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***2021 Baseball South Carolina (4-0) at Clemson (3-0) Game 1 Thread***

ConwayGamecock

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[COLOR= rgb(153, 0, 0)]2021 South Carolina Gamecocks Baseball Official Game Thread[/COLOR]​

 
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   [COLOR= rgb(153, 0, 0)]South Carolina[/COLOR] at  Clemson ​

GAME 1 - Fluor Field Greenville, SC​

Saturday February 27, 2021 4:00 PM​

* (See Update Note Below)​


COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The University of South Carolina baseball team faces Clemson in the annual series between the in-state rivals this weekend. The series starts Friday afternoon (Feb. 26) at 4 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, then moves to Fluor Field on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 27) for a 4 p.m. start. The series concludes Sunday afternoon (Feb. 28) at 1:30 p.m. at Founders Park.

Friday's game will be on ACC Network Extra with the final two games on SEC Network Plus. All three games will be broadcast on The Game 107.5 FM with Derek Scott, Tommy Moody and Kip Bouknight on the call. Carolina is coming off a 12-4 win over Winthrop on Tuesday night (Feb. 23) where the Gamecocks belted seven home runs, three off the bat of Wes Clarke.
 
PARKING INFORMATION
For the 2021 season, there will not be shuttles from either the Key Road Gravel Lot or the Colonial Life Arena parking lot. There will be passes at lot 1 available for $10 apiece.
 
Parking Lot Openings
4 p.m. Games - Gates open at 3 p.m., all lots open at 2:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. Games - Gates open at 12:30 p.m., all lots open at noon
Noon Games - Gates open at 11 a.m., all lots open at 10:30 a.m. 

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Thomas Farr (R-Jr. RHP) 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 2 BB, 8 SO
Clemson Davis Sharpe (R-So. RHP) 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 1 BB, 9 SO
 

Saturday
South Carolina Brannon Jordan (Sr. RHP) 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 4.0 IP, 4 BB, 4 SO
Clemson Mat Clark (Gr. LHP) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 0 BB, 6 SO
 

Sunday
South Carolina Julian Bosnic (R-So. LHP) 0-0, 2.70 ERA, 3.1 IP, 4 BB, 9 SO
Clemson Ty Olenchuk (Fr. RHP) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 0 BB, 3 SO

SCOUTING CLEMSON
The Tigers opened the 2021 season with a three-game sweep of Cincinnati at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The series was capped by a walk-off, 10th-inning single form James Parker that gave the Tigers the 8-7 win. Bryce Teodosio and Parker led the Tigers with a .455 batting average in the series while Jonathan French had five RBI. On the mound, Davis Sharpe struck out nine in five innings of work on Opening Day.
 
SERIES VS. CLEMSON
Clemson leads the all-time series with Carolina, 181-141-2. The Tigers took 2-of-3 games from the Gamecocks in 2020. Carolina won the middle game at Segra Park, 8-5, as Jeff Heinrich drove in three runs and Thomas Farr earned the win on the mound, striking out three and allowing just two hits in five innings of work.
  
CLARKE HAS A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER
Wes Clarke had a first four games to remember to start the 2021 season. The SEC Co-Player of the Week and National Player of the Week by three different outlets went 10-for-13 with six home runs, 12 RBI, 30 total bases, 11 runs scored, two doubles and seven walks. Clarke hit two home runs on Feb. 20 against Dayton and had three in the 12-4 win over Winthrop. It was the first time a Gamecock had three home runs in a game since Justin Smoak had three against USC Upstate on April 15, 2008. Clarke currently leads the nation with six home runs and leads the SEC in home runs, batting average, hits, RBI, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage and is tied for the lead in walks.
 
LUCKY SEVEN
The Gamecocks hit seven home runs in the 12-4 win over Winthrop on Feb. 23, three from Wes Clarke and one apiece from Andrew Eyster, Braylen Wimmer, David Mendham and Josiah Sightler. It's the first time the Gamecocks have hit seven home runs in a game since May 5, 2010 against Winthrop and Wimmer, Clarke and Mendham went back-to-back-to-back, the first time the Gamecocks have had three straight long balls since they had five in a row in the 2006 Athens Super Regional against Georgia.

BOSNIC BREAKS A RECORD IN FIRST CAREER START
Julian Bosnic set a Carolina record with eight consecutive strikeouts in the Sunday win over Dayton (Feb. 21). Bosnic hit the first batter but then struck out eight consecutive Flyers before a walk on a 3-2 count. He broke the record of seven, set by Adam Hill vs. Charleston Southern in 2018 and Alex Farotto vs. Mississippi State in 2007.

https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2021/2/25/baseball-faces-clemson-in-annual-in-state-series.aspx

* UPDATE: Due to weather, the opening game of the series will now be the Saturday game at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC. The game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium will now be played Tuesday May 11 at 6 PM in Clemson. Tickets for the Friday Game in Clemson will be honored Tuesday for that game.

