PREVIEW: South Carolina, Auburn shake up rotations for Top 25 matchup

WHAT: South Carolina (18-6, 5-1 SEC) at Auburn (21-6, 5-1 SEC)

WHERE: Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ala.

WHEN: Friday at 7 p.m. ET., Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sunday’s at 2 p.m.

RADIO/TV: Friday and Sunday's games are on SEC Network Plus with Saturday's game televised on ESPNU. Friday and Saturday's games can be heard on 1320 AM, "The Fan," with Sunday's contest on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, "The Game."

Both South Carolina and Auburn's pitching rotations will look a little different when the two Top 25 teams square off for a three-game series on the Plains this weekend.

The Gamecocks will shift their rotation for the third straight week as Wil Crowe moves up to Friday, Clarke Schmidt shifts to Saturday and Adam Hill goes back to his original Sunday spot.

The Gamecocks initially changed their rotation two weekends ago when Schmidt missed his start with a minor oblique strain. Schmidt returned last week in a 2-1 series victory over Alabama, but started on Sunday to rest an extra couple of days.

Auburn will have to do some shifting of its own with Friday ace Keegan Thompson listed as questionable for the series.

The Tigers will shift their regular starters up a day with Casey Mize going on Friday and Davis Daniel on Saturday.

Auburn has not ruled out Thompson for Sunday which is currently listed as a TBA.

“We've thrown (Keegan), we feel good -- all the information I get from our staff and doctors,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “We'll be day-to-day … we’ll take every precaution knowing that this is a marathon and not a sprint. I think Keegan will let us know, let me know as a coach when he wants the baseball.”

South Carolina enters the series after sweeping Tennessee on the road and taking two of three from Alabama at home for a 5-1 start to SEC play.

The Gamecocks have won 11 of their last 12, including a 15-1 defeat of The Citadel on Tuesday.

Auburn has also won 11 of its last 12 games and is fresh off a 4-3 non-conference win over Alabama in the Capital City Classic Tuesday.

The Tigers are led at the plate by outfielder Jonah Todd, who is hitting .340 with 17 RBIs.

WEEKEND ROTATION

Friday: South Carolina - Wil Crowe (Jr. RHP) 3-0, 2.75 ERA, 36.0 IP, 13 BB, 41 SO

Auburn - Casey Mize (So. RHP) 3-1, 0.98 ERA, 36.2 IP, 6 BB, 51 SO

Saturday: South Carolina - Clarke Schmidt (Jr. RHP) 3-0, 1.12 ERA, 32.0 IP, 10 BB, 36 SO

Auburn - Davis Daniel (Fr. RHP) 2-0, 4.44 ERA, 26.1 IP, 6 BB, 25 SO

Sunday: South Carolina - Adam Hill (So. RHP) 1-3, 2.15 ERA, 29.1 IP, 11 BB, 34 SO

Auburn - TBA

NOTES:

** South Carolina is ranked in every major collegiate rankings with Auburn ranked in five of the six major collegiate rankings.

The Gamecocks are ranked No. 4 by Perfect Game, No. 6 by Baseball America and in the USA Today coaches poll, No. 7 by D1Baseball and No. 8 by Collegiate Baseball.

Auburn is ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball. The Tigers are also No. 17 by D1Baseball and in the USA Today coaches poll, No. 18 by Baseball America and No. 19 by the NCBWA.

** The South Carolina pitching staff continues to put up solid numbers as the staff finished with a team ERA of 2.73 on the weekend with 56 strikeouts in 56. 0 innings pitched. Alabama hit .238 for the weekend as the Gamecocks earned the series victory. For the season, South Carolina's pitching staff has a 2.74 team ERA. The Gamecocks have allowed 77 runs, 67 earned, on 171 hits in 220.0 innings with 250 strikeouts to 86 walks and opponents hitting .212 against them. South Carolina is first in the SEC in ERA, third in opposing batting average and fourth in strikeouts. Carolina's 2.73 ERA in six SEC games is second-best in the league as well.

** South Carolina is hitting .281 (228-for-812) for the season with a .369 on-base percentage and a .425 slugging percentage. The Gamecocks have 22 homers on the year. South Carolina has equaled or out-hit its opponent in 18 of 24 games this year. South Carolina is fielding .979 for the season.

GAMECOCKS 2017 SEC SCHEDULE:

March 31-April 2 at Auburn

April 6-8 VANDERBILT

April 14-16 MISSISSIPPI STATE

April 20-22 at Florida

April 28-30 KENTUCKY

May 5-7 at LSU

May 12-14 at Missouri

May 18-20 GEORGIA

May 23-28 SEC Tournament (at Hoover, Ala.)