Mark Kingston updates Braylen Wimmer's injury status

In the seventh inning of South Carolina's 8-3 loss to Auburn, the Gamecocks lost their starting shortstop for the night. Senior shortstop Braylen Wimmer grounded out to his counterpart, and came up limping after the play as he tried to make his way back to the home dugout.

He did not return to action, leaving with what head coach Mark Kingston confirmed post-game was a hamstring injury.

"We'll find out," he said on the injury status.

The injury forced more infield juggling for the team that has already had its other three opening day infield starters miss time at various points in the last month. After Wimmer's departure Kingston moved third baseman Michael Braswell over to shortstop, pulled Cole Messina from behind the plate to play third base and had to bring Jonathan French in at catcher to take Messina's place.

All of this comes with regular second baseman Will McGillis already injured and freshman Will Tippett taking his place. If Wimmer is unable to play moving forward, the options will as thin as they have been all season, although they are hoping that third baseman Talmadge LeCroy might be able to go while he recovers from his own hamstring injury. Kingston said LeCroy was available to pinch hit this weekend in his pre-series press conference, but Wimmer's injury might force his hand.

"We'll have to see," Kingston said. "He felt as good today as he had in awhile, so it's a possibility. You also may see Messina go over to third like we finished the game. We're going to look at it, we're going to have to get creative. The good thing is we've got a really good group of guys that are willing to do whatever this team needs, and we've got enough decent athletes that have some flexibility that we'll have to figure something out."

Messina did not get any defensive chances in his two innings of work, but he did play at both corner infield spots throughout the team's pre-season scrimmages.

"I played there all of high school," Messina said. "Wherever coach puts me, I'm just going to do my best and hope for the best."

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