Collegiate Baseball The Voice Of Amateur Baseball

Started In 1958 At The Request Of Our Nation’s Baseball Coaches Vol. 63, No. 6 Friday, March 20, 2020 $4.00 Big Problems May Hit Baseball If proposed transfer baseball games. In addition, there is serious concern rule is adopted in April, free agency for players will erupt by recruiting may turn into unscrupulous coaches who attempt to ‘Wild West’ with retention pilfer key players from other programs. Over recruiting will undoubtedly take becoming huge issue. place as well. These ugly scenarios actually unfolded By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR. in the past when baseball players were Editor/Collegiate Baseball allowed to transfer from one Division I school to another and were immediately NDIANAPOLIS — If the dominoes eligible. continue to fall, NCAA Division Currently the new transfer rule is II baseball players will be able to under consideration by the NCAA’s transfer and compete immediately at Transfer Waiver Working Group which other Division I schools beginning with is receiving membership feedback. the 2020-21 academic year. If the Transfer Waiver Working Serious consequences could result for Group is comfortable making a formal the sport of baseball recommendation to implement this Not only are many more transfers change, it could be approved by the likely to take place as Division I baseball Division I Council during its April 23- players jump from one school to another, 24 meetings. but baseball’s Academic Progress Rate The criteria would change to allow (APR) could tumble in the process which approvals for first-time, 4-year transfers may ultimately cause administrators to look at cutting back the number of See MAJOR PROBLEMS, Page 3 LSU Coach Paul Mainieri sees serious trouble down the road. WHITE Living On The Road With Long Bus Rides EF3 TORNADO HOT! CAUSES MASSIVE DESTRUCTION Louisiana Tech. forced to play all 56 of its regular-season games on the road this season which has presented some unique challenges for players, coaches.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR. Editor/Collegiate Baseball

USTON, La. — On April 25, 2019 at 1:53 a.m., a tornado with peak wind gusts of 145 mph ripped through Ruston, RLa. that caused $15-20 million in damages to Louisiana It really was amazing Tech’s sports facilities which included the baseball stadium J.C. what power this Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. “ A mother and son were killed when a tree fell on their home in tornado had and the Ruston. Neither were affiliated with the Louisiana Tech. baseball program. damage it caused. They New Mexico The EF3 tornado caused extensive damage in this city as trees have estimated $15-20 State’s Nick crashed into houses and roofs were peeled off buildings. million in damage to Gonzales hits The vehicles of 6-7 baseball players were totaled by the tornado, 12 homers in according to Louisiana Tech. Head Coach Lane Burroughs. all of our sports only 13 games. Because of the damage, a complete stadium rebuild has been complexes. See page 7. taking place and caused the baseball team to have no home field for practice or playing baseball games for the 2020 season. — Lane Burroughs Instead, they have been forced to play all 56 regular-season Louisiana Tech. games on the road.

See BULLDOGS TURN INTO ROAD, Page 2 Inside Collegiate Baseball Web Site: www.baseballnews.com” Freshman Fires Perfect Game White Line Fever Can Be Deadly Thousands Of Years Don’t Lie College of the Sequoias’ flawless While many players never come Gary Ward vividly shows that kids Ben Pedersen only needs 84 back, Tom Hanson explains how simply haven’t changed, and here pitches over 9 innings/Page 14 you can resurrect career/Page 4 are great teaching tactics/Page 6 Page  Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball The Voice Of Amateur Baseball

Collegiate Baseball (ISSN 0530-9751) is published twice a month January-May and once in June, July, September and October (14 total issues) by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, Inc., 2515 N. Stone Ave., Tucson, AZ 85705. Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ.

