#4 South Carolina Gamecocks vs UNCG Spartans: Series Preview And How To Watch

The 2017 South Carolina baseball season is finally here, as the Gamecocks will host the UNCG Spartans at Founders Park in a weekend series that begins today! We’ve been previewing the season all week, so catch up on what the team will look like offensively, defensively, and on the mound. We also took a look at the preseason rankings and how good this year’s team is expected to be (spoiler alert: expectations are high).

Carolina’s first opponent of the year is coming off of a 2016 record of 38-21 (15-9 SoCon). The Spartans were picked to finish first in the Southern Conference and are returning several of their best players from last year’s team, which was dangerous on offense and led the country with a team batting average of .346.

For both the Gamecocks and the Spartans, most of the weekend starters on the mound are returning players. The Opening Day starter for the Gamecocks is junior RHP Clarke Schmidt (3.40 2016 ERA). The Spartans will also start a junior RHP, as junior college transfer Jack Maynard (2.75 2016 ERA) will take the mound. On Saturday Carolina’s Wil Crowe, a junior RHP returning from Tommy John surgery, will start opposite UNCG’s Bryce Hensley (6.32 2016 ERA), a junior lefty. On Sunday a pair of sophomore right-handers will take the mound, as Adam Hill (3.53 2016 ERA) starts for the Gamecocks and Matt Frisbee (4.98 2016 ERA) will start for UNCG.

Game 1: Friday 4 p.m.

Game 2: Saturday 2 p.m.

Game 3: Sunday 1:30 p.m.

All three games can be watched online via SEC Network Plus and can be heard on 107.5 The Game & The Gamecock Radio Network