SOUTH CAROLINA (13-13) AT NO. X GEORGIA (20-6)

Preview

ATHENS, Ga. (Interstat) — The surging Georgia Bulldogs, ranked among the nation’s elite, host the .500 South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday to open a pivotal Southeastern Conference series.

First pitch at Foley Field is set for 7 p.m. EDT under clear skies and mild temperatures.

The Bulldogs (20-6, 3-3 SEC), coming off a midweek home loss to Kennesaw State, boast one of the country’s top offenses. Shortstop Kolby Branch is a central figure, having launched five home runs with 12 RBIs in his last 10 games, including a two-homer, four-RBI performance against The Citadel on March 17.

Georgia’s powerful lineup will test a South Carolina pitching staff seeking consistency. The Gamecocks (13-13, 1-5 SEC) are looking to rebound from a 9-1 loss at North Carolina on Tuesday. A bright spot in that defeat was reliever Logan Prisco, who delivered 4 1/3 hitless innings with five strikeouts. Prisco has been effective lately, allowing just one earned run over his last 9 1/3 innings spanning five appearances.

South Carolina’s season has been marked by streaks, including a recent three-game sweep at Florida where they scored only one total run. They salvaged a game against then-No. X Arkansas last weekend.

Georgia took two of three from then-No. X Texas A&M on the road in its last SEC series, showcasing its formidable potential.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-2 Georgia victory, giving the Bulldogs a 68% probability to win based on its ELO rating system.

The series continues Saturday and Sunday at Foley Field.