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Preview: Gamecocks hope home field advantage helps against Gators

Founders Park
Founders Park
Gamecock Central

WHAT: Florida (36-6, 13-5) at South Carolina (33-8, 14-4)

WHERE: Founders Park, Columbia, SC

WHEN: Friday 7 p.m.; Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m. (All times Eastern)

RADIO/TV: Gamecock Radio Network (107.5 FM in Columbia with Andy Demetra and Tommy Moody); SEC Network on Friday (Dave Neal and Ben McDonald); SEC Network Plus on Saturday and Sunday (Derek Scott, Trey Dyson and Caroline Cann)

ALL-TIME SERIES: South Carolina leads 43-41

LAST TIME: Florida won, 12-2, on April 12, 2015 in Gainesville.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:

Friday: USC RHP Clarke Schmidt (8-1, 2.04 ERA, 70.2 IP, 85 K, 12 BB) vs. FLA RHP Logan Shore (8-0, 2.14 ERA, 63.0 IP, 63 K, 9 BB)

Saturday: USC RHP Braden Webb (8-2, 3.28 ERA, 57.2 IP, 76 K, 33 BB) vs. FLA LHP A.J. Puk (2-2, 3.07 ERA, 41.0 IP, 55 K, 16 BB)

Sunday: USC RHP Aaron Hill (6-0, 2.57 ERA, 49.0 IP, 58 K, 17 BB) vs. FLA RHP Alex Faedo (8-1, 3.32 ERA, 59.2 IP, 81 K, 12 BB).

South Carolina has the best home record in the SEC (25-1), having already equaled its win total from a year ago. Florida has the top road mark in the conference (9-3).

As they say, something’s gotta give.

The immovable object meets the irresistible force this weekend when the Gamecocks clash with the Gators in a Top 10 showdown (per Collegiate Baseball, it’s a No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle). A year after the Gamecocks were swept in Gainesville, Chad Holbrook is just happy the series is being played in Columbia, where the only setback suffered by the Gamecocks this season was an extra-inning loss to College of Charleston on March 29.

“The way we have performed here at Founders Park, you’d think we would have some confidence (playing at home),” Holbrook said. “When we play games here, we’ve won for the most part. That has to give our players some confidence. But they also understand the opponents in this league are very difficult and Florida presents the ultimate challenge to them. It’s a lot more comforting knowing we’re playing here than on the road. We tend to play at a very high level here.”

USC will go with the usual weekend rotation of Clarke Schmidt (leads SEC in strikeouts and innings pitched) on Friday, Braden Webb on Saturday (4th in SEC in strikeouts and OBA) and Adam Hill (9th in SEC in OBA) on Sunday.

Florida counters with the talented trio of Logan Shore, A.J. Puk and Alex Faedo. Last weekend, they combined to limit Georgia to seven hits and one run with 22 strikeouts and four walks in 21.1 innings.

Shore, who opposes Schmidt Friday night in one of the top SEC pitching matchups of the season, earned his 13th straight win by tossing a two-hit, complete game shutout over Georgia last Friday night. Florida has won Shore’s last 15 starts dating back to last season.

Holbrook is confident Schmidt, Webb and Hill can keep pace with Florida’s trio of starters.

“They are going to throw three first-rounders (draft picks) at us,” Holbrook said. “We’ve got two freshmen and a sophomore in our rotation, and that is usually not a great recipe for success in the SEC. But we’ve had a lot of success based on how they have pitched. Clarke has set the tone for us all year long. He’s our leader, not only of the pitching staff, but our entire team. He gives our guys a lot of confidence whenever he takes the mound. Our guys feel like we have a chance.

“As good as Florida’s pitchers are, we’re certainly not throwing chopped liver at them, either. But our guys understand we are going to have to pitch at a high level to give ourselves a chance this weekend. We have the utmost confidence in our guys. They have been terrific all year long.”

