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Baseball Closes Out April with Three-Game Set vs. Kentucky
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Baseball Closes Out April with Three-Game Set vs. Kentucky

Game Notes Live Audio Live Video Live Stats Kingston Press Conference Becker/Noland Press Conference

FOR STARTERS

  • South Carolina faces a top-five team for the second straight week at Founders Park as the Gamecocks host No. 4 Kentucky.
  • Friday night’s game begins at 7 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday’s contests at 6 and 3 p.m., respectively.
  • Friday’s game will be streamed on SEC Network with Dave Weinstein and Grayson Greiner on the call.
  • Saturday and Sunday’s games will be on SEC Network with Sam Ravech and Gregg Olson on the call.
  • All three games also will be on the Gamecock Sports Network presented by Learfield with Derek Scott and Stuart Lake on the call.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY

  • The Wildcats enter the weekend with a 32-7 overall record and a 15-3 mark in SEC play, which leads the SEC East and is tied with Arkansas for the best mark in the league.
  • Kentucky lost 2-of-3 games to Tennessee this past weekend. The Wildcats won the Friday night game, 5-3, behind six innings from Trey Pooser, allowing just five hits with four strikeouts.
  • Nick Lopez leads Kentucky with a .386 average while Ryan Nicholson has 12 home runs and 38 RBI. Emilien Pitre has 14 doubles and 39 RBI.
  • Kentucky leads the SEC with 81 stolen bases. Pitre has 19 while Ryan Waldschmidt and Devin Burkes have 14 apiece.
  • Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at Kentucky. Mingione has guided the Wildcats to a pair of Super Regional appearances.

SERIES VS. KENTUCKY

  • Carolina leads the all-time series with Kentucky, 59-46, heading into this weekend.
  • The Gamecocks are 34-14 against the Wildcats in Columbia.
  • Last season, Kentucky swept the Gamecocks in Lexington. In 2022, Carolina won 2-of-3 games from Kentucky, winning the opener, 11-3 and the Saturday game, 7-0.
  • Noah Hall pitched eight innings in the 7-0 win, striking out eight and allowing just two hits.

PARKING INFORMATION
Shuttle parking for the University of South Carolina baseball games for Friday and Sunday will be operational at the Key Road Gravel Lot (1105 Key Road) for select games. 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.

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.

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: 6 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 5:00 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 4/4:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open:4 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 4 p.m.

Sunday
Game Time: 3 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 2:00 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 1/1:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open:1 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 1 p.m.

GAMECOCK DUO ON MIDSEASON WATCH LISTS

  • Cole Messina was named to the Buster Posey Award Midseason Watch List.
  • The award is given to the best Division I catcher in the country.
  • Messina has a team-best 13 doubles to go along with 10 home runs and 35 RBI this season.
  • Garrett Gainey was named to the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.
  • The award is handed out to the best relief pitcher in Division I baseball.
  • Gainey is tied for the SEC lead with six saves and has 36 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched.

BRINLING ON TEAR IN ARKANSAS SERIES

  • Austin Brinling made his first three starts as a Gamecock in the Arkansas series and went 4-for-10 with a double, two runs scored, two RBI and three walks.
  • In the 6-3 win over the Razorbacks on April 20, Brinling had an RBI single in the sixth and scored on Parker Noland’s two-run single.
  • Brinling is hitting .364 with three runs scored and three walks.

GAMECOCKS LEAD THE NATION IN WALKS

  • Carolina has drawn 281 walks in 40 games this season, which leads the country in free passes. The Gamecocks lead second place Texas A&M by three walks.
  • Ethan Petry leads the team with 36 walks, which is tied for fifth in the SEC.
  • The Gamecocks walked 18 times in the 22-6 win over Longwood on March 10. It’s the most dating back to 2005 (first year of game-by-game stats available).
  • Carolina is averaging 7.03 walks per game.

PETRY: 30 FOR 3(8)

  • Sophomore Ethan Petry hit a home run in the 11-9 loss to Florida on April 14, his 38th career home run as a Gamecock.
  • Petry is now in a tie for 12th place on Carolina’s all-time home runs list and is the 29th Gamecock to hit 30 or more home runs in a career.
  • The last player to achieve that feat was Braylen Wimmer (2020-23), who had 32 career home runs. Wes Clarke (2019-21) also had 32 home runs in his Gamecock career.
  • Petry is tied with Eric Stanton (1996-98) for the 12th spot. He needs three more to pull into a tie for ninth with James Darnell (2006-08), Tripp Kelly (1998-2001) and Charlie Aldrich (1985-87).

MILESTONE CENTRAL

  • Head Coach Mark Kingston earned his 200th win at South Carolina in the Presbyterian game on March 26. Kingston now has 207 wins at Carolina and 480 wins overall.
  • Ethan Petry recorded his 100th career RBI in the Presbyterian win. Petry now has 113 RBI in only 103 career games. Cole Messina joined Petry in the 100-RBI club on April 20 against Arkansas. Messina has 101 RBI in his Gamecock career.
  • Cole Messina recorded his 100th career hit at Carolina March 26 vs. Presbyterian. Messina now has 117 hits, joining Talmadge LeCroy (111) and Ethan Petry (125) in the 100-hit club at Carolina.
  • Ty Good recorded his 300th career strikeout March 30 at Alabama. Good has 316 strikeouts between the College of Charleston and Carolina.
  • Kennedy Jones and Parker Noland both are in the 200-hit club in college. Jones has 213 hits between UNC Greensboro and Carolina while Noland has 227 hits between Vanderbilt and Carolina.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
Friday
South Carolina Roman Kimball (R-So. RHP) 2-1, 4.24 ERA, 23.1 IP, 24 BB, 32 K
Kentucky Trey Pooser (Sr. RHP) 3-0, 4.17 ERA, 41.0 IP, 14 BB, 37 K

Saturday
South Carolina Eli Jones (Jr. RHP) 3-1, 3.47 ERA, 49.1 IP, 13 BB, 41 K
Kentucky Dominic Niman (Sr. LHP) 7-3, 4.08 ERA, 53.0 IP, 14 BB, 47 K

Sunday
South Carolina TBA
Kentucky Mason Moore (Jr. RHP) 7-0, 3.96 ERA, 52.0 IP, 24 BB, 45 K

UP NEXT
South Carolina ends the seven-game homestand on Wednesday, May 1 against East Tennessee State. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

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