South Carolina baseball: Top USC-LSU storylines, watch games on TV, live stream

Founders Park will be at the center of the college baseball world this weekend.

The visiting No. 1 LSU Tigers (25-4, 6-3 SEC) will open a series against No. 6 South Carolina (27-3, 8-1) starting Thursday at 7 p.m., — a matchup sure to produce plenty of fireworks.

Mark Kingston’s squad is off to the program’s best start since 1975, but the Gamecocks have yet to face a team of LSU’s caliber. Here are key storylines for the teams heading into the series.

USC injury updates and rotation uncertainty

USC might not have senior starter Noah Hall (back) available against LSU. He was not listed among the team’s three projected starters.

Kingston said Wednesday that Hall was still undergoing tests on his back and that the Gamecocks are still “working through the process” with him. Hall has developed a reputation the last two seasons as being a big-game pitcher for USC. Not having him on the mound would be a blow, but the Gamecocks do have other options.

Last weekend at Mississippi State, the Gamecocks sat struggling ace Will Sanders, who was coming off his worst start of the season against Missouri. Sanders will return to the front of rotation this week, making the start Thursday. Right-hander Jack Mahoney will follow him, with Saturday’s starter listed as TBA.

“I’ve never seen a downside to giving a guy a chance to reset mentally and physically,” Kingston said of Sanders. “Whether it’s a hitter, whether it’s a pitcher, that can help a player. Just you clear your mind. You make a couple tweaks, if necessary, you’re fresher for the next time you go out there on the field. So for all those reasons I expect him to do well. ... I think we’ll see a really good Will Sanders out there, and I think the rest of the year when Will Sanders is on the mound for us, we’ll have a chance to win.”

If Hall doesn’t pitch, sophomore right-hander Eli Jones would be an obvious replacement after he allowed just one run in four innings while starting in place of Sanders in Starkville. Right-hander James Hicks could be a potential option to start Saturday, as well, if he isn’t needed out of the bullpen earlier in the series.

In terms of other injuries, Kingston said he expects to have outfielder Carson Hornung (foot) available in some capacity, most likely as a DH or pinch-hitter. Second baseman Will McGillis remains sidelined with a broken arm but has moved on to his second cast.

Lastly, Kingston said the Gamecocks are “on the fence” about what to do with Memphis transfer Jacob Compton (back), who is getting healthier but has yet to play this season. With just one year left of eligibility, Compton could end up redshirting, though no official decision has been made.

LSU ace will be a tough test

If he could “design a pitcher in a lab,” Kingston said Wednesday that pitcher would look a lot like LSU right-hander Paul Skenes. The 6-foot-6 former Air Force pitcher throws with high velocity and has put up video game-type numbers so far this season: 5-0, 0.81 ERA and 83 strikeouts to eight walks in 44.1 innings.

With a team ERA of 3.51, the rest of LSU’s staff shouldn’t be overlooked, but Skenes has been one of the best pitchers in the country. South Carolina catcher Cole Messina said the team is excited for the challenge of facing him.

“We’re definitely excited,” Messina said. “I mean, this guy’s said to be the best thing since Stephen Strasburg, so I think it’s a challenge for us and I think we’re excited. We’re gonna prepare today for him, and we’re gonna go get him.”

Like the Gamecocks with Hall, LSU is dealing with a pitching injury of its own, with 6-foot-8 starter Chase Shores unavailable to pitch this weekend.

Home run derby?

South Carolina comes into the weekend leading the nation with 72 home runs, led by Vanderbilt transfer Gavin Casas (14 HR) and breakout freshman star Ethan Petry (15). LSU head coach Jay Johnson joked this week that the Gamecocks look like a football team.

The Tigers have no shortage of power, either, ranking 14th nationally with 54 home runs.

LSU outfielder Dylan Crews is a national player of the year candidate with his .531 batting average and nine home runs, and two other Tigers have hit nine homers on the season, too. Former N.C. State slugger Tommy White — nicknamed “Tommy Tanks” — leads the team with 10 homers after transferring to Baton Rouge during the offseason.

USC baseball weekend schedule, weather

Forecast according to National Weather Service

Thursday: vs. No. 1 LSU, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

—Probable pitchers: RHP Will Sanders (USC) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (LSU)

—Weather: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: vs. No. 1 LSU, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

—Probable pitchers: RHP Jack Mahoney (USC) vs. RHP Ty Floyd (LSU)

—Weather: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday: vs. No. 1 LSU, 12 p.m. (SEC Network)

—Probable pitchers: TBA (USC) vs. RHP Christian Little (LSU)

—Weather: Rain. High near 52. Chance of precipitation is 90%.