No Crowe means a new mix for USC rotation
With top starter Wil Crowe out for the season with an elbow injury, USC coach Chad Holbrook will turn to the bullpen this week to find an arm to pitch the first game of the Vanderbilt series.
Holbrook announced Wednesday that he expects to start junior left-hander Vince Fiori on Thursday night against the Commodores. Fiori has made 19 relief appearances this season, posting a 3-0 record with two saves and a 2.45 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 22 innings.
The coach noted that Fiori had served as a starter in the Cape Cod League last summer but admitted that it might take three to five pitchers to get the team through Thursday’s game depending on how long Fiori can pitch.
“He’s been chomping at the bit to get a start. We think he’s the best option to give the ball to with his experience. He has pitched in big games before,” Holbrook said. “Everyone has the utmost respect for him. He’s been great out of the bullpen all year.”
While junior left-hander Jack Wynkoop is slated to start Friday’s game, Holbrook hasn’t decided on a Saturday starter. He’ll go with the freshest arm depending on which pitchers he must use trying to win the first two games.
Hamstrung Both junior shortstop Marcus Mooney and freshman catcher Hunter Taylor are dealing with hamstring issues. Mooney hasn’t played in the past three games, and Taylor hasn’t played in the last two. But Holbrook expects both to play this weekend, and he plans to have Mooney in the lineup Thursday.
Road warriors The road team in the USC-Vanderbilt annual series has won four of the past five times, with the Gamecocks holding ground in 2011 at Carolina Stadium. USC won the series in Nashville last season, when the Commodores would go on to win their first national championship.
Gamecocks (23-15, 6-9 SEC) vs. No. 5 Commodores (28-10, 11-4)
WHEN: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Carolina Stadium
TV: Thursday, ESPNU; Friday, SEC Network; Saturday, ESPN2
RADIO: WNKT-FM 107.5
SERIES: USC leads 51-27
LAST MEETING: The Gamecocks won two-of-three in the 2014 season.
PITCHING MATCHUPS: Thursday, USC LHP Vince Fiori, Jr., 3-0, 2.45 vs. Vanderbilt RHP Carson Fulmer, Jr., 6-1, 1.89; Friday, USC LHP Jack Wynkoop, Jr., 4-4, 3.20 vs. Vanderbilt RHP Walker Buehler, Jr., 3-0, 2.41; Saturday, USC TBA vs. Vanderbilt TBA
NOTES: USC is 19-6 on the road, while Vanderbilt is 7-2 on the road. ... At the start of the season, Vanderbilt had three of Baseball America’s Top 10 MLB draft prospects in college baseball: Fulmer, Buehler and SS Dansby Swanson (.364, 7 HR, 34 RBIs). ... In SEC hitting categories, USC 1B Kyle Martin ranks eighth in BA (.374), fifth in HR (8) and third in RBIs (39). ... The Gamecocks are hitting .262 with 216 runs, 43 doubles, 26 homers, and 45 stolen bases. The Commodores are hitting .300 with 267 runs, 75 doubles, 30 homers and 60 stolen bases. ... USC pitchers have a 3.80 ERA, .251 opponents’ batting average, and 317 strikeouts, while Vandy pitchers have a 3.01 ERA, .212 opponents’ batting average, and 385 strikeouts.
Neil White
This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 9:44 PM with the headline "No Crowe means a new mix for USC rotation."