Gamecocks announce starting rotation

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL

South Carolina's weekend rotation is officially set.

The Gamecocks announced their three starters for Opening Weekend. Youth is the key theme heading into the season, as two sophomores and a freshman are the team's frontline starters.

Carmen Mlodzinski, who was the odds-on favorite to start Opening Day, will indeed get the ball to start the season as the Friday starter. Freshman Dylan Harley starts Saturday, followed by new Gamecock Reid Morgan rounding out the weekend as the Sunday starter.

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Mlodzinski, who started his freshman year coming out of the bullpen, morphed into a starter at the end of the season and turned into one of the best arms down the stretch in the postseason.

He finished with a 3-6 record in 19 appearances (seven starts) with a 5.52 ERA and a .264 batting average, and has added a cutter to his arsenal that he hopes will turn him into the ace of the Gamecocks' staff.

Harley, who committed and signed to South Carolina late in the process, stepped on campus and quickly worked his way into a starting role with a really good fall and spring. He’s getting up to 94 miles per hour on his fastball.

In his senior season at Cane Bay High School (S.C.), the lefty went 8-0 with a 1.04 ERA and struck out 111 batters.

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Morgan is in his first year with the program after pitching last season with San Jacinto where he had a 3.10 ERA in 24 appearances (one start).

The Gamecocks start their season Friday, opening against Liberty. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. on the SEC Network Plus.