Spartanburg, SC - The Stetson baseball team returns to ASUN play at USC Upstate this weekend, a place where Hatters teams have enjoyed success in the past, winning eight times in 12 games, going back to a series sweep in 2009.

The series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday at Harley Park. The second game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday with the series finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m. There is a strong chance that the teams will play a double-header on Saturday in advance of thunderstorms expected to roll through the Upstate area throughout the day on Sunday.

All three games are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN3.

Stetson has won three of its four series at Harley Park, with the only series loss coming in 2015 when the Spartans won two of three games.

Hatters coach Steve Trimper has never faced USC Upstate in his coaching career but enters play this weekend three wins shy of 500 for his career.

In Stetson's three-game sweep of the Spartans in DeLand last year, Jacob Koos had a good series, going 4-for-8 at the plate with a triple, three RBI and three runs. Stetson pitchers held the Spartans top two hitters - Zach Krider and Charlie Carpenter - to just two hits in 20 at bats. The Stetson pitching staff allowed Upstate to score just five earned runs - 10 total -  in the three games last year with 18 strikeouts.

Junior Brooks Wilson went 5.0 innings in his start, allowing one run on four hits. Sophomore Logan Gilbert went 3.1 IP in his start, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits. Sophomore Jack Perkins appeared in relief, allowing three runs, one earned on five hits in 2.2 innings. Stetson was charged with nine errors in the three games against the Spartans last year, resulting in the five unearned runs. The Spartans had seven errors in the series.

Spartans starters Jordan Miller and Kevin Hickey both pitched against the Hatters last year. Miller pitched two innings in relief, allowing a run on three hits. Hickey worked three innings in a start, allowing three runs on three hits.

The Hatters enter this weekend ranked second in the nation, tied with UL Lafayette, in total strikeouts with 393. USF (398) holds the national lead, due in part to the 14 strikeouts the Bulls posted against Stetson last week. Arkansas (392) is fourth.

Stetson is sixth in strikeouts per nine innings, averaging 10.0 per game. USF leads the nation with 10.6 K/9.

At the current pace, the Hatters will break the school record for strikeouts in a season (485) for a second straight year.

Wilson currently leads the nation with 87 Ks so far this year. He posted a pair of strikeouts in an inning of work at FSU on Wednesday, giving him 201 in his career. He is tied with The Citadel's J.P. Sears entering play this weekend. Gilbert ranks seventh with 81 Ks and Perkins is tied for 15th with 75.

Wilson is 21 strikeouts away from tying Williard Brown (1992-93) from 10th on the Stetson career list. He is 13 Ks away from hitting the Stetson season top 10. Lenny DiNardo had the two best single-season strikeout totals in school history with 132 in 2000 and 131 in 2001.

There are a total of 17 players across the nation with at least 75 strikeouts this year. No team other than Stetson has more than one pitcher to have hit that mark.

Stetson pitchers allowed three home runs in the 7-3 loss to Florida State on Wednesday. It was the second time this year the Hatters have allowed three homers in a game (Tulane on March 26). Stetson has a record of 6-7 on the season when a Hatters player hits a home run. The Hatters are just 3-10 on the year when their opponents hit a home run.

Sophomore Jack Gonzalez hit his fourth home run of the year on Wednesday, tying him with Austin Bogart for the team lead.

Over the last five games, junior catcher Austin Hale is hitting .350 with a double and a triple. Mike Spooner and Andrew MacNeil are both hitting .333 over that same stretch. Over those last five games, the Hatters are 1-4 with a 6.14 team ERA.

Senior Tyler Keller enters play this weekend one appearances shy of 100 for his career, which will tie him for fifth in Stetson history with Joe Dye. Stetson's all-time career record for pitching appearances is 151 by Tom Hickox from 1988-91.

Stetson's weekend starting pitchers allowed 11 earned runs in 18 innings of work for a 5.50 ERA in the series against Kennesaw State. The bullpen stepped up in the series, allowing four ER in 9 IP. Walks were the problem as the Hatters issued 20 in the series while KSU pitchers allowed just four.