Brett Kerry was always used to pitching.

From summer ball to fall practice to in-season, there haven’t been many moments in his life where he couldn’t play baseball.

So when he was sidelined this recovering from an oblique injury, it was quite the adjustment for the freshman All-American.

“Torture,” as he described sitting out. “Absolute torture knowing every day and watching everybody get to throw their bullpens and face other hitters. You just have to take it for what it is and do the best you can with what you have.”

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Kerry was taking the fall slow after straining a muscle, biding his time until he could uncork again once spring practice started.

Now that day is here.

Kerry is scheduled to pitch this weekend as the Gamecocks begin their spring practices three weeks before opening day.

He didn’t play any summer ball, spending some time in Columbia getting stronger.

This weekend’s appearance will be the first time Kerry faces live hitters with people in the stands since a two-run, four-strikeout performance at Mississippi State on the final day of the regular season last year.

He says his body feels 100 percent and he’s itching to get out there.

“I feel the best I’ve ever felt. I feel stronger, I feel more athletic on the mound and I just feel a lot more comfortable with my pitches,” he said. “It’s definitely the best I’ve ever felt.”

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It’s no question Kerry will have an integral part in the Gamecock pitching staff this season coming off a stellar freshman season, but now it’s about how his piece fits into the bigger puzzle.

Kerry has a chance to do a lot of different things but it seems the two most likely options are to be used as a weekend starter or a back-of-the-bullpen pitcher.

He’s entering the spring with the mentality of winning one of the two starting spots up for grabs but will be happy with helping the team.

“They said they’ll give me a shot at starter,” he said. “They put it on my plate that if I pitch and do what I can we’ll see where I’m at; they haven’t told me or guaranteed anything. They don’t do that. It’s however you play, they decide from there.”

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Last year, after a rough fall, Kerry stepped up as arguably the best pitcher on the Gamecocks’ staff, doing a little bit of everything.

He’d finish tied for the team lead with four wins, lead the team in saves with seven and throw the third-most innings behind Reid Morgan and Cam Tringali.

His 2.62 ERA was the best on the team among players with at least two innings pitched (Ridge Chapman didn’t allow a run in 1.2 innings last season).

It was enough to earn him multiple Freshman All-American honors and a nod on the SEC’s All-Freshman team, and now he’s hoping to build on it and get even better.

“It was a blast. Obviously I would have loved to start every single game because I feel like that’s what I can do best,” he said. “Getting to relieve and knowing I’m helping the team do what’s best is the best.”