Both team ranks among the SEC leaders in most pitching and defense categories. Neither team makes a lot of mistakes in the field or permits the opposition to score many easy runs. The Gators (.984) and Gamecocks (.980) are first and second in the SEC in team fielding percentage.

Florida has allowed the fewest runs in the SEC (133 in 42 games), while the Gamecocks are third (149 in 41 games). Chances are, every run scored in the series by either team will be hard-earned, and begrudgingly surrendered.

“It is very hard to score on these guys not only from a pitching standpoint, but defensively as well,” Holbrook said. “A .984 fielding percentage is unheard of in college baseball. They play great defense to go along with a great pitching staff. We have to capitalize when we have opportunities because they are going to be few and far between.

“We’re going to need a big two-out hit here and there to get score runners in scoring position. Looking at them on paper, you get scared to death. Luckily, the game is played between the white lines. We have to play at a very high level.”

With 12 conference games remaining, USC has a one-game lead over Florida in the SEC East standings. Yet, the Gators are the unanimous No. 1 team in the country in the major college baseball polls, while the Gamecocks are ranked anywhere from second to eighth.

“There is no chink in their armor,” Holbrook said of Florida. “We have to play our best baseball to put ourselves in position to have a chance to win. We understand we’re playing the favorite to win the national championship. They have been the consensus No. 1 season throughout the regular season. It’s a great opportunity.”

In addition, Florida and USC are No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the official NCAA Baseball RPI.

“It’s always a fun setting to play college baseball when you have two great teams with a lot on the line playing in front of great fans in a great facility,” Holbrook said. “All eyes of college baseball will be on Columbia tomorrow night. That’s fun to be a part of. That’s why our guys come to South Carolina, to be involved in weekends like this.”

STATS + FACTS by DOUG ADAMS

Gamecocks vs. Florida: USC is 23-15 against the Gators in Columbia. ... Florida has won 12 of the last 15 in the series. ... The last time USC won a regular season series against Florida in Columbia was 2008. ... The last time USC won a regular season series against Florida was 2011 in Gainesville. ... The three games last season were all decided by at least seven runs. ... Florida has won six straight against South Carolina. ... USC’s last win against Florida was 4-1 on April 11, 2014 in Columbia.

Surpassing the 2015 Win Totals: Carolina enters the Florida series with 33-8 record overall and 14-4 mark in SEC action. ... USC went 32-25 last season with a 13-17 record in SEC play.

Gamecocks vs. current Baseball America Top 25: No. 1. Florida: This weekend in Columbia. ... No. 2. Texas A&M: May 13-15 in Columbia. ... No. 9. Ole Miss: Gamecocks swept the Rebels in Oxford (5-1, 9-5, 4-0). ... No. 11. Vanderbilt: Commodores took two of three in Nashville (3-6, 4-0, 6-10). ... No. 19. Coastal Carolina: USC won 4-2 on April 5 in Columbia.

Firing Up the Offense: The Gamecocks have at least 10 hits in three of the last four games. Before the current stretch, USC’s last 10+ hit game was at Ole Miss on March 25, 2016. ... USC has also scored at least eight runs in three of the last four games. The game against Ole Miss on March 25 was also the last time USC plated more than eight runs in a game. ... Carolina had 18 extra base hits in the four games last week. They had 17 in the 11 games between March 31, 2016 and April 17, 2016.

Gamecock Pitching Staff: The USC pitching staff has at least 10 strikeouts in eight of the last 11 games including the last four. ... Carolina allowed 15 runs to North Carolina in Charlotte on April 13 and 13 at Georgia on April 16. The five games after April 13, USC allowed 17 runs.

