Baseball Welcomes Belmont for a Three-Game Series
FOR STARTERS
- South Carolina continues its 10-game homestand with a three-game series against Belmont this weekend.
- The Gamecocks will face the Bruins on Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
- All three games will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus with Dave Weinstein, Kip Bouknight (Saturday and Sunday) and Brent Wiliiams (Friday) on the call.
- All three games also will be on the Gamecock Sports Network presented by Learfield with Derek Scott (Sunday), Cade Crenshaw (Friday and Saturday) and Stuart Lake on the call.
PARKING INFORMATION
Shuttle parking for the University of South Carolina baseball season will be operational at the Key Road Gravel Lot (1105 Key Road) for select games (SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THIS WEEK). Shuttle begins two (2) hours prior to first pitch and continues until 1 hour after the game. It is $5 to park at the Key Road Lot to take the shuttle.
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. 23 and 27 and March 6 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 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. 23, 28, March 6)
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: 4 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 3:00 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 2/2:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 2 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 p.m.
Saturday
Game Time: 2 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 1 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 12/12:30 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 BELMONT
- Belmont is off to a 4-1 start, winning 3-of-4 games in the season opening series against Eastern Michigan and beating North Alabama on Tuesday night.
- Max Jones is 6-for-15 (.400) to start the season while Mason Landers has a team-best six RBI.
- On the mound, Friday starter Will Pryor struck out six and allowed two runs in six innings in a 4-3 win over Eastern Michigan.
- Belmont was picked to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason poll.
- Belmont returns 26 letterwinners from last year’s team that went 27-33 overall and 10-17 in conference play.
- Dave Jarvis is in his 27th season at Belmont and his 42nd season overall as a head coach. Jarvis is one of just 16 active head coaches to record 700 or more Division I wins at their current school.
SERIES VS. BELMONT
- Carolina and Belmont will meet for the first time on the diamond this weekend.
- Carolina is 10-0 all-time against teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, defeating Southern Illinois and Valparaiso five times apiece.
- Carolina swept Valpo in 2019, highlighted by a walk-off home run from Jacob Olson in the 3-2 win on Saturday and TJ Hopkins hitting for the cycle in the 12-6 win on Sunday.
LECROY OFF TO HOT START
- Junior Talmadge LeCroy is off to a hot start this season, going 7-for-13 with 12 runs scored, a home run, four RBI and eight walks.
- LeCroy leads the SEC with 12 runs scored and is tied with Will Tippett for the walks lead with eight.
- LeCroy belted his first home run of 2024 in the 12-2 win over Winthrop.
- He also scored five runs in the win over the Eagles, becoming the first Gamecock since Michael Campbell at Furman on May 16, 2006.
- LeCroy has a .739 on-base percentage, second in the league, and a .846 slugging percentage.
CAUSEY WITH A COMEBACK
- Tyler Causey homered and drove in four runs in Carolina’s 12-2 win over Winthrop on Feb. 20.
- Causey, who did not play baseball in 2023, homered for the first time since March 30, 2021, when he was with North Carolina.
- Causey currently is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with 10 runs scored, which is second in the SEC.
- Causey has seven RBI and a .550 on-base percentage in the first five games.
BREW CREW
- Dylan Brewer was 3-for-5 in a 12-2 win over Winthrop, continuing his hot start at the plate.
- The center fielder has seven hits in the first five games, driving in six runs with a .524 on-base percentage.
- Brewer drove in two runs apiece in the final two games of the Miami (Ohio) series and had a hit and an RBI on Opening Day.
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Eli Jones (Jr. RHP) 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 0 BB, 5 SO
Belmont Will Pryor (So. RHP) 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 1 BB, 6 SO
Saturday
South Carolina Dylan Eskew (R-Jr. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 4 BB, 6 SO
Belmont Jake Timbes (So. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 SO
Sunday
South Carolina Roman Kimball (R-So. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.0 IP, 3 BB, 5 SO
Belmont Jalen Borders (R-Sr. LHP) 0-1, 54.00 ERA, 1.0 IP, 1 BB , 2 SO
UP NEXT
- Carolina hosts Gardner-Webb on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 4 p.m.
- The game will be on the Gamecocks Sports Network and streamed on SEC Network Plus.
- This is the final game before the Gamecocks face Clemson in the in-state three game series starting March 1 at Founders Park.