 
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Going to be an interesting situation for this series, as tomorrow is looking like there's going to be a very strong chance of rain in Clemson, and a good chance of rain Saturday as well in Greenville. There's a decent chance of rain Friday in Columbia, but it looks more clearer for both Saturday and Sunday in Columbia. We should just play the whole series at Founders Park, lol......

 
We would need to go to Pickens County and see with our own eyeballs if the Taters are faking the rain. LOL

 
Does Wes Clarke get any good pitches? With the way he's mashing right now, I wouldn't throw anything in the strike zone if I was pitching to him.

 
The University of South Carolina baseball team's series opener vs. Clemson has been postponed due to rain in the Upstate, it was announced this morning (Friday, Feb. 26).
 
The in-state series will now take place this Saturday (Feb. 27) at Fluor Field with a 4 p.m. first pitch and in Columbia on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 28) at 1:30 p.m. inside Founders Park. The series' third game will now take place on Tuesday, May 11 at 6 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Tickets that were previously designated for this Friday's game in Clemson are now valid for the May 11 game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
 
CAROLINA-CLEMSON BASEBALL SERIES
Game 1 – Saturday, Feb. 27 in Greenville, S.C. (Fluor Field), 4 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday, Feb. 28 in Columbia (Founders Park), 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday, May 11 in Clemson (Doug Kingsmore Stadium), 6 p.m.
Click to expand...
https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2021/2/26/baseballs-series-opener-vs-clemson-postponed-due-to-rain.aspx

 
Ace Dilcock said:
Why not do the two games in the Upstate this weekend, and the 3rd game in Columbia on May 11? It would make more sense for travel.
Click to expand...


They are saying that there's still a good chance of rain tomorrow (Saturday) in Clemson as well, and the chance of playing in Greenville tomorrow is not the greatest either. Of all three locations for this series, Columbia looks the best for this weekend.....

I guess we'll just use this game thread as the Game 1 Game Thread starting tomorrow, and see how that goes......

 
markymark550 said:
Does Wes Clarke get any good pitches? With the way he's mashing right now, I wouldn't throw anything in the strike zone if I was pitching to him.
Click to expand...
I hope he does get some good pitches. We pitched to Seth Beer pretty much every game his 3 years at Clemson, with the exception of one game. He tagged us for 4 HRs in those games total. But their staff may not be as stubborn as our staff during those years were.....

 
The Gamecocks come into this series 7th in the nation in team batting average (.359), tied for 8th in hits (51), and leading the nation in home runs (14), through just 4 games. A lot of teams have already played 5 games and some even 6 games (we're short due to our rain-out yesterday).

We're also ranked 7th in doubles per game (3.25), 16th in on base % (.441), tied for 12th in runs scored (41), and lead the nation in slugging % (.775).

With just the 4 games, its a mighty small sample size, but what there is of it, it indicates that our offense is pretty good. But Clemson has shown in just their three games played, to have a pretty good pitching staff: they are 21st nationally in team ERA (1.80), 33rd in hits allowed per 9 innings (6.11), and are 18th in walks allowed per 9 innings (2.25). They are however 79th in strikeouts per 9 innings (10.3), so they haven't rung up many opposing batters they've faced, but they've done a good job keeping those batters off the base-paths.

So will this be a match-up of Clemson's pitching versus the Gamecock's hitting? It could be, but there's also the other side of that coin: South Carolina isn't a slouch when it comes to pitching either. The Gamecocks are tied for 22nd nationally in ERA (2.00), tied for 11th in hits allowed per 9 innings (4.75), and are alone at 10th in strikeouts per 9 innings (13.5). We have walked too many opposing batters thus far, and are tied for 99th in walks allowed per 9 innings, with 4.5 walks per game thus far.

Offensively, Clemson is 43rd in batting average (.293), 105th in hits with 27 (they've only played 3 games so it should be low - that's a 9.0 hit per game average, compared to USC's 12.75 hits per game), and are tied for 33rd with 4 homeruns  - that's 1.3 HRs per game, good for a tie for 29th in the nation, while USC is 2nd with 3.50 HRs per game (Stanford has played 1 game thus far, and hit 4 homeruns in it). Clemson is also tied for 106th in doubles per game with 1.33 as well. They are also 53rd in on base % (.400), and tied for 97th with 18 runs scored, 40th in slugging % (.467).

Fielding wise Clemson is the better team thus far - we've made more than our fair share of errors in our first 4 games, and are tied at 119th nationally with a .962 fielding %. Clemson is 33rd with a .981 fielding %. Both teams have turned only 1 double play thus far.

Of course, with these rivalries you can often throw all these stats out the window, and perhaps the Gamecocks played poor pitching opponents, while Clemson played a poor hitting one. This series right here will take us leaps forward in learning what kind of team we have, so it starts today.....