Florida Gators: 36-6 start is the best start for the Gators in school history. ... Ranked No. 1 in the most recent Baseball America Poll. ... Swept Missouri, Texas A&M, and Arkansas. Won two of three against Georgia and lost two of three to Kentucky, and Mississippi State. ... Still has SEC games remaining against Tennessee, Vanderbilt and LSU. ... Team ERA is 2.82 and the pitching staff has 448 strikeouts to 100 walks. Team ERA in conference play is 3.70. ... Team batting average is .293 overall and .286 in conference play.

Gene Cone: Leads the team with a .377 batting average. ... Tied for third on the team with 49 hits. ... On Sunday against Missouri, he extended his hit streak to 27 games. The 27 game hitting streak is a new Gamecock record. The previous record was 26 by Whit Merrifield in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. ... Reached base in 30 consecutive games. ... He went 10-12 with six RBI and seven runs scored against Missouri last weekend. ... Has 24 walks to 14 strike outs. ... Earned National Player of the Week honors from Collegiate Baseball as well as SEC Player of the Week accolades ... Batting .457 and has an on base percentage of .558 in SEC play. ... Has 10 extra base hits in SEC play; seven doubles, one triple and two home runs.

Alex Destino: Hitting .354 with four home runs and 38 runs batted in. ... Batting .377 in SEC games. ... All four home runs this season came in non-conference games.

Dom Thompson-Williams: Batting .329 with four home runs and 32 runs batted in. ... Leads the team with 15 stolen bases. ... Leads the team with 12 doubles and three triples. ... Leads the team with a .530 slugging percentage. ... One of three Gamecocks to start all 41 games this season.

John Jones: Hitting .316 with six home runs and 39 runs batted in. ... One of three Gamecocks to start all 41 games this season. ... Has .420 on base percentage.

Marcus Mooney: Hitting .304 with one home run and 22 runs batted in. ... Has 15 walks to 10 strikeouts. ... Reached base in 13 straight games.

Jonah Bride: Batting .281 with one homer and 18 runs batted in. ... Reached base 15 times this season by being hit by a pitch. ... Reached base in 13 consecutive games.

LT Tolbert: Hitting .226 with two home runs and 19 runs batted in. ... Started 38 of the 39 games that he has played in.

DC Arendas: Hitting .208 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in. ... Played in 40 of the 41 games this season. He has 30 starts.

TJ Hopkins: Hitting .352 with one home run and 19 runs batted in. ... Has 19 starts in 26 games played this season. ... Has 17 starts in right field and two starts in center field.

Chris Cullen: Batting .252 with 19 runs batted in. ... Played in 32 games this season with 27 starts.

Clarke Schmidt: 8-1 with a 2.04 ERA in 10 starts. ... Has 85 strikeouts and 12 walks in 70.2 innings pitched.

Braden Webb: 8-2 with a 3.28 ERA in 10 starts. ... Has 76 strikeouts and 33 walks in 57.2 innings pitched. ... Opponents are hitting .193 against him this season.

Adam Hill: 6-0 with 2.57 ERA in 10 starts. ... Has 58 strikeouts to 17 walks in 49 innings of work.

Josh Reagan: 1-1 with a 0.82 ERA in 20 appearances. ... Leads the team with 11 saves. ... Has 28 strikeouts to 10 walks in 33 innings pitched. ... Allowed three runs, all on solo home runs.

Reed Scott: 3-1 with a 3.30 ERA in 19 appearances. ... Allowed 11 runs in 30 innings pitched.

Tyler Johnson: 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA and three saves in nine appearances against SEC opponents.

SEC SCHEDULE (April 28-May 1)

(ALL THREE GAME SERIES)

Florida at South Carolina

Mississippi State at Alabama (Thur-Sat)

Texas A&M at Arkansas

Kentucky at Auburn

Georgia at Vanderbilt

LSU at Ole Miss (Thur-Sat)

Tennessee at Missouri

SEC EAST STANDINGS

South Carolina 14-4

Florida 13-5

Vanderbilt 10-8

Kentucky 10-8

Georgia 7-11

Tennessee 6-12

Missouri 4-14

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