Facing another top SEC pitching staff, why the Gamecocks might switch up rotation
Against Vanderbilt last weekend, South Carolina baseball’s starting pitching was good, just not quite as good as two of the nation’s best pitchers in Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. Now, as the No. 25 Gamecocks return home to face a Florida staff loaded with arms, USC might make adjustments to its own rotation.
USC coach Mark Kingston announced Wednesday that while redshirt junior Thomas Farr and senior Brannon Jordan will continue to pitch Friday and Saturday as they have all year, Sunday’s starter is still to be determined.
Redshirt sophomore Julian Bosnic, who started four series finales, could still pitch Sunday against the Gators, Kingston said.
“This is just trying to do what’s best for our team based on how guys are trending. ... Bosnic is still a very important piece of our weekend and getting a lot of innings,” Kingston said. “We’re just gonna keep our options open and see how the series develops.”
Should Bosnic not start Sunday, the seemingly natural replacement would be junior Brett Kerry. Kerry entered the season as the team’s closer, but he has starting experience and was sharp in extended innings in the series finale against Vanderbilt. Bosnic was lifted after 3 1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs, but Kerry went 5 2/3 shutout frames, striking out 10, walking none and giving up just three hits to hold the Commodores in check while the Gamecock offense rallied for a 6-5 win.
Kingston played coy when asked Wednesday whether Kerry would get the start against Florida, but he did praise the junior’s versatility as a pitcher, comparing him to utility player Braylen Wimmer.
“He’s kind of the Wimmer of the pitching staff. Wimmer can play first, second, center, left short, third, he can play anywhere. And so I would say Kerry gives us the flexibility to start him, use him in the middle of the game, close him,” Kingston said. “He’s a Swiss army knife. So we want to try to use him to get the most important outs and the most of those outs that we possibly can, so we’ll see how that goes.”
Kerry, for his part, doesn’t seem particularly bothered whether he starts or not.
“Whenever’s my name is called, I’m just ready to go in. However I can best help the team, that’s kind of where I can go in to pitch,” he said Wednesday. “I feel like I can throw my best in the closing role or the starting role.”
Pitching is likely to be a key focus again this weekend, as the No. 5 Gators feature two top-end starters in juniors Tommy Mace and Jack Leftwich. Both are 4-0 to start this season with ERAs under 2.20. On Sunday, freshman lefty Hunter Barco has struggled a little bit, but he also boasts impressive stuff, with 38 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.
“I’m very familiar with Tommy Mace from USA Baseball a couple summers ago, he was on the team,” Kingston said. “And I also go back to knowing him from when we were in Tampa. That’s where he’s from and so we recruited him some there before he decided to go to Florida. He’s an obviously outstanding pitcher, as is Leftwich, as is Barco. It’s a very similar pitching staff. Obviously Vanderbilt’s pitching staff is one of the top in the country, and I would put Florida right there with them.”
South Carolina’s lineup has struggled against some of the very best arms in the country already this season in Rocker, Leiter and Texas’ Ty Madden. Now, Kingston is banking on those struggles paying dividends.
“I just think it teaches guys adjustments they need to make to hit that kind of velocity, to hit that kind of breaking stuff. So you just hope that it’s a learning process and every week you get a little bit better with it,” Kingston said.
NEXT USC BASEBALL GAME
Who: No. 25 South Carolina (13-6, 1-2 SEC) vs. No. 5 Florida (16-5, 3-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Founders Park in Columbia
Watch: Streaming online on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN
