THURSDAY SPORTS: Bobcat JV opens tonight; Furman set for trip to Conway; NFL gets underway tonight

*The Seneca Bobcat JV football team will open the 2013 season at home Thursday night. The young Bobcats will host Easley. The game is set to kickoff at 6:00 PM.

*Furman continues its early season road stretch this Saturday when it travels to Conway to take on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Kickoff at Brooks Stadium is set for 6:00 p.m. Coverage on WGOG begins with the pre-game and tailgate show at 5:00 PM. Thursday night, the Coach Bruce Fowler Show will air from the Bimini Oyster Bar in Greenville at 6:30 PM.

*The Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens will open the 2013 NFL season Thursday night in the Mile High City. The game will kickoff at 8:30 PM on NBC.

*South Carolina men’s basketball, led by second-year head coach Frank Martin, released its non-conference schedule for the 2013-14 season on Wednesday. The slate features 14 games, including seven home contests, plus one exhibition. Highlighting the non-conference schedule is a holiday tournament at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in late December, and a mid-day contest at Baylor as part of the ESPN 24-hour Hoops Marathon in early November. The full schedule can be viewed at gamecocksonline.com.

*Clemson Baseball Head Coach Jack Leggett announced the addition of nine players, who have already begun classes, on Wednesday. All nine players are eligible for the 2014 season. The newcomers include two players who were selected in the 2013 Major League draft. Infielder Eli White was a 26th-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds and catcher Chris Okey was a 31st-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres.

*In the majors on Wednesday, Kameron Loe gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings and the Atlanta Braves lost to the New York Mets 5-2 to end an otherwise strong homestand. Atlanta is off Thursday before beginning a road trip to Philadelphia.

*The Boston Red Sox hit a franchise record-tying eights home runs Wednesday night in their 20-4 pounding of the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. A franchise-record seven different Red Sox batters homered in the game, including designated hitter David Ortiz, who went long twice and also doubled for his 2,000th career hit. Boston is leading the AL East and has the best record in the league.

*Rafael Nadal advanced to the U.S. Open semifinals Wednesday with a 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 victory over 19th-seeded Tommy Robredo. In the semis, the second-seeded Spaniard will face off against eighth-seeded Richard Gasquet of France, who downed Number 4 David Ferrer of Spain 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 in their quarterfinal match.

*On the women’s side, second-seeded Victoria Azarenka and unseeded Flavia Pennetta won their quarterfinals Wednesday and will face each other in the semifinals. Azarenka had an easy time eliminating 48th-ranked Daniela Hantuchova, while Pennetta upset 10th-seeded fellow Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1.