12
Seven teams with 11
RUNS APLENTY IN FIRST FIVE
The Gamecocks scored 80 runs in the first five games of the season, the most in school history after five games on the schedule. 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. Carolina has scored in double figures in each of the first five games for the first time since 1987 and have done it in a five-game span for the first time since March 12-19, 1997.
ERA AMONG NATION’S BEST
Heading into this weekend’s action, South Carolina is seventh in the country with a 1.40 ERA. James Hicks has thrown seven scoreless frames, including five in the midweek win over Queens. Jack Mahoney added 5.2 scoreless frames last Sunday against UMass Lowell. Opponents are hitting just .141 against the Gamecock arms with a .215 on-base percentage.
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks conclude their homestand on Tuesday, Feb. 28, hosting North Carolina A&T at Founders Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