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Louisiana Tech’s stadium was hit hard by a tornado that had winds of 145 mph. Overnight Mail: 2515 N. Stone Ave., Tucson, AZ 85705 Past Publishers: Abe Chanin, Lou Pavlovich, Sr. Single 1-Year Subscription Rate: $28 for 14 issues. Single 1-Year First Class U.S. Subscription: $45 Bulldogs Turn Into Road Single 1-Year Foreign Air Mail Subscription: $50 Special Team Subscriptions: 11 papers each issue sent to one address — $110 (save $198 off the single subscription price), and 21 papers each issue sent to one address — $189 (save $399). Warriors For ’20 Season Other Multiple Subscription Offers: Please inquire with sub- Continued From Page 1 “Even today, our university is be in our baseball facility by next scription department at (520) 623-4530. working through state insurance February. Eight games were scheduled agencies and the federal government “We have four straight weekends at Ruston High School’s baseball to receive money for the rebuilding that we have scheduled games next Directory field which gives a reprieve from project.” year before league play. I think we Area Code (520) traveling so often. Practicing At Ruston H.S. have 35 home games slated which “A year ago, we played Arkansas- will be very different than 2020. Publisher: Lou Pavlovich, Jr. (Call 623-4530) Burroughs said due to not having Editor: Lou Pavlovich, Jr. (Call 623-4530 to report stories) Little Rock Tuesday on our home any stadium after the April 2019 “With the new complex, we Advertising Director: Diane Pavlovich (Call 623-4530) field,” said Burroughs. tornado, Louisiana Tech.’s fall will have a new indoor facility and Subscription Department: (Call 623-4530) “In the bottom of the ninth, Hunter practices in 2019 were moved to more chair back seating. It will be Fax Machine: (Call 624-5501) Wells hit a walk-off homer. Ruston High School. really nice. We will have the nicest E-Mail: [email protected] “The next morning, we all got on “I can’t thank the good people facility in our league. It won’t even Web Site: www.baseballnews.com a bus and headed to McNeese St. of Ruston High School enough for be close.” Then we stayed in Lake Charles, allowing us to utilize their facility When it became apparent that La. that night which is a short while we wait for our stadium to be nearly every baseball game would 2020 Publication Schedule drive to Houston where we were rebuilt,” said Burroughs. be out of town for the 2020 season, scheduled to play a series against his budget was modified to include January 3 March 6 May 1 September 4 “We had carte blanche all of last January 24 March 20 May 15 October 2 Rice. fall in using Ruston High School’s more travel…but within reason. February 7 April 3 June 12 “When I went to bed, I put my baseball field as well as locker “We initially had five home February 21 April 17 July 10 cell phone on silent mode and went room and coaches’ offices. conference series scheduled before to sleep. About 3 a.m., my cell “But once we came back from the tornado. Now we have to bus to phone kept lighting up which woke Christmas break, we shared the each one of these schools and stay Moving? me up. I must have had 20 messages in hotels which weren’t originally field with Ruston High School’s Make Sure CB Moves Along With You! and missed calls. I immediately baseball team. planned and feed everyone. called my wife, and she told me “The budget was made during To change your address, please write us 30 days in advance if “The most challenging aspect of you can. Mail to: Collegiate Baseball Newspaper that there had been a tornado that this is we have a window of 9:30 the past summer after our fiscal year touched down in Ruston about an was over. I believe our university Dept. Address Change a.m.-1 p.m. to get our work done P.O. Box 50566 hour earlier, and fortunately she on their field now. We have to get president has helped us out along Tucson, Ariz. 85703 was fine. our practices in during those hours. with a few donors to make ends “One of our managers stayed When you factor in class schedules meet.” 1. Please print OLD address here. back, and he was one of the guys for our players, we have rarely been Burroughs said the two longest NAME who tried to call me. So I called him together as a whole team during trips on the schedule are to Troy, STREET APT. # back, and he was on the field at the Ala. (8 hours away) and Wichita, these spring practices unless it was CITY STATE ZIP time. He said there were probably a weekend practice.” Kan. (9 hours away). 100 people standing on the field, Burroughs said it is nearly “The trip to Wichita is our longest DATE OF and the tornado had destroyed the of the season. But fortunately we impossible to get everything done MOVE: baseball facility. as a coach when you don’t have half are on our quarter break at school. “There is student housing behind of your players for practices. So we won’t miss any school.” 2. Please print NEW address here. our left field. Fortunately none of Louisiana Tech. is off to a 10-6 “It’s been tough,” laughed NAME those students were hurt which was record after being swept three at Burroughs. STREET APT. # a tremendous blessing. The tornado “Usually it is in the mornings Wichita St. on their longest road CITY STATE ZIP destroyed the baseball, softball and when you will get your rain or trip of the season. soccer facilities. cold weather coming through. So a Burroughs said he is in uncharted “Our stadium was built in 1971, territory as a college coach. number of those practice days from ago in April, we lost about a quarter “Currently our locker room at and that stadium has stood the test 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. were not ideal “I am very fortunate to work of time. But this tornado was its with Mitch Gaspard on my staff of their home season. Now they are Louisiana Tech. is