Preview: Gamecocks face pesky Wright State in 3-game series

WHAT: Wright State (2-1) at South Carolina (3-2)

WHERE: Founders Park (8,200), Columbia, SC

WHEN: Friday 7 p.m.; Saturday 4 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m. (All Times Eastern)

RADIO/TV: Gamecock Radio Network (107.5 FM in Columbia with Derek Scott, Tommy Moody & Drew Meyer); SEC Network Plus.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:

Friday: USC Jr. RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-0, 1.35 ERA) vs. WSU Sr. RHP Ryan Weiss (0-0)

Saturday: USC RJr. RHP Wil Crowe (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. WSU LHP Zane Collins (0-1)

Sunday: USC So. RHP Aaron Hill (0-1, 0.00 ERA) vs. WSU LHP Danny Sexton (1-0)

Highly-touted newcomer Carlos Cortes, one of the top prep prospects from the state of Florida (Lake Howell High School) last year, discovered early in fall practice life as a hitter at the major college level would be different than in high school.

For one thing, most SEC caliber pitchers are confident enough to throw multiple pitches, particularly off-speed pitches, anytime in the count. In high school, Cortes would almost certainly see a fastball whenever the count reached three balls.

Not anymore.

“Everybody has a very good changeup,” Cortes told Gamecock Central recently. “Pitchers don’t throw with one speed. They throw the changeup whenever they want. It’s pretty amazing. In high school, it was strictly fastball and curveball. Guys here have good changeups, so I’ve had to adjust to that. It‘s been tough. I’ve been working on seeing two different speeds when I’m in the cage.”

After not starting in the opener, Cortes picked up his first career hit, a RBI single, in USC’s 5-1 win over UNCG last Saturday. Tuesday, he was 1-for-2 with a double, walk and run scored in the 5-4 victory over Charlotte?

His reward? The ambidextrous Cortes got to bat cleanup in Thursday’s loss to Kansas State, thus going from not starting the opener to batting fourth within a span of five days.

“I was thinking too much,” Cortes said earlier this week. “Coach Holbrook called me over and told me to just swing hard like you know how to. I’m not trying to do too much. I was a little jumpy and trying to do a little more than what I should. I’m going up there relaxed and swinging hard.”

Cotes and the other Gamecock hitters face a talented Wright State pitching staff that played a major role in WSU’s series win at Clemson last weekend.

The favorites to win the Horizon League, Wright State is ranked for the first time in school history (No. 25 in Baseball America poll) after winning two of three games at Clemson last weekend, including an impressive 9-2 victory in the rubber game.

Sunday starter Danny Sexton was named the first Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on Monday. Sexton was impressive in his WSU debut, allowing just one run on a solo home run and scattering four Clemson hits overall while striking out seven and walking three in 6.2 innings.

“We’ll pick up the pieces and get ready to play a really good Wright Stay team (Friday),” Chad Holbrook said after Thursday’s one-run loss to Kansas State. “It’s still February and there’s certainly a ton of baseball left to be played. But you hate to lose games at home, especially when you help the opponent get off to a great start.”

The Gamecocks should go with the same starting rotation as last weekend as Clarke Schmidt (6.2 IP), Wil Crowe (5.0) and Adam Hill (7.0) combined to limit UNCG to just two runs and seven hits in 18.2 innings pitched.

Middle reliever Reed Scott threw 62 pitches in 5.1 innings on Thursday, and will likely no be available until Sunday, at the earliest.

South Carolina, which has now played three straight one-run games (1-0, 6-5, 5-4), last faced Wright State in 1994.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:

C – Chris Cullen

1B – Matt Williams

2B – L.T. Tolbert

3B – Jonah Bride

SS – Madison Stokes

LF – Danny Blair

CF – T.J. Hopkins

RF – Jacob Olson

DH – Alex Destino

SEC BASEBALL SCHEDULE (Feb. 24-26)

Wright State at South Carolina

Holy Cross at Auburn

UNC Wilmington at Ole Miss

Illinois-Chicago at Vanderbilt

Bryant at Arkansas

Georgia at Georgia Southern

Maryland at LSU

Miami (Fla.) at Florida

Oral Roberts at Alabama

Pepperdine at Texas A&M

Tennessee at San Diego State Tournament

Missouri at Corpus Christi, Tex. Tournament

Kentucky at Norfolk, Va. Tournament

(All 3-Games Series Unless Noted Otherwise)