Baseball Welcomes Bethune-Cookman for Three-Game Series
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina baseball team plays its final non-conference series of the season this weekend as the Gamecocks will host Bethune-Cookman for three games. The series starts Friday night (March 10) at 7 p.m. and continues Saturday afternoon (March 11) at 4 p.m. The weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon (March 12) at 1:30 p.m.
All three games will be on SEC Network Plus. All games also will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott and Tommy Moody on the call.
The Gamecocks swept the midweek, defeating The Citadel 8-1 and USC Upstate 19-1. Four Gamecocks homered and Eli Jones struck out six in the win over the Bulldogs and Gavin Casas drove in five and Cole Messina had four hits in the win over the Spartans.
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 BETHUNE-COOKMAN
The Wildcats are coming off a 10-1 loss at Florida State on Tuesday afternoon. Last weekend, Bethune-Cookman took two of three games against Longwood. B-CU is led offensively by Luis Tuero, who is hitting .340 with 13 runs scored. On the mound, Sunday starter Daniel Gaviria is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched.
SERIES VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN
This is the first meeting on the diamond between Carolina and Bethune-Cookman. This also is the first meeting between the Gamecocks and a current member of the SWAC.
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Will Sanders (Jr. RHP) 1-1, 3.60 ERA, 15.0 IP, 4 BB, 18 SO
B-CU Louis Lipthratt (Jr. RHP) 1-0, 5.40 ERA, 15.0 IP, 3 BB, 21 SO
Saturday
South Carolina Noah Hall (Sr. RHP) 2-0, 1.86 ERA, 19.1 IP, 2 BB, 21 SO
B-CU Nolan Santos (Jr. RHP) 2-0, 1.93 ERA, 18.2 IP, 8 BB, 30 SO
Sunday
South Carolina Jack Mahoney (Jr. RHP) 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 15.0 IP, 4 BB, 17 SO
B-CU Daniel Gaviria (Jr. LHP) 2-0, 0.75 ERA, 24.0 IP, 0 BB, 15 SO
CASAS DRIVES IN FIVE
Gavin Casas doubled twice and drove in five runs as the Gamecocks defeated USC Upstate on March 8. He currently leads the team with eight home runs and 23 RBI while slugging .936. He also is third in the SEC in home runs and tied for fifth in the league in RBI.
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 38 home runs this season, trailing only Florida’s 40. Gavin Casas is sixth in the nation with eight home runs … Carolina is 10th in the nation in drawing walks with 90 and second in the country with 41 hit by pitches … The Gamecocks’ .456 on-base percentage is eighth in the country … On the mound, Carolina is sixth in earned-run average at 2.45 … James Hicks is tied for the national lead with a 0.00 ERA .. Braylen Wimmer is second in the country and second in the SEC with 26 runs scored, trailing Florida’s Wyatt Langford (28) … Hicks is fourth in the country in his allowed per nine innings (2.57) … Casas is 11th with his 23 RBI.
UP NEXT
Carolina ends its four-game homestand Tuesday night (March 14) against Presbyterian. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
