FOR STARTERS

Carolina continues its nine-game homestand this weekend, welcoming Kentucky for a three-game SEC series at Founders Park.
Friday’s game will start at 7 p.m. with Saturday’s first pitch at 4 p.m. Sunday’s game will start at 3 p.m.
Sunday’s game will be televised on SEC Network with Kevin Fitzgerald and Todd Walker on the call.
Friday and Saturday’s games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
All three games also will be broadcast on the Gamecock Sports Network presented by Learfield with Derek Scott and Cade Crenshaw on the call. 

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.

Weeknights

Game Time: 7 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 6 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 5/5:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 6 p.m.

Saturday
Game Time: 4 p.m.
Stadium Opens: 3 p.m.
Business Lots Open: 2/2:30 p.m.
Lot 1, STDM, HDG PGDL Open: 3 p.m.

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

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday
South Carolina Amp Phillips (Jr. RHP) 3-5, 2.52 ERA, 53.2 IP, 23 BB, 59 SO
Kentucky Jaxon Jelkin (Sr. RHP) 6-1, 3.22 ERA, 58.2 IP, 14 BB, 66 SO

Saturday
South Carolina Brandon Stone (Jr. RHP) 4-2, 3.28 ERA, 49.1 IP, 14 BB, 48 SO
Kentucky TBA

Sunday
South Carolina TBA
Kentucky Connor Mattison (Jr. RHP) 2-1, 5.13 ERA, 26.1 IP, 10 BB, 27 SO

PROMOTIONS
Friday – Rally Towel Giveaway
Saturday – Script Hat Giveaway
Sunday – Gamecock Club Day

SCOUTING KENTUCKY

The Wildcats are coming off a 14-10 loss to Louisville on Tuesday night.
Ethan Hindle homered and drove in four runs against the Cardinals.
Hudson Brown leads Kentucky with a .358 batting average while Hindle has eight home runs and 39 RBI.
On the mound, Jaxon Jelkin is 6-1 with a 3.22 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched.
Nick Mingione is in his 10th season at Kentucky. He guided the Wildcats to a College World Series appearance in 2024. 

SERIES VS. KENTUCKY

Carolina holds a 63-49 all-time series advantage on Kentucky heading into the weekend series.
Last year, Kentucky won 2-of-3 games in Lexington. The Gamecocks won the middle game, 5-4, as a two-run Will Tippett home run in the eighth gave Carolina the lead.
The last series meeting in Columbia occurred in 2024 with the Gamecocks taking 2-of-3 games.
Carolina is 36-15 all-time against Kentucky in Columbia. 

LIZAMA GOES YARD

Ethan Lizama belted his first home run as a Gamecock on April 17 against Mississippi State.
His three-run home run in the fifth inning cut MSU’s lead to 5-3.
He then hit a solo home run in the 9-3 win over Presbyterian on April 21..
Lizama now has 11 RBI on the season and has Carolina’s fifth three-run home run of the year.

PHILPOTT PUTS UP ZEROES

Alex Philpott pitched four scoreless frames against Mississippi State on April 19.
Philpott had one strikeout and allowed just one hit in the four innings.
In SEC play, Philpott has a 1.42 ERA with three saves.

PHILLIPS NAMED SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Junior Amp Phillips was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week on April 13.
Phillips earned the win in a 1-0 victory over Missouri on April 10, striking out 10 in eight-plus innings with five hits and just one walk.
Phillips retired the first 10 batters in the game, seven via strikeout.
The 10 strikeouts set a season-high and was just one off a career high.
Phillips is now 3-5 with a 2.52 ERA. The ERA lowers to 2.02 in SEC play.
Phillips joins Josh Gunther (March 2) as Gamecocks who have earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors this season. 

GAMECOCKS SWEEP MISSOURI

The Gamecocks went into Columbia, Mo., and swept Missouri in a three-game series.
Carolina won Thursday’s game, 5-1, as Brandon Stone struck out seven in six innings, allowing just two hits and a run.
The Gamecocks won Friday’s game, 1-0, as Amp Philips struck out 10 in eight innings.
Carolina hit four home runs on Saturday in a 6-4 win, including a pair from Dawson Harman.
Carolina swept its first series since Vanderbilt in March of 2024.
Carolina swept its first series on the road since Georgia in March of 2023.

UP NEXT

Carolina wraps up its nine-game homestand on Tuesday night (April 28) when the Gamecocks host The Citadel.
First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.