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South Carolina pitcher Schmidt sidelined with elbow injury

South Carolina pitcher Clarke Schmidt tore a ligament in his right elbow and will miss the rest of the season

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April 25, 2017 5:13 pm

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina junior right-hander Clarke Schmidt will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right elbow.

He will have Tommy John surgery. Schmidt was 4-2 with a 1.34 ERA in nine starts. He was considered among the top 25 prospects for the Major League Baseball draft in June and expected to go in the first round. Gamecocks coach Chad Holbrook said he was sure Schmidt would make a “full recovery.”

Schmidt came out with elbow pain after 5 1-3 innings in his last start this past Thursday night at Florida. Tests revealed he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.

Schmidt’s older brother, Clate, played for Clemson and returned to the team in 2016 after undergoing successful treatment for cancer the summer before.