Potential infield starter will miss remainder of fall scrimmages

The Gamecocks are coming out of their third weekend a little “banged up,” according to head coach Chad Holbrook, including one potential starter having to miss the entire Fall.

Middle infielder Justin Row will undergo surgery on his knee this week and will miss the rest of the fall, Holbrook said after Sunday’s scrimmage. Row also missed the first weekend of scrimmages with injury as well. He was replaced in the seventh inning Saturday and did not play Sunday.

“Row’s had a bad knee all fall and he just couldn’t go today,” Holbrook said. “He’ll have surgery this week and he’ll be out the rest of the fall.”

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Also battling injury are catchers Hunter Taylor and John Jones. Holbrook said Fall Break, an elongated period of no classes, “couldn’t be coming at a better time.” The break comes Oct. 13-16.

“We got a number of guys that we’re trying to manage and keep some guys healthy through the fall,” Holbrook said. “Hunter’s banged up, Johnny Jones is banged up and he’s going to have to have his knee cleaned up after the fall.”

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Utility player Carlos Cortes also left Sunday’s scrimmage in the eighth inning after being hit in the knee with a pitch. He couldn’t put any weight on his leg and was helped to the clubhouse by the athletic training staff.

After the game he was limping on the leg.

“It sounded kind of bad. Usually when you get hit in the knee it hurts pretty bad at first and it calmed down,” Holbrook said. “He couldn’t walk on it when it first happened and he was walking on it by the end of today. I think he’ll be fine.”