 
Play Ball!!

Top of the 1st, Thomas Farr takes the mound. Farr gets the ground out, fly out, and then strike out to retire the side in order. Good start!

Bottom 1st, Brady Allen singles to get the action going. Braylen Wimmer puts down the successful sacrifice bunt, moving Allen to 2B, 1 out. Wes Clarke steps in - will they pitch to him?? Clarke singles to drive Allen in, and the Gamecocks lead!! Andrew Eyster strikes out for the 2nd out on some questionable wide strikes, but David Mendham singles to center, and the Yardcocks have base-runners on the corners 3B and 1B, 2 outs. Colin Burgess steps in - he strikes out, but the Gamecocks do good work in the 1st with 3 hits and 1 run.

I posted initially that Clemson was the home team in this neutral site game, but that was wrong of course. Clemson batted first, so South Carolina is the home team today.

1-0 Gamecocks, top 2nd....

 
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Gamecocks 1-0, top 2nd:

Tigers get a lead-off single, but Farr settles in and retires the side on a pop-up out, a pick off of the Tiger base-runner at 1B, and a strike-out swinging....

1-0, bottom 2nd......

 
Gamecocks 1-0 bottom 2nd:

The inning started off with great promise, but does not end in the same fashion - the bottom 3 of the lineup for the Gamecocks are our weakest bats, but Sharpe for Clemson walked Brennan Milone, and Jeff Heinrich singles to put 2 Gamecocks on with 0 outs. Then George Callil strikes out, but not before a passed ball from Sharpe moves both runners up to 3B and 2B, and we have two Gamecocks in scoring position with only 1 out, and the top of the order up in Allen.

However it was not to be as Allen and Wimmer both strike out for the final outs, and we leave those 2 men on the bases....

Gamecocks 1-0 top 3rd....

 
Gamecocks 1-0 Top 4th inning:

Farr gives up a lead-off double, then after getting the 1st out on a line-out, the next Tiger batter singles to drive in Clemson's first run, and ties the game up. Farr then retires the side after that.

Bottom 4th, the bottom three Gamecock batters again - Milone leads off with a double! Heinrich singles Milone in to re-take the lead. Heinrich steals 2B, then Callil and Allen both strike out. 2 outs now, with Wimmer up....

Sharpe already has 9 Ks, but also 74 pitches. He's been getting a lot of wide pitch strike calls to the outside of the plate, that several Gamecocks batters have been griping about. The pitches are too far off the plate for them to do much with, but the umpire keeps calling them strikes, and Sharpe has been raping that side of the plate all game long. Mendham is the only left-handed Gamecock in the lineup, so Sharpe can't throw that way to him, and of course Mendham is 2-2 on the game thus far.....

But that's the absolute best way to ice down a hot hitting team's bats: throw pitches off the plate that they can't get their bats around on, and hope the umpire keeps calling them strikes......

Wimmer strikes out, for Sharpe's 10th K of the game. Sharpe now up to 89 pitches. He can't last much longer now....

2-1 Gamecocks, top 5th inning.....

 
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South Carolina 2-1, Top of 5th:

As strongly as Sharpe has been pitching, Farr has been there right with him. He's not thrown as many pitches. He takes the mound to begin his 5th, and he strikes out the side!!! 1-2-3 set 'em up, and sit 'em down! Farr now has 7 Ks, and only 71 total pitches thrown through 5 innings....

Bottom 5th:

Sharpe's day is done!! The new Tiger pitcher comes in - he has a 5.0+ ERA. The power of the Gamecock lineup is up next:

Clarke grounds out. Then Eyster grounds out. The pitcher is a tall kid, but his pitches have a sharp dive to them.

Mendham reaches 1B on an error from the pitcher, who tried to get to the bag and take the throw to tag Mendham out, but he takes his eyes off the ball to find the bag, and muffed the ball.

Burgess flies out for the final out of the inning....

Gamecocks lead 2-1, top 6th........

 
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2-1 South Carolina, top 6th:

Farr still out there - a fly-out to get the first out of the side. Then some crazy: the next Tiger gets a single, then the next Tiger after that is walked, but there was confusion - on the 4th ball being thrown, the Tiger base runner on 1B attempts a steal to 2B which was initially successful, as he reaches 2B before being tagged on the helmet. But somehow that baserunner steps off of 2B while Heinrich still had the ball, and Heinrich tags him out. Lucky break for the Gamecocks off of some confusion and lack of focus by the Tigers on the bases. The next Tiger batter hits into a fielder's choice at 2B for the final out of the inning.....

2-1 Gamecocks bottom 6th.....

 
2-1 Gamecocks bottom 6th:

Milone grounds top pitcher who throws him out

Heinrich grounds out

Callil singles!

Allen strikes out for the final out. This is a tight game thus far.....

2-1 Gamecocks top 7th....

 
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