Baseball Faces The Citadel, USC Upstate in the Midweek
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team plays twice in the midweek, hosting The Citadel on Tuesday night (March 7) and traveling to Fluor Field for the second time this season, facing USC Upstate Wednesday night (March 8). The game against the Bulldogs starts at 7 p.m. at Founders Park, with the game against the Spartans at 6:30 p.m. in Greenville.
Tuesday’s game will be on SEC Network Plus with Wednesday’s game on ESPN+. All games also will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Tommy Moody and Stuart Lake on the call.
The Gamecocks won the rivalry series against Clemson, winning the final two contests by scores of 11-9 and 7-1. Talmadge LeCroy had five hits and was named the Tom Price Award winner while James Hicks threw five scoreless frames in Sunday’s win.
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.
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.
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: 4 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 3 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 2 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 2 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 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 THE CITADEL
The Bulldogs are coming off a weekend sweep of Long Island, outscoring the Sharks 34-11 in the three games. Travis Lott leads the Bulldogs with a .459 batting average while Thomas Rollauer has four doubles and 15 runs scored. Cameron Reeves is 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched.
SCOUTING USC UPSTATE
The Spartans were swept by Troy this past weekend, but defeated Clemson in Fluor Field last Tuesday night. Noah Rabon and Cole Caruso had two RBI apiece in that win. Daniel Gernon is hitting .405 this season while Grant Sherrod has three home runs and 13 RBI.
SERIES VS. THE OPPONENTS
Carolina holds a 139-50-1 series advantage over The Citadel heading into Tuesday night’s game. The Bulldogs won the last meeting in Charleston, 4-3, on March 22, 2022. The Gamecocks defeated The Citadel, 9-5, in the last game at Founders Park on April 27, 2021 … Carolina has a 13-1 series advantage on USC Upstate heading into Wednesday’s game. The Spartans defeated the Gamecocks, 9-6, on May 10, 2022, in the two team’s last meeting.
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina Eli Jones (So. RHP) 2-0, 1.59 ERA, 5.2 IP, 1 BB, 6 K
The Citadel Conner Cummiskey (Jr. RHP) 1-0, 0.90 ERA, 10.0 IP, 3 BB, 12 SO
Wednesday
South Carolina Matthew Becker (So. LHP) 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 2 BB, 7 SO
USC Upstate Mathieu Curtis (Fr. RHP) 2-0, 1.86 ERA, 9.2 IP, 5 BB, 6 SO
HICKS PUTS UP ZEROES AGAINST THE TIGERS
James Hicks threw five scoreless innings of relief in Carolina’s 7-1 win over Clemson on March 5. Hicks allowed just two hits with six strikeouts and one walk to improve to 3-0 on the season. He has pitched 14 innings for the Gamecocks this year and has allowed just four hits with 14 strikeouts.
HORNUNG, MESSINA WITH BIG HITS IN SATURDAY WIN
Carson Hornung and Cole Messina had two big late inning home runs in Carolina’s 11-9 win over Clemson on March 4 in Greenville. Hornung’s three-run blast in the seventh gave the Gamecocks an 8-7 lead. It was his second home run of the season. Messina’s two-run shot to left, his fifth of the year, gave Carolina the insurance it needed in a two-run victory.
LECROY EARNS MVP HONORS
Talmadge LeCroy was 5-for-10 with six RBI in the Clemson series, earning the Tom Price Award for the Most Valuable Player of the Clemson series. LeCroy belted his first career home run in Sunday’s win while driving in a pair. He had a .500 on-base percentage and a .800 slugging percentage on the weekend.
GAMECOCKS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
The Gamecocks are second in the country with 32 home runs this season, trailing only Florida’s 35. Gavin Casas is sixth in the nation with seven home runs … Carolina is 13th in the nation in drawing walks with 76 and second in the country with 38 hit by pitches … The Gamecocks’ .456 on-base percentage is eighth in the country … On the mound, Carolina is 12th in earned-run average at 2.69 … James Hicks is tied for the national lead with a 0.00 ERA .. Braylen Wimmer is fourth in the country and second in the SEC with 22 runs scored … Hicks is sixth in the country in his allowed per nine innings (2.57).
UP NEXT
Carolina hosts Bethune-Cookman this weekend at Founders Park. Friday’s game begins at 7 p.m. with Saturday’s game starts at 4 p.m. Sunday’s series finale starts at 1:30 p.m. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
