Pankake Will Travel to Vandy with Team

South Carolina freshman shortstop Joey Pankake from is with the Gamecocks for a weekend series at Vanderbilt but might not play because of an injury.

Pankake, who leads South Carolina with a .354 batting average, suffered a strain in his left shoulder on a swing Tuesday night at The Citadel.

“He saw one of our doctors and we think he’s going to be OK, but it is day-to-day,” South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner told members of the media on Thursday. “He is on the trip. … The good news is that it’s not going to be an injury where he is going to be out for a length of time. But in the near future, it could be touch-and-go.”

If Pankake is unable to play, he would be replaced by fellow freshman Connor Bright from Mount Pleasant (Wando High School). Bright has played in 15 games with 10 starts and is batting .216.

South Carolina (18-7, 1-5 Southeastern Conference) plays 7:30 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Nashville, Tenn. The Gamecocks then play April 4 at the College of Charleston before a home series next weekend against Tennessee.