Southern Miss coach Christian Ostrander confirmed on Wednesday that right-handed pitcher Will Armistead will miss the rest of the season.
Armistead experienced discomfort in his arm after his outing on Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe, which was later ruled to be an acute chronic tear in his UCL.
“It was an old injury that has hardened up before, but it tore again,” Ostrander said. “He has the capability of having another year. At this stage of the game, it’s hard to think that it would be in time for next season. The reconstruction of the UCL is a good 12 months, but that could file for a redshirt next year. He could come back for Year 6 if he would like, and we are certainly going to provide that opportunity for him.”
According to Ostrander, Armistead experienced arm issues in junior college and dealt with arm discomfort at the beginning of last season, which prompted them to shut down for half the year.
“A partial tear of a UCL ligament; I pitched with one my senior year; you can still do it. It may not feel great, but he shut down and rested then. What happened is that it kind of heals itself and then lasted him to this point. This surgery will require a reconstruction by probably getting a ligament out of his knee or wherever it might be.”
Armistead has made nine starts, primarily as the Golden Eagles’ Sunday starter. Armistead held a 5.49 ERA, struck out 57 batters, walked 14 in 41 innings. Parker had yet to pitch this season.
Sophomore Jackson Parker will also miss this season as he will have a second Tommy John surgery.
“He had his (first surgery) in high school, and it never felt great to him,” Ostrander said. “He had an abnormal amount of scar tissue, and it was always swollen. That scar tissue and irritation would irritate the Ulnar nerve. It was decided to go back and redo it so he is obviously out. Jackson does have a future. I don’t know when it’s going to be, but it’s going to happen.”
The total of Southern Miss pitchers out for the season grows to three as true freshman McCarty English was ruled out for the year earlier this month. English had a successful surgery last week.
“This can create a cooler story,” Ostrander said. “I feared this with Will after Saturday. You use that prod to guys on who is going to step up.
“At the beginning of the year, we felt like the depth was there. These guys showed us through the fall and leading up to (the season) so many promising things. But some of them haven’t lived up to it, to be honest with you. That’s on them and that’s their job, but some of it has been from the injury factor.”
On a positive note, infielder Seth Smith had his cast taken off on Tuesday after having hamate surgery last month. Left-handed reliever Landon Payne is also on pace to return after dealing with an minor tear in his shoulder.
“There are going to be blessings from this,” Ostrander said. “Sometimes you don’t see them right away.
“This could be an opportunity for (younger guys) to grow and help us now and be successful. But also grow for next year and beyond.”
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