Alabama at South Carolina Preview

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — The Alabama Crimson Tide (33-17, SEC) visit the South Carolina Gamecocks (22-28, SEC) on Saturday evening at Carolina Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The forecast calls for 70 degrees and cloudy skies.

Alabama won the series opener 8-3 on Friday behind a dominant start from right-hander Tyler Fay. Fay threw seven shutout innings, allowing no hits and one earned run while striking out 10. The junior is 3-1 in his last four starts with a 4.50 ERA over 23 2/3 innings.

First baseman Luke Vaughn drove in three runs Friday with two home runs. Shortstop Justin Lebron also homered and drove in three.

South Carolina, which has lost six of its last seven games, will look to even the series. The Gamecocks dropped their last SEC series at LSU, getting swept in three games.

South Carolina right-hander Josh Gregoire has appeared in seven games this season, posting a 2.70 ERA across nine innings. He struck out three in 1 2/3 innings of relief Friday, allowing one hit and no runs.

The Gamecocks are hitting .249 as a team and averaging 5.0 runs per game.

Alabama has won four of its last five games. The Crimson Tide are hitting .284 as a team and averaging 6.8 runs per game.

The Interstat game simulator projects a 5-3 Alabama victory. Interstat’s ELO system gives Alabama a 61 percent probability to win.

After Saturday, the teams conclude the three-game series Sunday. Alabama then returns home for a three-game set against Mississippi starting Thursday. South Carolina hosts Winthrop on Tuesday before traveling to Vanderbilt for a three-game series starting Thursday.