State schedule, Feb 10-16

The state's 10 NCAA Division I baseball teams begin their seasons on Friday, with all but Clemson spending the weekend at home.

Coach Erik Bakich's third squad is ranked in all of the major preseason polls and opens play on a big stage. The Tigers are playing in the Shriners Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field - home of the Major League Texas Rangers - Arlington.

Clemson opens with Oklahoma State at noon Friday, follows that with Arizona at noon Saturday and closes with Ole Miss at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The other two teams in the field are Texas and Louisville. All games are scheduled to be video streamed on the FloSports subscription service.

Tigers outfielder Cam Cannarella and pitcher Aidan Knaak have received preseason all-American recognition and are expected to be among the squad's leaders.

Six coaching changes at DI schools last season have moved Bakich up to third place in longevity for state coaches at their current schools.  Only Elton Pollock at Presbyterian and Chad Holbrook at College of Charleston have been at their positions longer.

 
Former Air Force, Notre Dame and LSU coach Paul Mainieri was lured out of retirement with the assignment of taking South Carolina back to the College World Series for the first with time since 2010-12. Southeastern Conference coaches picked Carolina to finish 14th of 16 teams this season.

USC opens with a home series against Sacred Heart.

The Gamecocks are counting on offensive production from Ethan Petry, who also got preseason all-American notice. Carolina's fate rests on a pitching staff without many proven starters and a bunch of transfers. Roster cards may be in great demand at Founders' Park.

Former national championship Gary Gilmore retired at Coastal Carolina after last season, with Kevin Schnall being promoted to replace him. Catcher Caden Bodine, another preseason all-American, is expected to play a vital role

The Chanticleers open with their annual Baseball at the Beach event, joined by Washington, Kansas State and St. Joseph's.

The Citadel hired former Clemson player Russell Triplett from Newberry to try to changes its fortunes.  Up I-26, Karl Kuhn replaced Marc MacMillan at Charleston Southern. The Bulldogs and Buccaneers share games with Illinois Chicago and Miami (Ohio) over the weekend.

Mike McGuire stayed in the Big South Conference with a move from USC Upstate to Winthrop. His new team opens at home against Merrimack.  Kane Sweeney, promoted to replace McGuire at the helm of the Spartans, opens with a home series against a Boston College team coached by former Wofford coach Todd Interdonato.

Speaking of Wofford, the Terriers of coach J.J. Edwards open their bid for a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament with a home series against Ohio.

Rounding out Division I openers, Presbyterian plays host to Georgetown and College of Charleston is at home against VCU.

Benedict becomes the state's final NCAA Division II to opens its season, going to Claflin on Thursday.

Other weekday matchups of state teams include a pair of games moved from Tuesday to Monday. Anderson is at Limestone and Spartanburg Methodist plays host to Columbia International in a game moved from the Midlands.

On Tuesday, Claflin visits Erskine. 

Also:

* The annual Swig & Swine Classic at Shipyard Park near Charleston features six out-of-state Division I teams.
* Florence-Darlington Tech, which played a couple of challenging tournaments in Florida the past two weekends, plays host to the Stinger Invitational on campus and at CarolinaBank Field.

* League play begins for Appalachian Athletic Conference, Conference Carolinas and South Atlantic Conference teams this weekend.
* Morris has an interesting week. The Hornets play Miles in a doubleheader at Birmingham's Rickwood Field on Tuesday, then face Fisher in doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday at the Big League Camp near Marion, N.C.

Monday, Feb.10

Bluefield JV at Columbia International JV, DH, noon

Erskine JV at Emmanuel JV, DH, 4 p.m.

Anderson at Limestone, 5 p.m.

Columbia International at Spartanburg Methodist, 6 p m.

Tuesday, Feb. 11

Francis Marion at Augusta, 2 p.m.

Savannah State at USC Beaufort, 3 p.m.

Canceled
Carolina University at Voorhees, DH

Morris at Miles, DH

Postponed
Claflin at Erskine, to March 11 at Orangeburg
Lenoir-Rhyne at Southern Wesleyan, to March 4
Montreat at Bob Jones

P27 Academy at USC Sumter, to March 26

USC Salkehatchie at Georgia Highlands, to March 5

Wednesday, Feb. 12

Gardner-Webb JV at Erskine JV, DH, TBA

USC Lancaster at Cleveland CC, 1 p.m.

Barton at Coker, 3 p.m.

Florence-Darlington Tech at Francis Marion JV, DH, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 13

Voorhees at Stillman, 2:30 p.m.

Pikeville at Columbia International, 6 p.m.
Postponed

Benedict at Claflin

Friday, Feb. 14

Emmanuel at Erskine, DH, 11 a.m.

Francis Marion at Mount Olive, DH, noon

North Greenville at Shorter, DH, noon

Pikeville at Columbia International, DH, noon

USC Lancaster at Rockingham CC, DH, noon

Merrimack at Winthrop, DH, 12:30 p.m.

Georgetown at Presbyterian, DH, 1 p.m.

Limestone at Lincoln Memorial, DH, 1 p.m.
Ohio Dominican at Coker, DH, 1 p.m.

USC Sumter at Brunswick CC, 1 p.m.

Voorhees at Stillman, DH, 1 p.m.

