Carmen Mlodzinski injury update

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL

South Carolina will be without it's frontline starter for at least a month, Mark Kingston announced Friday.

Carmen Mlodzinski has a fractured foot and will be out a minimum of four to six weeks and it could be more if the foot heals slower than expected.

"It's such a fluky thing. If it was an arm injury, you'd have to say it's definitely eight weeks or 10 weeks," Kingston said. "With a foot, you just don't know how it's going to heal. We're not going to put him in harms way. If his foot heals quicker than the normal human being because he's an athlete, we'll take it from there."

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Mlodzinski injured the foot in the third inning of Friday's 5-4 win over Clemson, planting wrong on it and having to leave the game.

The sophomore had started all three Friday night games this season and is 0-0 with a 5.91 ERA.

This leaves the Gamecocks (9-2) without their frontline starter, needing to replace him for what could be an extended period of time.

They have a few options, one of which is moving Reid Morgan to the ace role on Fridays. Morgan is 2-0 this year with a 1.74 ERA. He hasn't walked a batter in 20.2 innings and is coming off an almost seven-inning, two run performance this weekend against Clemson.

"I just prepare the same," Morgan said. "I prepare just like I would if I was still throwing Sunday. If they call my name to be a Friday guy, I'll do the same thing I do getting ready for Sunday."

Kingston said after the Gamecocks' 14-3 win over the Tigers Sunday the coaching staff will evaluate where things stand heading into the weekend and decide on who is being under utilized and who could thrive in a starter role.

He was asked if Brett Kerry, who's 2-0 with two saves this year already, could be moved into that role and said right now "everything's on the table."

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"Everything is always on the table; you do what you think is best for your team," he said. "That being said, sometimes guys are so good in certain roles and you don't want to mess with it. If you can move one or two pieces instead of three or four, a lot of times that's the way to go. But, everything will be on the table."

Dylan Harley (0-1, 9.64 ERA) has started every Saturday game this year with Morgan in the Sunday role.

The Gamecocks are coming off a series win over Clemson and will host two midweek games before next weekend's series with Valparaiso.