News digest, Jan. 22

Upstate, Wofford christen new stadium

The April 1 meeting between USC Upstate and Wofford will be played at Fifth Third Park in downtown Spartanburg. The stadium was built to host the minor league Hub City Spartanburgers, who will begin their inaugural season April 15.

The Upstate-Wofford game will be the first baseball game at the facility, located between West Henry and West Main Streets downtown. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Wofford and Upstate are playing three games this season after a two-year hiatus in the rivalry.  The series will open with a March 19 game at Fluor Field in Greenville and ends with an April 15 meetings at Russell C. King Field on the Wofford campus. The teams last played three times in a season in 2017.

Fifth Third

Clemson begins preseason work

Preseason practice for Clemson's third season under coach  Erik Bakich begins this weekend. The Tigers have won 44 games each of the last two seasons and are ranked in the several preseason polls. Outfielder Cam Cannarella and pitcher Aidan Knaak are rated among the best in the country at their positions. The season begins at the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas, Feb. 14-16.

Tigers

Gamecocks set scrimmages

Weather permitting, South Carolina is holding six-inning scrimmages Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Founders Park. First pitch is at 4:15 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Gamecocks

Spartans begin work

USC Upstate has posted a season overview of its first year with Kane Sweeney as head coach. He was promoted to replace  Mike McGuire, who left to coach at Winthrop.

Spartans

Ex-Gamecocks assistant dies

Johnny Hunton, an assistant coach on South Carolina's first five College World Series teams, died Sunday at the age of 97.
Hunton

Preseason rankings/honors

* Big South

Coaches poll: 1. High Point. 2. USC Upstate. 3. Gardner-Webb. 4. Presbyterian. 5. Charleston Southern. 6. Winthrop. 7. UNC Asheville. 8. Radford.  9. Longwood.

All-conference: OF - Koby Kropf, Winthrop. IF - Chandler Tuopo, Charleston Southern; Trey Fenderson, Presbyterian. C - Jackson Hugus, Presbyterian. DH - Jake Randolph, Presbyterian. SP - Owen Sarna, Winthrop; Nick Timpanelli, Charleston Southern. RP - Cooper Ellingsworth, USC Upstate; Sean Hollister, Presbyterian; Braden Consaul, USC Upstate.

Player of the year: Koby Kropf, Winthrop.

Big South