NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — A key Big South Conference series opens Friday when the High Point Panthers visit the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Buccaneer Ballpark.

First pitch is scheduled for the evening. The forecast calls for cloudy skies and a temperature near 80 degrees.

High Point (24-12) enters with the better overall record, but is coming off a 10-4 road loss to North Carolina A&T on Tuesday. The Panthers had won four of their previous five, including a conference series win over Radford last weekend.

Charleston Southern (21-14) looks to rebound after a 15-5 home loss to The Citadel on Tuesday. The Buccaneers took two of three from South Carolina Upstate in their most recent conference series.

A player to watch for High Point is reliever Jack Carey. The right-hander has been excellent lately, allowing just two hits and one earned run over his last 11 innings spanning six appearances. In Tuesday’s loss, he provided 2 2/3 hitless innings of relief.

For Charleston Southern, catcher Cross Yarborough brings power. He hit a two-run homer in his only at-bat Tuesday against The Citadel. He has three hits in his last five official plate appearances, driving in three runs.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-4 victory for High Point.

The series continues Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Buccaneer Ballpark.