CCU coach Gary Gilmore said Tuesday that he plans to move Big South pitcher of the year Matt Rein to the bullpen for the start of the NCAA regionals this week.
Rein, who started the season as a reliever/spot starter before emerging as a key cog in the weekend rotation, is 9-2 with a 1.78 earned run average this season. The senior lefty gives Gilmore another proven veteran option in the bullpen during a series where every game carries great significance.
"The thing with Matty, he gives us a guy that can get righties and lefties out and I don't have to make so many moves," Gilmore said. "I can leave him in there two or three innings if I need a bridge guy to get to the end of the game. I think at least early on, the first game or two, he'll probably be that guy. And from there, we'll just see. When we get to game three, it will be the freshest arm and the best matchup and we'll just go with it."
Gilmore had previously moved sophomore starter Josh Conway to a late-innings role due to the Chants' struggles in one-run games. And with the team's season on the line, he feels most confident having his best arms available to finish off wins.
It also helps that junior lefty Keith Hessler (2-2, 3.51 ERA) and junior righty Jordan Coons (5-3, 1.21 ERA) haved proved capable of delivering clutch starts when called upon. Both guys came out of the bullpen to deliver key starts in the Big South tournament last week, and could be asked to do the same this weekend.
If Coastal were to face Clemson in the second game of the regional, Gilmore would likely call upon Hessler as the lefty would give the Chants a favorable matchup.
| Ryan Young, ryoung@thesunnews.com
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