South Carolina down one of its top pitchers heading into series with No. 1 Tennessee
Gamecocks coach Paul Mainieri said starting pitcher Dylan Eskew will be out of action for a while, including this weekend’s big series against defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Tennessee.
“This is a big blow to us,” Mainieri said on his radio show on 107.5 FM Thursday night. “We are just going to have that next man up attitude. Hopefully Jarvis Evans will step in and pitch really well.”
Eskew missed his start on Sunday after Mainieri said the pitcher was hit in the head during a home run ball while in the bullpen during batting practice on Saturday. He was placed in concussion protocol, according to Mainieri.
Mainieri said on his radio show on 107.5 FM that he hasn’t been cleared from concussion protocol but now is dealing with an oblique injury.
“When he gets hit by the ball in his head, his body jerked and reacted to it happening,” Mainieri said. “And it aggravated his abdominal muscles. So now, he has an oblique strain. And anyone who has heard about oblique strains for pitchers, it is not a couple of days injury. It could be weeks. ... It just leaves us short-handed.”
Jarvis Evans, the team’s midweek starter, took Eskew’s place on Sunday and will get the start on Saturday against the Vols. Jake McCoy will be the starting pitcher on Friday. Mainieri is undecided on who will pitch on Sunday.
Mainieri said Brandon Stone, one of the team’s weekend starters, is moving back to the bullpen.
Eskew was the Gamecocks’ opening day starter and Friday starter this year. In five starts, he is 0-1 in five-starts this season with a 1.77 ERA. The 24-year-old has struck out 22 and walked 16 in 20 ⅓ innings pitched.
USC also will be likely without second baseman Nolan Nawrocki (knees) for the rest of the season, according to Mainieri. The Clemson transfer, who has started 11 games, was hitting .216 with a homer and seven RBI.
The Gamecocks enter the weekend on a four-game losing streak after Tuesday’s loss to North Carolina.
USC baseball schedule: Upcoming games
- March 28 vs. Tennessee, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- March 29 vs. Tennessee, 4 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- March 30 vs. Tennessee, 5 p.m. (SEC Network)
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM.
