Mark Kingston updates opening weekend rotation
Mark Kingston gave an insight into what South Carolina’s pitching rotation will look like during Opening Weekend on Tuesday’s JB and Goldwater show.
The Gamecocks’ Friday starter, Will Sanders, shouldn’t be a surprise, but with Julian Bosnic dealing with a flexor strain, the left-hander won’t pitch this weekend.
Instead, Kingston said it’s likely James Hicks will pitch Saturday and Josiah Sightler Sunday, although that’s not written in stone.
Bosnic won’t be out an extended amount of time but there is no timetable, Kingston said, for his return.
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“We’re going adhere to what the doctor and athletic trainers say,” Kingston said. “We won’t’ bring him back too early but we won’t hold him out unnecessarily long either.”
Sanders is coming off a fantastic freshman season at South Carolina where he pitched 53.1 innings with a 3.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts to 11 walks.
Hicks, a junior college arm, made 15 appearances for Crowder College with a 4.28 ERA. He struck out 89 in 90.1 innings to just 10 walks. He only gave up six home runs.
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Sightler is the lone lefty in the rotation and pitched some for the Gamecocks last season, finishing with a 4.70 ERA in just 7.2 innings. He is a two-time starter, both on midweek games.
Bosnic isn’t expected to miss extended time and will be back throwing relatively soon.
“He’s almost done with the rest period he needs to go through. It was a two-week rest period. After this week he’ll be through with the rest period and will start throwing again,” Kingston said. “It’s just a matter of when he feels strong and comfortable. We’re going to air on the side of conservative with him.”
Last season Bosnic was one of the key pieces on the pitching staff largely out of the bullpen in SEC play. He threw 50.2 innings with a 2.84 ERA and 78 strikeouts to 25 walks.
South Carolina begins its season Friday at 4 p.m. hosting UNC Greensboro in a three-game series.
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