the visitor’s conditions to work in. going without a true home game football locker room. Once our undoing. Big chunks of concrete “We were forced to have our who previously was the head coach were torn off the stadium roof by at Alabama. When he was there, their senior season. It’s been tough players are ready, we only have to pitchers work in old Memorial on them. drive 10-15 minutes to Ruston High the tornado that sailed into the Gym at Louisiana Tech. It’s been a they went through a stadium rebuild street. and played an entire season on the “But they have been outstanding School to practice or play games challenge for sure. and great leaders. They lead by during the season. “It really was amazing what “The main issue was having road. Granted, their conference power this tornado had and the games were in Hoover, Ala., and example. None of our players have “Only time will tell how this all conflicts in schedules with the complained at all. plays out.” damage it caused. baseball team at Ruston High and that Alabama budget was a little “School officials are still trying our team. They have scheduled bit bigger. to figure out the financial impact games during the spring season “But still, he has been through $60 Million Stadium Opens that the tornado caused, and here along with their practices. So we a stadium rebuild and brings that STILLWATER, Okla. — Former weather conditions, without having we are almost a year removed have had to work around them. experience to our staff and kids. President George W. Bush will to utilize the ballpark's main natural from it. They have estimated $15- “One thing that has been good “Jacksonville State went through throw the ceremonial first pitch grass playing surface. 20 million in damage to all of our once we started the season in this a few years ago and didn’t have to headline the grand opening of  A 7,400-square-foot locker sports complexes. Lafayette, La. is that we have a home stadium for two years. They Oklahoma State’s Cecil O’Brate room and player lounge as well as a “After the destruction of the all been together. It was really a were fortunate to play in a beautiful Stadium in advance of the Cowboys’ nutrition center and a tiered-seating tornado, FEMA (Federal Emergency struggle leading up to the season. stadium in Oxford, Ala. game against TCU on March 20. classroom. Management Agency) came in to “Obviously, we are on the road “Their head coach Jim Case is O’Brate Stadium includes  An operations center that figure out the total dollar amount a lot this year. Our players and an alum of Louisiana Tech. and approximately 3,500 permanent houses a sports medicine area, of the damage. coaches were mentally prepared reached out to us to help. seats, 11 suites and 400 premium additional training space and a “We couldn’t take one step on for that.” “I tell my kids that nobody in the field or stadium area until they the country is going through what seats in dedicated club and suite baseball-specific laundry center and did all their assessments. Initially, Back Home In 2021 you are. We all have embraced our areas. Seating can be expanded to equipment room. they were not sure if it would be a Burroughs said he has been situation and are happy with our 9-3 8,000 as needed. A 2,000-square foot video board total rebuild. They were looking guaranteed by Louisiana Tech. start. Guys are playing well. Among the many features of the allows for top-of-the-line graphics at just correcting damaged areas. administrators that his baseball “Our main goal is not to have O’Brate Stadium complex are: and video content to further enhance But once they were finished with team will have a stadium again for the road beat us down. Mentally, I  A "training triangle" area the game day experience. O’Brate all their studies, and that took 2-3 the 2021 season. think our guys are prepared for lots comprised of an indoor facility, a Stadium is named in honor of Cecil months, we were able to clean up “We will practice at Ruston High of travel on buses. pitching lab and an artificial turf O’Brate, who gave $35 million the mess and tear the stadium down School again next fall. But we have “I do feel bad for our senior infield that allows the Cowboys to toward the estimated $60 million and start over.” been given assurances that we will class. When the tornado hit a year practice year-round, regardless of project.

Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page  Major Problems May Erupt If Transfer Rule Adopted Continued From Page 1 as 40 games in a season. Division I program, that player has “When we were told that 27 been encouraged to go elsewhere so in all sports to complete immediately percent of the baseball players his baseball career can continue. if they: transferred the year before, the “I know a lot of players have • Receive a transfer release from most logical way to raise the APR chosen to go the junior college their previous school. was to slow down transferring, route, and that has helped that level • Leave their previous school thus keeping schools from losing of the game. I personally played in academically eligible. retention points in their APR, which junior college when I was in college • Maintain their academic would then result in the APR across which allowed me to play at the progress at the new school. the country in baseball to go up, and University of New Orleans. • Leave under no disciplinary keep presidents of universities who “We have had a lot of good junior suspension. were sitting on NCAA committees college players here at LSU through Currently NCAA Division I from talking about cutting baseball the years. Some went to 4-year baseball players can transfer at any to 40 games. schools where it didn’t work out. time to another Division I school. “That’s exactly why the current Then they transferred to a junior However, that athlete may have to