[5/23/03]HOOVER, Ala. Taylor Tankersley’s role in this year’s Southeastern Conference Tournament is decidedly different than last season’s.

The sophomore from Warren Central came out of the bullpen to work 1/3 of an inning in the Tide’s 9-7 win over South Carolina in the opening round Thursday.

It was just last season, though, that Tankersley got the win in the opener against Mississippi State.

“It takes some adjustment to get used to coming out of the bullpen,” Tankersley said.

Tankersley set the Alabama freshman record a season ago with seven saves to go along with his eight wins. In 2003, though, he has struggled through a 6-4 season. He started the year as the Tide’s top starter only to be bumped to the Saturday starting spot, and eventually the bullpen.

That is where Tankersley is expected to see all of his action in this year’s tournament.

The Crimson Tide (34-22) are expected to receive an NCAA Regional bid, and Tankersley will play through the end of the season.

This summer, though, is different.

The lefty said he plans on taking the offseason to rehab a tired throwing arm and reclaim some of the focus that made him such a dominating high school pitcher.

“I’m going to stay at home, rest and rejuvenate myself,” said Tankersley, who said he hasn’t taken a summer off from baseball since he was about 11 years old. “I’m tired physically and mentally. A lot of people don’t really know how draining it is mentally.

“Right now, my mechanics are not very sound, and mentally I am not as sharp as I should be.”

He turned down offers to try out for the USA Baseball team, and will not play in the Cape Cod League, which he did last summer.

Instead, Tankersley will spend the summer in Tuscaloosa, Ala., getting stronger and resting an arm that hasn’t seen much rest in a long, long while.

“I’ll find something to do,” Tankersley said with a chuckle.

In his outing against South Carolina, Tankersley relieved starter Jared Woodward in the bottom of the fifth with the Tide clinging to a 6-5 lead. He got the first batter he faced, Kevin Melillo, to ground out to second with a runner on base to escape a jam.

Justin Harris singled off Tankersley in the bottom of the sixth, and scored on All-American Brian Buscher’s deep triple. Tankersley walked catcher Landon Powell and left the game before the next batter got to the plate.

“I didn’t throw very good two-strike pitches,” Tankersley said. “Harris hit a fastball and I hung a slider to Buscher. He’s certainly not one you want to hang a slider to.”