South Carolina baseball injuries, pitching rotation for series vs Kentucky

COLUMBIA — No. 21South Carolina baseball is coming off a series loss against No. 2 Arkansas and hosts another top-five opponent but will be without its starting shortstop.

South Carolina coach Mark Kingston said Thursday that Will Tippett will not play against No. 5 Kentucky, as he is still in concussion protocol and also nursing a minor knee injury, both of which occurred last weekend.

The Gamecocks (27-13, 9-9 SEC) begin the three-game series against the Wildcats (32-7, 15-3) at Founders Park on Friday (3 p.m., SEC Network).

South Carolina baseball injuries and lineup adjustments

Freshman Lee Ellis will replace Tippett. Ellis has played in 15 games with 20 fielding chances and four errors.

"I think (Ellis) is ready to go," infielder Parker Noland said. "I think he is very capable of playing at this level, at a very high level. He's one of the most talented freshman shortstops I've seen in a very long time ... I think he's going to take off ... he's very fast, he has a really strong arms, clean shortstop, clean actions, I think he has the ability to be really great."

Pitcher Roman Kimball, a redshirt sophomore, left last Friday's game against the Razorbacks with a thumb injury. Kingston said Kimball is ready to go this week, practicing very well and recovering from the fluke injury.

"Hopefully he pitches just as well but is able to go much further into the game," Kingston said.

Kingston said Kimball will start Friday and Eli Jones on Saturday. He has not decided who will start Sunday.

Jones is a junior and has a 3-1 record with a 3.89 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 49⅓ innings. He's allowed only one home run.

What to expect in Gamecocks vs. No. 5 Kentucky

The Wildcats are known for stealing bases. The Gamecocks say they are prepared.

"You need to make sure the other team knows you are going to be aware that it's one of their weapons ... we are aware of it and we will be prepared," said Kingston. "You hope you can do a good job making sure that isn't part of the game that really hurts you."

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Mark Kingston said its a matter of one play for South Carolina baseball

The series against Arkansas wasn't the only time South Carolina came up on the losing end of a close game. It's been a bit of a trend this season. The Gamecocks lost 5-4 to No. 4 Clemson twice, 6-3 to now-No. 1 Texas A&M and 5-4 to Ole Miss.

"We have to get over that hump," Kingston said. "We keep playing toe to toe with all the best teams in the country but we need to win one of these series against one of these top five teams. Most of the time its a matter of one more hit, one more play on defense, making one more pitch ... All these games are coming down to one play on either side and we need to be the ones to get that one more play on the positive side."

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina baseball: Injury updates, pitchers for Kentucky series