Mark Kingston updates Cole Messina, Gamecocks' injuries
South Carolina is very close to being at full strength this weekend in a regional.
Mark Kingston said Monday Cole Messina seems like to play and Braylen Wimmer will likely shift back to shortstop and play in the field for the first time in about a month.
“It’s better. I think Cole will be ready to go and Cole will be able to go and Wimmer will be ready to play shortstop,” Kingston said. “Will Sanders is prepared to pitch this weekend. We’re about as good a shape as we’ve been in a long, long time.”
Messina didn’t have any symptoms Sunday coming off that concussion protocol and began to slowly ramp up from there. The plan, barring any setbacks, will be to have him in the lineup Friday.
“It’s a day-by-day plan,” Kingston said. “Today he was on the exercise bike then taking dry swings. Then it will just be a matter of ramping up a little bit each day.”
The Gamecocks desperately need Messina back from concussion protocol, an All-SEC catcher who is the heart and soul of this team.
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Messina is second on the team in batting average (.311), on-base percentage (.427) and slugging (.642) with 17 home runs, 63 RBI, 35 walks and 10 hit by pitches.
Despite the entire offense going in a slump the last month of the season, Messina’s been surging and playing his best ball before his head injury.
Over his last 48 SEC at-bats Messina is hitting .313/.393/.542 with 11 RBI, a .325 BABIP and just seven strikeouts.
He was just recently named to the All-SEC first team and the Gamecocks really need to get its heartbeat back behind the plate.
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Kingston also updated the status of a few other guys on the team who are banged up with relatively good news.
The Gamecocks are expected to get Braylen Wimmer back on the field in some capacity in a regional.
Wimmer, who played short before injury his hamstring, will likely slide back to the six spot. He’s been the designated hitter since coming back against Arkansas.
He’s struck out a little too much since his reinsertion into the lineup but is hitting .281/.303/.407 with three RBI in his last nine games against SEC competition.
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Chris Veach had been dealing with a hip injury but he returned to the mound last week.
His last outing came in the SEC Tournament where he pitched one scoreless inning, giving up a walk but getting his fastball up to 94 miles per hour.
Will McGillis is likely out for this weekend’s regional after re-injuring his broken arm against Charlotte a few weeks ago.
There’s no timetable for his return and his ability to get some playing time could be determined on how far South Carolina advances in the tournament.
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McGillis is hitting .286/.466/.740 this year with 10 home runs and 22 RBI. Before getting hurt he was hitting .583/.706/1.500 with three homes, nine RBI and four walks in 12 SEC at-bats.
The Gamecocks begin the NCAA Tournament Friday against No. 4 seeded Central Connecticut State in the Columbia regional.
