Live updates/game thread: South Carolina at Vanderbilt (Game 3)
South Carolina is back on the diamond Saturday afternoon trying to go for its fourth series win in five tries in SEC play.
After a 14-6 clubbing Friday night and an 8-5 loss Saturday, South Carolina turns to Matthew Becker on the bump against Vanderbilt’s best healthy arm, Devin Futrell.
First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. with GamecockCentral on hand providing live updates and analysis.
Follow along with live updates here.
Scouting Vanderbilt
The Dores started off the year slow offensively but have really picked it up since the start of SEC play. Vanderbilt is slashing .290/.403/.482 this season but a whopping .383/.497/.742 in 12 SEC games en route to an 11-1 start.
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Ranked No. 4 in both major polls and No. 7 in the RPI, Vanderbilt started SEC play with sweeps over Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Georgia. The Commodores went 2-1 last weekend at Missouri.
It’s led by Chris Maldonado, Matthew Polk, RJ Schreck and All-American Enrique Bradfield Jr., who’s one of the best centerfielders and base-stealers in the country.
Vanderbilt as a team has stolen 54 bases in 67 attempts, 25 of those by Bradfield.
It’s arguably the best pitching staff in the SEC, headlined by lefties Devin Futrell and Hunter Owen. The two have combined to allow just 27 earned runs in 86.2 innings. Carter Holton (3-0, 2.59 ERA), another weekend starter, missed last week’s start and is questionable this weekend.
South Carolina won’t face Holton or Owen this weekend, it appears.
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As a staff, Vanderbilt has just a 3.18 ERA this year with 330 strikeouts to 119 walks. Teams are slashing just .195/.293/.313 against them. In SEC play, Vanderbilt has a 3.28 ERA with 94 strikeouts and 29 walks. They’re allowing teams to hit .212/.279/.349 in 12 games.
Series details
Who: No. 6 South Carolina (29-4, 9-2 SEC) at No. 4 Vanderbilt (27-6, 11-1 SEC)
When: Friday, April 14 through Sunday, April 16
Game times (ET): Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m.
How to watch: SEC Network Plus
How to listen: 107.5 FM and the Gamecock Radio Network
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Probable pitchers
Friday: RHP Will Sanders (2-1, 4.72 ERA) vs. RHP Bryce Cunningham (1-0, 3.20 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Jack Mahoney (3-0, 3.12 ERA) vs. TBA
Sunday: TBA vs. LHP Devin Futrell (6-1, 2.21 ERA)
