Pankake Hurt During Game at Citadel

South Carolina freshman shortstop Joey Pankake of Easley suffered a strained left shoulder Tuesday night in the Gamecocks’ 7-3 win against The Citadel at Joseph Riley Park in Charleston.

Pankake, who ranks second on team with a .353 batting average, had to leave his at-bat in the seventh inning with a 2-2 count following a swing and miss. He was 2-for-3 at the plate in the game with two RBIs and his first steal of the season. See the box score attached.

The two-time all-state player and member of the South Carolina/North Carolina Select All-Star team while at Easley High School was ranked by Diamond Prospects as the No. 1 shortstop and No. 3 all-around prospect in the state.

Baseball America had Pankake as the fourth-best high school player in the state.

South Carolina (18-7, 1-5 Southeastern Conference) has a three-game series Friday through Sunday at Vanderbilt, then plays April 4 at the College of Charleston before a three-game set next weekend at home against Tennessee.