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听 听South Carolina will face Arkansas this weekend for the first time since 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 defeated the Razorbacks to advance to last year鈥檚 College World Series final, and coach Chad Holbrook is not downplaying the budding rivalry.
鈥淲e have the utmost respect for Arkansas,鈥� Holbrook said. 鈥淎nd those games (in the CWS) were incredible games. (These are) just two really, really good baseball programs.鈥�
The No. 6 Gamecocks enter the weekend鈥檚 three-game set with an 18-3 record, including a 2-1 start to SEC play after taking their first conference loss at Missouri last weekend.听 While the team as a whole is off to a strong start, some have argued that the most dominant individual performer of the young year has been senior pitcher Nolan Belcher.
Belcher has started five games on the mound this 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 and has thrown 36 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched while only allowing only one run. Despite his coach being at a loss for words about Belcher鈥檚 early outings, the lefty has been able to maintain a humble attitude toward his recent success.
鈥淚t鈥檚 still early, obviously, and we鈥檙e not even at the halfway point yet,鈥� Belcher said. 鈥淎ll it is is a good start, and I鈥檓 throwing a lot more strikes, and I鈥檓 just going to try to maintain what I鈥檝e been doing.鈥�
Belcher鈥檚 performance as a fifth-year senior comes after a long recovery from a Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2011. Before the surgery, he was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2009.
Before Belcher takes the mound as the Saturday starter, sophomore Evan Beal will start as pitcher on Friday night. Holbrook has chosen to leave Sunday鈥檚 starter to-be-announced as he looks to replace struggling senior Colby Holmes and an injured sophomore Jordan Montgomery in the starting rotation.
鈥淚 might not know until Saturday night (who will start Sunday); I鈥檓 not leaning in any direction,鈥� Holbrook said. 鈥淏ut we feel good about who we鈥檒l be able to put out there on Sunday.鈥�
Sophomore outfielder Tanner English, who is suffering from a banged-up shoulder, is a hopeful to play this weekend while his counterpart in the outfield, junior Graham Saiko, is less optimistic as he nurses a wrist injury.
After entering the 2013 campaign as No. 1 in the pre麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 polls, Arkansas has gotten off to a rocky start. They have a 14-7 record heading into the weekend鈥檚 series against the Gamecocks. The No. 17 Razorbacks opened their SEC 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 last weekend as well, dropping two out of three to Ole Miss.
While the Razorbacks lead the all-time series 32-28, South Carolina has won eight out of the teams鈥� 11 meetings since 2010.
Holbrook said he realizes that Arkansas will need no motivation as they look to take their first conference series of the year against 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒.听
鈥淭he margin of victory in this league is very, very minute, and I would expect the games to be extremely competitive and tight and close and low-scoring this weekend,鈥� Holbrook said. 鈥淚 think they enjoy playing us, and we enjoy playing them. There鈥檚 mutual respect on both sides.鈥�
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