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The Gators will be on the road for a weekend series for the first time this season, as they journey up to Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks.
South Carolina is the 25th-ranked team in the country according to the D1 Baseball’s Top 25 Rankings.
The Gamecocks coming into the series with a 13-6 record after beating The Citadel 8-3 in their midweek game on Tuesday. However, they lost two out of three against Vanderbilt and even got no-hit on Saturday.
Florida is coming off a good weekend in which they swept the Texas A&M Aggies at home. South Carolina is a very talented team that will test Florida’s offense and pitching staff. Here are three South Carolina Gamecocks to watch against the Florida Gators.
DH Wes Clarke
It’s not often a team’s designated hitter is the best hitter on the team, but that’s the case for South Carolina. Designated hitter Wes Clarke has been really for the Gamecocks as he’s one of the top power hitters in the country.
In his junior season, Clarke is slashing .338/.494/.877 with 22 hits, eleven home runs, 23 RBIs, and 1.323 OPS. Clarke was a national Player of the Week on March 2nd by D1 Baseball, Perfect Game, and many others.
South Carolina has a good offense but Clarke is probably the most dangerous hitter in their lineup. He’s their best run producer and leads all of college baseball in home runs. Florida’s pitching staff will need to carefully to Clarke and keep the ball in the yard.
RHP Thomas Farr
Right-handed pitcher Thomas Farr is the top pitcher in South Carolina’s rotation and is also one of the top pitching prospects in the country. Farr was a top JUCO prospect coming out of high school and has been a terrific addition for the Gamecocks.
During his 2021 season, Farr has made five appearances and all of them are starts. Farr has a 2-1 record with a 2.15 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 12 K/9, and 3.1 BB/9. He also has an opponent batting .248.
Farr will get the ball for South Carolina on Friday night and it will be a tough task for the Gators' offense. Farr is a four-pitch mix pitcher with a fastball that sits 92-95 mph and tops out at 96. His best secondary pitch is his slider that’s gets a ton of swing-and-miss and he also has a very nice 12-6 curveball.
OF Brady Allen
Another top hitter on South Carolina’s lineup is Lakeland native Brady Allen. The junior outfielder was a top prospect coming out of high school and was even a late-round draft pick out of high school. Allen has been a constant in South Carolina’s lineup, especially as their leadoff hitter.
In the 2021 season, Allen is slashing .311/.405/.592 with 23 hits, team-high eight doubles, three home runs, ten RBIs, and a .996 OPS. Allen is also tied for first on the team in stolen bases with three.
Brady Allen is a table-setter for the Gamecocks that can make things very difficult for their opponents when he’s on campus. He’s a pest on the base paths and he also has enough power to get South Carolina on the scoreboard quickly.