transfer rule was put in the first college. And then they came to sit out from competition the first place. I was one of three coaches on play for us. year at the new school unless he can that committee of 29 people, and I “I have no idea what will happen meet an exception by the NCAA remember the discussion like it was to junior colleges now with the and receive a waiver. yesterday. Cutting the amount of proposed transfer rule. Kids will Division I athletes who wish to games was a real threat if the APR be able to go straight from an transfer must inform their current did not go up significantly.” NCAA Division I program to school in writing. Over Recruiting Will Happen another Division I school and be The school then has two business Mainieri said NCAA Division I immediately eligible.” days to enter the student’s name coaches have a lot on their plates Releasing Players into the Transfer Portal which right now. One of the key areas of a player allows other schools to confirm that “You have a roster limit of 35 being able to transfer with the new the student can be recruited. players and 27 on scholarship with rule, if approved, would be for an “I would be surprised if it doesn’t a minimum amount of money. Then athlete to receive a transfer release pass,” said LSU Head Coach Paul on top of that, you deal with the from their previous school. Mainieri who has coached for 37 MLB Draft before kids come to Mainieri was asked if Division seasons at LSU, Notre Dame, Air your school and then on the back I schools will block athletes from Force and St. Thomas as he has end for draft eligible guys. playing in certain schools. For won 1,455 games entering the 2020 LSU HEAD COACH PAUL MAINIERI “This is all happening before instance, LSU might not allow season. we started talking about unbridled a baseball player to transfer to “The current transfer rule that …Predicts big trouble with proposed transfer rule free agency with the proposed new another Southeastern Conference NCAA Division I baseball utilizes was a gentlemen’s agreement. We Director of the American Baseball transfer rule. school. But he would be allowed to was adopted for the 2007-2008 “If the new transfer rule is go to any other Division I school. academic year. Prior to that, players were teaching kids to be men of Coaches Association, was heavily their words. involved in the current transfer rule adopted in April, you will see a “Before the current rule was put could transfer and play immediately number of schools over recruit to in place in the ’07-’08 academic at other Division I schools. “Now it’s not completely like adopted for Division I baseball in that. Schools are still recruiting 2008. protect themselves. Or you will see year, schools had the option of “I remember when this change them go out and pilfering players not giving a transfer release to an was being adopted that 27 percent players who have made verbal “Just before it was voted in, commitments to attend other Division I baseball faced the from other schools. There is no athlete in baseball,” said Mainieri. of Division I baseball players doubt in my mind that it will open “But the reality was that all transferred the year before. That is schools. If certain schools are real possibility of regular-season willing to do that now, what will games being reduced from 56 to 44 up a can of worms and will be out schools released players who wanted a quarter of rosters transferring to of control in all honesty.” to leave. Maybe it was because of other schools. they be willing to do when we have games,” said Keilitz. unbridled free agency out there? “Administrators were upset at Mainieri asked people to put legal threats. There have been times “I am a firm believer that we are themselves in coaches’ shoes. even at our school (LSU) where we in the education business and am “When they put in the current how poor baseball’s Academic rule where transfers had to sit out a Progress Rate score was and felt “When you are at a school where allowed a player to talk to a school not sure we are sending the right the coach is under pressure to win, about transferring but prohibited message to student-athletes that year (2007-2008 academic year) if limiting the number of games an NCAA Division I student-athlete would help. The real problem was how can you even come close to that person from talking to schools as soon as they face the first bit predicting what your roster will in our league (SEC). of adversity, they can leave their in baseball wanted to transfer to the high transfer rate of baseball another NCAA Division I school, players. Then NCAA Executive look like? Right now, college “When a family comes back and current school and go to where the baseball coaches are recruiting asks why we put that restriction grass is greener. it drastically reduced the amount Director Myles Brand stepped in to of transfers.” help Division I baseball from seeing eighth, ninth and 10th graders. How on them, we always backed down “The grass isn’t always greener do you know what your roster will and let that person go wherever he somewhere else. There is a lot to Academic Progress Rate a drop in games as the transfer rule was put in place in 2008. Transfers look like in four years from now? wanted. be said for youngsters being taught Mainieri said the only reason the “Add to that the players you will “What this proposed rule will do that hanging in there is important current transfer rule was adopted in Division I baseball went way down, and the academic numbers lose because of transferring without is force Division I coaches to look when times are tough as they fight in the first place was because any repercussions so they will be out for their own programs. If a through adversity. When they of concern about the Academic dramatically shot up. “Since that time, there has never immediately eligible at another