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COLUMBIA (USC) -- South Carolina junior left-handed pitcher Nolan Belcher sustained an injury to his left elbow and will miss the entire 2011 season after suffering a tear in the UCL. Belcher underwent an MRI Monday afternoon and is tentatively set to undergo surgery on Thursday. He will automatically qualify for a medical redshirt and will have two years of eligibility remaining when he returns.

BELCHER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2010 – Appeared in 11 games with six starts, compiled a 3-1 record with a 2.43 ERA in 29.2 innings with 32 strikeouts and 18 walks... Two scoreless innings of relief in 11-6 win over Furman (5/18) ... Picked up a win with five no-hit innings in 17-4 win over Wofford (5/11) ... No-decision at Georgia Southern, went 3.2 innings and allowed two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 8-5 win (3/23) ... Pitched six scoreless innings and won second game of the season allowing just four hits and striking out six batters in 15-0 win at Furman (3/16) ... Earned first win of the season hurling five scoreless innings of work allowing just one infield hit while striking out seven in 15-0 win vs. Presbyterian (3/3) ... Pitched two scoreless innings of relief and allowed just one hit while striking out four in 10-3 win over Duquesne (2/19) ... Named to SEC Academic Honor Roll.

2009 – Appeared in 16 games with 13 starts, compiled a 4-5 record with a 4.57 ERA in 82.2 innings with 76 strikeouts and 41 walks … Named to SEC All-Freshman team ... Quality start in loss vs. LSU at SEC Tournament, allowed just two runs on five hits in six innings of work (5/22) ... Earned win vs. Georgia hurling 6.1 innings and allowing one run, unearned, on three hits with a career-high 11 strikeouts in 7-4 victory (5/15) ... Picked up win vs. Vanderbilt, allowed five runs on six hits in 7.1 innings of work with five strikeouts and three walks (5/2) ... Hurled first career complete game in 8-1 win at Ole Miss, allowed just one run on eight hits, struck out eight batters (4/11) ... Hurled 8.1 innings, allowed just one run on four hits in 9-1 victory over Arkansas (4/4), struck out careerhigh 9 batters ... Had 5.2 innings of work at Kentucky (3/28), limited Wildcats to one run on four hits ... 5.2 innings of relief allowing four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in 10-3 loss to Mississippi State (3/14) ... Started against Duquesne (2/22) and went fourplus innings allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts and four walks in 8-4 victory ... Named to 2009 SEC Freshmen Academic Honor Roll.