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Baseball 2/21/2019 | GCF Staff Report
Gamecocks To Host Utah Valley This Weekend for a Three-Game Series
The Gamecocks and Wolverines begin the series on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.
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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The University of South Carolina baseball team hosts Utah Valley in a three-game series at Founders Park this weekend. The series begins on Friday afternoon (Feb. 22) at 4 p.m. and continues Saturday afternoon (Feb. 23) at 2 p.m. The three-game set wraps up Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24) at 1:30 p.m. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus with Burch Antley and Kip Bouknight on the call. All games will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott, Drew Meyer and Tommy Moody on the call. The Gamecocks scored eight unanswered runs to climb out a 6-0 hole and defeat Winthrop, 8-6, on Tuesday night (Feb. 19). Wednesday's contest against Presbyterian was cancelled due to inclement weather.
PARKING INFORMATION
> For the third straight season, shuttle parking for the University of South Carolina baseball season will be operational at the Key Road Gravel Lot (1105 Key Road) and in Lot B of the Colonial Life Arena parking lot. Shuttles will begin running two hours prior to game time.
We strongly recommend that fans use the baseball shuttle from Key Road to Founders Park over the CLA shuttle for the convenience, spacious parking (650 spaces) and less congestion than at the arena. Please remember that at the arena, shuttle parking will be limited to 50 spaces because of the student demand for parking in this area. There is a high student demand Monday through Thursday that lasts until 7 p.m. because of classes. Lots A and B are also reserved for men's and women's basketball parking on Feb. 19, 26, March 3 and March 9.(NOTE: THE CLA LOT WILL BE CLOSED FOR FRIDAY'S GAME DUE TO AN EVENT AT THE ARENA.)
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. 15, 19, 20, 22 and 26 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))
Weekday 4 p.m. Games (Feb. 15, 19, 20, 22, 26)
Game time: 4 p.m.
Stadium opens: 2:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PDGL Open: 1 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 p.m.
Weekdays
Game Time: 7 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 5:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 4 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 5 p.m.
Saturday
Game Time: 4 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 2:30 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 1 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 1 p.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 2 p.m.
Sunday
Game Time: 1:30 p.m.
Stadium Opens: Noon
Business Lots Open: 10:30 a.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 10:30 a.m.
Bus Shuttle for Patrons: 11:30 a.m.
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Carmen Mlodzinski (So. RHP) 0-0, 6.23 ERA, 4.1 IP, 3 BB, 3 SO
Utah Valley Jake Carr (Sr. RHP) 0-1, 6.75 ERA, 4.0 IP, 2 BB, 8 SO
Saturday
South Carolina Dylan Harley (Fr. LHP) 0-0, 16.88 ERA, 2.2 IP, 5 BB, 5 SO
Utah Valley Paxton Schultz (Jr. RHP) 0-0, 3.86 ERA, 7.0 IP, 2 BB, 7 SO
Sunday
South Carolina Reid Morgan (Jr. RHP) 0-0, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 0 BB, 3 SO
Utah Valley Walker Ramsey (Sr. RHP) 0-1, 5.68 ERA, 6.1 IP, 3 BB, 5 SO
SCOUTING UTAH VALLEY
Utah Valley opens its 2019 season this past weekend with three games at Fresno State. The Wolverines won the middle game of the series, 4-3, as Drew Sims had a pair of hits and Alexander Marco drove in two runs. Paxton Schultz, Saturday's starter, struck out seven in seven innings of work as Utah Valley scored a run in the ninth to break the 3-all tie. Michael Beltran leads UVU with a .333 batting average while Marco has three RBI. Trevor Howell has two of the Wolverines' three doubles on the season. On the mound, the three starters that Utah Valley will trot out this weekend combined for 20 strikeouts against Fresno State. The Wolverines were picked to finish ninth in the WAC Preseason Poll.
THE SERIES
This is the first meeting on the diamond between Carolina and Utah Valley. The only time the Gamecocks have played a school in the current Western Athletic Conference setup was in 2011, when Carolina faced Cal State Bakersfield in a three-game series. The Gamecocks won the first two games by scores of 5-1 and 5-2 but dropped the series finale, 8-3.
CAROLINA COMES BACK TO BEAT WINTHROP
Carolina was down to Winthrop, 6-0, after two-and-a-half innings of play but chipped away at the Eagle lead before going ahead in the sixth on its way to am 8-6 win on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Carolina scored single runs in the third and fourth, two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth before adding insurance with a run in the eighth frame. Luke Berryhill brought in the game-winning run with a two-run single in the sixth. He joined TJ Hopkins and Noah Campbell with two hits in the contest as Carolina moved to 3-1 on the year.
BULLPEN SOLID IN FIRST FOUR GAMES
The South Carolina bullpen has a 1.50 ERA and allowed just one of 13 inherited runners to score after four games this season. The Gamecock pen has 35 strikeouts compared to just six walks in 24 innings pitched and carries a .141 opponent's batting average. Sawyer Bridges has a 1.80 ERA, seven strikeouts and a save in five innings pitched, while Parker Coyne and Brett Kerry have combined for 11 strikeouts in six scoreless innings for Carolina.
SEC LEADERS
TJ Hopkins dots the top-10 lists in many categories as of Feb. 20. Hopkins is tied for second in total bases with 16, while is 1.000 slugging percentage is tied for sixth. He is also tied for fourth with seven runs scored and in a 12-way tied for second, along with Jacob Olson, with two home runs. Brady Allen is tied for sixth with five walks. On the mound, Hayden Lehman is tied for the SEC lead with three appearances, while Sawyer Bridges is tied for ninth with a .188 opponent's batting average. As a team, SC is 11th in batting average and ERA and 12th in fielding percentage.
ALLEN GOES YARD IN FIRST GAMECOCK AT-BAT
Freshman Brady Allen's first collegiate at-bat was a memorable one, as the Lakeland, Fla., native belted a three-run home run in the second inning, scoring Jacob Olson and Luke Berryhill. Allen was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a walk in the opener.
SENIORS SLUG IN LIBERTY SERIES
TJ Hopkins and Jacob Olson both hit a pair of home runs in the season opening weekend against Liberty (Feb. 15). The seniors both have a 1.000 slugging percentage after three games. Olson had both home runs in Saturday's 13-7 win. He also drove in four RBI. Hopkins had a home run to straightaway center field in the eighth inning on Friday afternoon and then had a solo shot in the fourth inning on Sunday, which was Carolina's first hit of the day. Olson now has 20 career home runs while Hopkins has 10 in his Carolina tenure.
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks wrap up their season-opening homestand on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 26), hosting Appalachian State at 4 p.m. South Carolina then will prepare for its annual three-game series vs. Clemson, which starts in the Upstate on Friday, March 1 at 6 p.m.