player transfers, then a school will work hard and ultimately get the Progress Rate (APR) that the NCAA NCAA Div. I school, if the new be forced to find another player to experience they want at the school adopted in 2004 which involved an been any mention of reducing the total number of Division I games transfer rule is approved. replace him. Then it starts a vicious they are at, it is fulfilling. APR score, eligibility score and “There will be a lot of under- cycle that I don’t think will be “I’m afraid it will become the retention score for athletes in all again. I fear that the proposed new rule could hurt our APR scores handed deals going on all over the terribly healthy for the sport and wild, wild west once again where team sports. place. I worry it will change the youngsters.” certain people will pilfer players “When the APR was first adopted, once again. “I am going to contact Transfer game a lot. I don’t think it is good from other schools.” NCAA Division I baseball had for overall health of the game.” Mainieri said there is no doubt in really low scores,” said Mainieri. Waiver Working Group Chairman his mind that certain coaches will “The main reason baseball had Jon Steinbrecher, commissioner Impact On Junior Colleges have people scout summer league such low numbers was because of of the Mid-American Conference, Mainieri said he is also concerned games and get the word out through retention. Because we moved to the about this potential problem for about the potential loss of transfers another party that they are highly current transfer rule, graduation and baseball.” to junior colleges. interested in a specific player. retention rates have gone up across Mainieri added: “We (the “If a player doesn’t work out at a “Suddenly that player transfers the board in Division I baseball.” “NCAA Academic Enhancement to that school as he is poached from In 2003-04, NCAA baseball had for Baseball Committee) discussed another Division I program. This is an cumulative APR score of 933 it during 2006-2007, and it went CheapBats.com a problem for me. which was terrible. into effect in the 2007-2008 school 1-800-589-HITS “There are certain things that After the current transfer rule year. We were told that if the APR are happening in college recruiting was adopted for Division I baseball, didn’t rise significantly in baseball Order today now that never happened until the APR score jumped up to 964 that we could be dropped to as few have it tomorrow the last decade or so. In the past during the 2007-08 academic year. when a young man made a verbal It hasn’t been below 972 since commitment to a school, it was 2012-13 and reached a high of 978 hands off by everybody else. during 2016-17. Everyone respected that, and it Dave Keilitz, retired Executive

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[email protected] Page  Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball White Line Fever Can Kill Careers The Voice Of Amateur Baseball TUCSON, Ariz. — Of all the ways. You can discipline players sinister ailments which man has and also be very caring.” faced, none is more diabolical than Around The Horn Hanson said a great example of White Line Fever. this is in the book The Inner Game This troublesome condition With Of Tennis. surfaces when pitchers come into “The author Tim Gallwey OPINION games (or cross the white line) interviewed (NBA basketball Hall Publisher: Lou Pavlovich, Jr. and suddenly resemble a shell of Lou Pavlovich of Fame Coach) Red Auerbach and Editor: Lou Pavlovich, Jr. their potential as they are knocked (NFL Hall of Fame Coach) George around by hitters or walk every Allen and asked both of them batter in sight. what the key components of their This ailment has baffled pitching coaching was. The Topic: coaches since the game was “After talking for 45 minutes Problem Proposal invented. with both men, Auerbach finally Each issue, Collegiate Baseball explores a major In an effort to find out why the athletes playing the best they got to the core of the question: ‘God development in the world of baseball. This issue’s some pitchers can look like Cy can and are not concerned with the dammit, I’ll tell you what I do. I editorial explains why a new NCAA transfer pro- Young award winners in the bullpen outcome. love those bastards (players).” posal could be a big problem in baseball. during practice, but completely the “Look at the Yankees. Someone Hanson said his players held opposite during games, Collegiate comes into that organization, a deep affection for Auerbach Baseball contacted Tom Hanson. and they are elevated into a new because he genuinely cared for each Hanson earned a Ph.D. in sport emotional level because of the and every one of his athletes just New Transfer Rule Will psychology at the University of excellence they embody. This like a father. Virginia and helped co-author becomes more of a way of being. “The issue with pitchers who Cause Serious Issues the fabulous book called Heads- “There is a broad area which have White Line Fever is fear. They NCAA Division I baseball will see big changes if a proposal is Up Baseball: Playing The Game must be covered in this topic first don’t trust their abilities and have adopted in late April to allow Division I baseball players to transfer One Pitch At A Time with Ken and foremost before the finer details a fear of failure. If you have an and compete immediately at other Division I schools beginning Ravizza. can be delved into. That is setting environment of excellence coupled with the 2020-21 academic year. “The biggest thing a coach can up the environment of excellence. with love by the coaches, which Not only are many more transfers likely to take place as Division do is create an environment where Next is having coaches who truly again can come in many forms, this I baseball players jump from one school to another, but