FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas is opening SEC play on the road against a team that's 15-0 at home and whose starting pitcher hasn't allowed a run in his last 24 innings.
Sophomore right-hander Clarke Schmidt (4-0, 0.32 ERA) will start for No. 12 South Carolina (17-2) against Arkansas (15-3) at 6:30 tonight at Founders Park.
Today’s Game
NO. 13 ARKANSAS AT NO. 12 SOUTH CAROLINA
WHEN 6:30 p.m.
WHERE Founders Park, Columbia, S.C.
RECORDS Arkansas 15-3, South Carolina 17-2
SERIES Arkansas leads 37-29
RADIO Razorback Sports Network. Not all games will be carried by affiliates. Check local listings.
INTERNET SEC Network-plus
The teams didn't play last season, so Arkansas is facing Schmidt for the first time.
The only run Schmidt has allowed was in the Gamecocks' season-opening 10-1 victory over Albany Feb. 19. He has 32 strikeouts and 5 walks in 28 1/3 innings -- including 8 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts and 0 walks when South Carolina beat Clemson 9-1 -- and is holding opponents to a .141 batting average.
"He must be pretty special," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "Those numbers are incredible.
"Pitching in front of his home crowd, I'm sure it'll be packed and rocking."
Junior right-hander Dominic Taccolini (3-0, 2.16 ERA) will start for the Razorbacks. He has 23 strikeouts and 5 walks in 25 innings with opponents batting .143.
"He's competing well and throwing a lot of strikes," Van Horn said. "He deserves to get the ball on Friday night."
The Razorbacks are 3-0 away from home with victories over Rice, Houston and Texas Tech at a tournament in Houston three weeks ago.
"All this preseason is to get ready for the SEC season," Taccolini said. "That's big-time baseball. That's why we all came to Arkansas, because the SEC is the best conference."
Taccolini said the tournament in Houston was Arkansas' first step in playing high-level competition.
"I feel like we showed out pretty well there, and hopefully we can step up to the challenge at South Carolina," he said. "I feel like we will."
The Gamecocks have won seven consecutive games since losing two games to Clemson. They beat South Carolina-Upstate 12-6 Tuesday night in Greenville, S.C., and beat Davidson 15-2 Wednesday night at home.
South Carolina has a .323 batting average led by John Jones (.406 batting average, 4 home runs, 23 RBI), Dom Thompson-Williams (.406, 4, 15) and Alex Destino (.351, 4, 20).
"I hope our guys have got some confidence and they feel good about their swings, but as we all know it's a different animal starting on Friday," Gamecocks Coach Chad Holbrook said. "You have 30 opportunities, and you're not going to out-talent people. You're not going to necessarily be the better team on the field.
"You have to out-play people. You have to play better. You have to execute better. You have to play defense. You have to throw strikes. And you have to do it consistently through the course of 30 games to have a good regular season because you're going to take some lumps."
After Arkansas beat Grambling State 3-2 Wednesday at Baum Stadium, Van Horn reminded his players about the SEC grind.
"It's not about one weekend," Van Horn said. "It's about 10 weekends and just finding a way to win enough ballgames to get yourself in the hunt when May gets here."
South Carolina's scheduled starters for Saturday and Sunday are freshmen right-handers Braden Webb (3-1, 1.80 ERA) and Adam Hill (4-0. 0.47 ERA).
"I don't look at them as freshmen," Holbrook said. "Those guys are in our starting rotation have earned the right."
Van Horn said Arkansas plans to start sophomore right-hander Keaton McKinney (0-0, 6.46 ERA) Sunday. He hasn't announced Saturday's starter, but said it could be freshman right-hander Barrett Loseke (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who has pitched 10 2/3 innings.
Arkansas closer Zach Jackson (1-1, 2.19 ERA, 3 saves) should be rested and ready after not pitching since going three innings last Friday in a 3-2 victory over Western Illinois
"I know that with Jackson, if they have a lead late in the game it's very, very difficult because he's probably the most dominant closer in college baseball," Holbrook said. "Taccolini is going to get them off to a good start.
"In our battles with Arkansas over the years you just have to play good sound baseball and good defense and not give them anything. If you don't play good defense and you give them free bases either with walks or errors, you're in for a long night."
Arkansas third baseman Carson Shaddy (.391, 5 home runs, 18 RBI) said he's watched video of Schmidt pitching and is impressed with his fastball location and movement.
"I'm really excited for the competition," Shaddy said. "I can't wait."
Taccolini said he's not putting extra pressure on himself facing Schmidt.
"I know my team's got my back and I've got their backs," Taccolini said. "I've just got to go out there and do my job, and I know they'll do theirs."
Sports on 03/18/2016