Nolan Belcher Out for the Season

South Carolina junior LHP Nolan Belcher will miss the entire 2011 season as he will soon have surgery on his left arm for a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament which is commonly referred to as Tommy John surgery. Belcher made eleven appearances (six starts) while going 3-1 with a 2.43 ERA last season for the defending national champions. He had a solid summer with the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod Baseball League in seven appearances (one start) with a 1-0 record and a 1.93 ERA. He was outstanding as he struck out 15 batters in 9.1 innings of work.

Belcher was expected to help solidify the South Carolina pitching staff which lost their top two starting pitchers. We should see how this affects the team this year.