baseball’s the pitcher is focused from day love their athletes.” malady can be minimized. Academic Progress Rate (APR) could tumble in the process which one,” said Hanson. Hanson gave a graphic example “It is always sad to see a pitcher may ultimately cause administrators to take a hard look at cutting “This environment is where of this. throwing gas in the pen and watch back the number of baseball games. excellence is expected. If you “The truly great coaches which him cross the white line and leave Before the current transfer rule was adopted for Division I look at schools or professional athletes play the hardest for are the his gas in the pen. Pitchers who baseball in 2008 which forced transfers from one Division I school organizations that have enjoyed ones who have this magical quality don’t perform at a high level during to another to sit out a year, 27 percent of players on this level success, they follow this pattern about them. And when it comes games feel their self esteem is transferred — one quarter of all rosters. consistently. They create an down to it, that quality can be called It was an epidemic that caused the Academic Progress Rate for environment where they focus on love. Love comes in many different See WHITE LINE, Page 5 baseball to plummet which ultimately caused NCAA administrators to seriously consider lowering the number of baseball games from 56 to 44 in Division I baseball. At the time, NCAA Executive Director Myles Brand stepped in to help Division I baseball as the transfer epidemic was stopped Letters To The Editor by the current transfer rule. Athletes were forced to sit out a year if they jumped from one Division I school to another unless they Inspirational Story John Smith U.S. Thank you for printing the story of John O’Leary 17 Mockingbird Lane Mail received an exception waiver from the NCAA. Pullman, WA 99164 It is amazing how quickly administrators forget history. (March 6 edition of Collegiate Baseball). Because of the current transfer rule in place, baseball player It is a story every coach and player should read transfers in Division I are way down, and the academic numbers because it embodies never giving up in life. Collegiate Baseball have dramatically shot up because of retention. When O’Leary was a 9-year-old boy and was P.O. Box 50566 There has not been any mention of reducing the total number playing with fire and gasoline in his parents’ Tucson, AZ 85703 of Division I games since. garage, a massive explosion took place that If the new transfer rule is adopted, there is serious concern free launched him 20 feet to the other side of the garage agency for players will erupt by unscrupulous coaches who attempt and burned 100 percent of his body. He was not given any chance of living. Imagine You can also to pilfer key players from other programs. FAX letters to Over recruiting will undoubtedly take place as well. having every finger amputated from your hands the editor or All of this is contingent on what happens in the next month. because of the damage the fire caused E-Mail them: Currently the new transfer rule is under consideration by the John O’Leary probably would have died if it wasn’t for the motivation of St. Louis Cardinals’ FAX: E-Mail: NCAA’s Transfer Waiver Working Group which is receiving (520) 624-5501 [email protected] membership feedback. announcer Jack Buck who visited him at the If the Transfer Waiver Working Group is comfortable making hospital for five months in a quest to see this Collegiate Baseball welcomes letters from a formal recommendation to implement this change, it could young boy get better. readers. Letters must include the writer’s be approved by the Division I Council during its April 23-24 What made the story even more amazing is that name, address and telephone number. We meetings. this boy had never met Jack Buck before he was reserve the right to condense or reject any The criteria would change to allow approvals for first-time, 4- seriously injured. letter and to limit frequent writers. year transfers in all sports to complete immediately if they: The only motivation Jack Buck had was in • Receive a transfer release from their previous school. helping a young boy who loved baseball recover • Leave their previous school academically eligible. from this injury that should have taken his life. Fabulous Rule For Baseball I am one of the many fans of college baseball • Maintain their academic progress at the new school. Ultimately, O’Leary gained the use of his hands who believe that game times will drop this year • Leave under no disciplinary suspension. so that he could write and even play the piano and in future seasons thanks to the 20 second With this change, college baseball will become the wild, wild despite fingers being amputated. action rule in place with men on base by the NCAA west once again. I loved the story of Jack Buck mailing a signed Baseball Rules Committee last summer. LSU Head Coach Paul Mainieri was one of three coaches baseball to young John O’Leary with a simple When it comes time for the NCAA playoffs, on the 29 member NCAA Academic Enhancement for Baseball message. If he wrote a thank you message to that is where this new rule will have a premium Committee during the 2006-2007 academic year. the player who signed it, then he would receive payoff. You won’t see pitching coaches take one “We were told that if the APR didn’t rise significantly in baseball another autographed baseball. minute between pitches with men on base as some that we could be dropped to as few as 40 games in a season,” said It was simply motivation to get this young have done in the past to call pitches. Mainieri. boy to use his hand and write which was nearly Doug Perry “When we were told that 27 percent of baseball players impossible because his fingers were amputated. Norfolk, Va. transferred the year before, the