Johnson University at Spartanburg Methodist, DH, 2 p.m.
Boston College at USC Upstate, 3 p.m.

Catawba at Anderson, DH, 3 p.m.
Tusculum at Newberry, DH, 3 p.m.

UIC at The Citadel, 3 p.m.

Ohio at Wofford, DH, 3:30 p.m.

Miami (Ohio) at Charleston Southern, 4 p.m.

Sacred Heart at South Carolina, 4 p.m.

Seton Hill at USC Aiken, 4 p.m.

Southern Wesleyan at Belmont Abbey, 4 p.m.

VCU at College of Charleston, 4 p.m.

Mars Hill at Lander, 5 p.m.

USC Beaufort at Florida Southern, 6 p.m.

Canceled

Mott CC at USC Union, DH

 

Baseball at the Beach

Springs Brooks Stadium, Conway

Washington vs. Kansas State, 11 a.m.

St. Joseph's at Coastal Carolina, 4 p.m.

Shriners Children's College Showdown

Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

Clemson vs. Oklahoma State, noon

Arizona vs. Ole Miss, 4 p.m.
Texas vs. Louisville, 8 p.m.

Stinger Invitational
CarolinaBank Field, Florence

Harford at Florence-Darlington Tech, 3 p.m.
East Georgia vs. Monroe CC, 6:30 p.m.

Swig & Swine Classic

Shipyard Park, Mount Pleasant

Detyens Field

Towson vs. Ball State, 11:30 a.m.

UAB vs. Maryland, 4:30 p.m.

Wando River Field

Mercyhurst vs. UMass Lowell, noon

Sparrow Stadium, Florence
Shepherd vs. UNC Pembroke, DH, 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15

Seton Hill at USC Aiken, DH, 11 a.m.

Emmanuel at Erskine, noon

Fisher vs. Morris, DH, Marion, NC (Big League Camp), noon

Francis Marion at Mount Olive, noon

Mars Hill at Lander, noon

North Greenville at Shorter, noon

Ohio Dominican at Coker, DH, noon

Southern Wesleyan at Belmont Abbey, DH, noon

USC Sumter at Brunswick CC, DH, noon

Miles at Benedict, DH, 1 p.m.

Tusculum at Newberry, 1 p.m.

USC Beaufort at Florida Southern, 1 p.m.

UIC at Charleston Southern, 1:30 p.m.

Boston College at USC Upstate, 2 p.m.

Merrimack at Winthrop, 2 p.m.

Miami (Ohio) at The Citadel, 2 p.m.

Sacred Heart at South Carolina, 2 p.m.

VCU at College of Charleston, 2 p.m.

Georgetown at Presbyterian, 4 p.m.

TBA

Limestone at Lincoln Memorial

Ohio at Wofford

Canceled

Lackawanna at USC Sumter
Mott CC at USC Union, DH

Baseball at the Beach

Springs Brooks Stadium, Conway

Washington vs. St. Joseph's, 11 a.m.
Kansas State at Coastal Carolina, 3:30 p.m

Shriners Children's College Showdown

Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

Clemson vs. Arizona, noon
Louisville vs. Oklahoma State, 4 p.m.
Ole Miss vs. Texas, 8 p.m.

Stinger Invitational,  Florence
CarolinaBank Field

East Georgia vs. Harford CC, 11 a.m.

Gaston College vs. East Georgia, 1:30 p.m.

Gaston College vs. Harford CC, 4 p.m.

Dailey Field

Monroe CC at Florence-Darlington Tech, DH, noon

Swig & Swine Classic

Shipyard Park, Mount Pleasant

Detyens Field

Maryland vs. Ball State, noon

UMass-Lowell vs. Ball State, 4 p.m.

Wando River Field

Mercyhurst vs. UAB, noon

Towson vs. UAB, 4 p.m.

Sparrow Stadium, Florence
Shepherd vs. UNC Pembroke, 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 16

Fisher vs. Morris, DH, noon, Marion, NC (Big League Camp)

USC Lancaster at Rockingham CC, DH, noon

Mars Hill at Lander, noon

Sacred Heart at South Carolina, noon

Boston College at USC Upstate, 1 p.m.

Miami (Ohio) at The Citadel, 1 p.m.

UIC at Charleston Southern, 1 p.m.

USC Beaufort at Florida Southern, 1 p.m.

VCU at College of Charleston, 1 p.m.

Miles at Benedict, 2 p.m.

Catawba at Anderson, 4 p.m.

TBA

Limestone at Lincoln Memorial

Ohio at Wofford

Baseball at the Beach

Springs Brooks Stadium, Conway

Kansas State vs. St. Joseph's, 11 a.m.
Washington at Coastal Carolina, 3:30 p.m.

Shriners Children's College Showdown

Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

Louisville vs. Arizona, 11:30 p.m.
Clemson vs. Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m.
Oklahoma State vs. Texas, 7:30 p.m.

Stinger Invitational, Florence

CarolinaBank Field
East Georgia vs. Monroe CC, 11 a.m.
Dailey Field
Harford at Florence-Darlington Tech, 11 a.m.

Swig & Swine Classic

Shipyard Park, Mount Pleasant

Detyens Field

UAB vs. Ball State, 10 a.m.

Mercyhurst vs. Maryland, 1 p.m.

Wando River Field

UMass-Lowell vs. Towson, 11 a.m.