most logical way to raise the APR He only had fused stubs on each hand because was to slow down transferring, thus keeping schools from losing of the fire. retention points in their APR, which would then result in the APR Yet O’Leary figured out a way to write that Greatest Coach Of All Time across the country in baseball to go up, and keep presidents of letter because the motivation was too great to I have thoroughly enjoyed your first two articles universities who were sitting on NCAA committees from talking pass up. on what made the greatest college baseball coaches about cutting baseball to 40 games. That’s exactly why the current Ultimately, young John received 60 autographed of all time. transfer rule was put in the first place.” baseballs which allowed him to discover his It’s hard to argue with the success that Gordon If the new transfer rule is adopted, we can only hope that the writing method once again. Gillespie had during his remarkable career or Rod above scenarios don’t take place again. Then John’s mother Susan hired a piano teacher Dedeaux at USC. While there are a number of by the name of Mrs. Bartello to teach this young coaches you can tap into for your final segment boy to play the piano which was essentially torture of this series, I hope you delve into the concepts for him. of Skip Bertman of LSU. UOTE Imagine having her come back for five years. While he led the Tigers to five national Unquote” Now John can play the piano beautifully despite championships, he was an innovator when it came “Q his severe handicap because of the fire. to motivating his players to perform at their highest “Baseball is a harbor, a seclusion from failure that really matters, Reading amazing feature stories like this is why level through inspirational videos and stories he a playful utopia in which virtuosity can be savored to the third I subscribe to Collegiate Baseball. routinely told prior to games. decimal place of a batting average.” Eric Hamilton Bob Davis — Mark Kramer St. Louis, Mo. New Orleans, La. Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page  White Line Fever Can Be Cured With Special Care Continued From Page 4 come easy to him as many think. He mind where the pitch will go before has done a lot of personal growth the ball is actually thrown to home on the line and more than likely work.” plate. You might actually feel how tense up rather than feeling that Confidence Is Crucial the pitch is thrown in your mind everything will be alright no matter Hanson said that pitchers who as well. what happens.” project an air of confidence are “Some Major League pitchers Hanson said coaches must work doing themselves a favor. I have worked with tell me they at becoming the best coaches they “When you see pitchers who mentally feel how they will throw can in this regard which is not easily know what to do and control the the pitch during this pre-play. accomplished. action, it is beautiful to watch. Pitchers can work on mentally “I have worked with a lot of They have a sense of mission and seeing and feeling pre-pitches in Yankee pitchers with off the field purpose. the bullpen or at home. You can issues, and it helps. College and “They have a routine that they do this without throwing balls high school coaches should get to do every time. It is a set series of by shadow pitching — throwing know their pitchers well and find things prior to every pitch. Roger imaginary pitches in many different out any problems they are having. Clemens has a sense of mission and situations.” If an athlete sees that his coach truly being. He projects confidence and cares about him, he feels more at has an air about him that he is there Corbin Will Be ease about his surroundings and is and will get the job done. able to perform better. They feel “A pitcher might be scared to Inducted Into Hall cared for and safe. death in a game. But you can’t show NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt “It is also important that coaches it. You must project confidence that head baseball coach Tim Corbin has take a different approach when lets your teammates know you are been selected as a 2020 inductee talking to pitchers on the mound or in control. to the Tennessee Sports Hall of during bullpen work. If the coach “If the body acts confidently, Fame. has credibility with the pitcher, you will be confident. If you act The Commodores have achieved then the player will believe what he confidence out, you begin to think unprecedented success under says. He will be more able to focus it.” Corbin, who has led the program and do the things that will make Hanson said four key points to 15 NCAA Tournaments, nine a difference in how he practices. pitchers should strive for include: super regionals, four College World Then coaches can throw tough 1. Knowing how to carry Series, two national titles (2014, challenges at those pitchers during yourself on the mound. 2019) and one national runner-up practices. Tom Hanson explains a system that works well. 2. Breathing properly between (2015). “Pitchers can be put into game- he worked with talked in glowing pitches. In his 18 seasons at the helm, like situations with extreme mechanics the coach has told him to terms about his favorite Major 3. Doing a pre-play in the mind Corbin has amassed a 748-356- pressure. The bases can be loaded use while pitching during a crucial segment in the game.” League pitching coach. prior to throwing pitches. 1 record. Vanderbilt’s current with no outs as the pitcher comes 4. Trusting your body to perform stretch of 14 consecutive NCAA Humor Works Well “Instead of coming out to the in. A coach can use his imagination what you have seen in the pre- Tournament appearances is tied for Another great technique pitching mound and asking me the routine with many different scenarios. play. the longest streak by a head coach coaches can use is humor. question, ‘How do you feel?’ he “Then when a player comes into “Breathing can take on several in SEC history. Brent Strom, veteran pitching asked a much more intriguing a game after practicing in high forms,” said Hanson. Since taking over in 2003, 48 coach with the St. Louis Cardinals’, question: ‘What do you feel?’ The pressure situations, he is more at “If you take a deep breath through players have been named All- Kansas City Royals’, Houston pitcher responded that he felt like ease with himself, and the feeling your nose and fill up your chest in a Americans including 14 who have Astros’, and Montreal Expos’ he was rushing his delivery a little of anxiety or fear is not front slow, chest-expanding fashion and received first-team recognition. organizations once told this writer bit. The coach then asked him what and center. The pitcher is more let it out slowly, this can relax you During that stretch, 28 a humorous tale about one of his he should do about it. The pitcher pumped up, focused and in control in high pressure situations. Commodores have been named visits to the mound. said he probably should stay back of situations. The coach has now “But if you take short, quick freshman All-America and 24 have His pitcher was clinging to a a little bit more and trust himself.” created a great balance of caring breaths out of your mouth, it can gone on to play in Major League 1-0 lead late in the game but had Hanson brought up another and challenging the pitcher who pick you up as you gain more Baseball – the most in the SEC walked a number of batters. With point. then performs well in games.” energy. during that time frame. the bases loaded and two outs, his “The Yankees are extremely Ask Questions, Don’t Dictate “As far as the mental pre-play, the Before Corbin was hired as the manager asked him to talk to the interesting to look at as an Hanson brought up another pitcher must be totally committed to 21st coach in program history, pitcher in an effort to settle him organization. The Yankees Major outstanding point. doing it before pitches. He can’t do Vanderbilt had not earned a spot down. League team focuses like no other “The great coaches ask questions it only on a part-time basis. in the conference tournament in a “I walked up to the mound and Big League team. Every team takes of their pitchers during games and batting practice. But very few teams “You must visually see in your decade. don’t tell them what to do. This is addressed my pitcher with the catcher beside us,” said Strom. focus the way Yankee players do very important. The answers for on a constant basis. You just don’t you as a coach are in your pitcher. “I simply said I had to take a dump incredibly bad and could see it in other teams. It is not a new If a coach tells a pitcher what to drill or technique. It is about the The Ultimate Hitting Aid do, then the pitcher is left looking hardly stand it any more. But I couldn’t leave the dugout until the emotional element of the game. It outside himself for answers. For a is about creating an environment of pitcher to be sharp, he must look inning was over. My pitcher smiled ™ and told me he would get the batter excellence, having faith and then inside and ask himself why he may being challenged. not be performing well in certain out in three pitches. I responded RADAR TEE “Having nice uniforms and situations.” that it had to be one pitch because of the pain I was in. My catcher and having a physical structure which “Best Of Show” Hanson was asked to give several supports excellence is important as Award Winner examples of what questions should pitcher were nearly doubled over they were laughing so hard.” well. When you go to outstanding at 2016 American be asked of pitchers. programs, you immediately say Baseball Coaches “You might ask a pitcher what Strom said he then walked off Association the mound toward his dugout…but wow to yourself. They are breathing he noticed on a certain pitch. The in and exhaling excellence because Convention coach should resist the urge to not normally. “I was waddling as if something everything in their environment is explain the situation to his pitcher. the way it should be. You may ask the pitcher whether he was ready to burst inside me. You could hear the laughter behind “Derek Jeter of the Yankees trusted the previous pitch and rank wrote a remarkable book called The it on a 1-10 scale with 10 being the me on the mound. But you know what? It worked. It only took the Life You Imagine: Life Lessons For highest. The pitcher may tell you Achieving Your Dreams. it was a seven. The pitcher throws pitcher one pitch to get out of the jam. He smiled at me as he ran into “It lays out how to reach your another pitch and tells himself he dreams. trusted himself at an eight level. the dugout. My manager wanted to know what I told him. I mumbled “This guy is an ideal mental “Another quality is smooth or game posterboard. He is upbeat and focused. You ask the pitcher how something about mechanics.” Hanson said being a coach can positive virtually all the time and focused he was and to rate it. You carries himself like a champion. can ask the pitcher what worked be an art form at times when dealing with pitchers. “He almost always has this sly and what helped him. Ask him what smile when he steps to the plate Optimize your swing efficiency to maximize ball got in the way of his performance. “Yeah, mechanics are important exit velocity. Measure both with the RADAR TEE! because of the physics that are and is relentless in his quest for What will he do next time? Now excellence. But he also knows the • Maximize ball exit velocity by optimizing swing speed the pitcher is coming back with involved. But first and foremost is the emotional area of pitching game. and efficient energy transfer to the ball. answers from within rather than “He never gets too worked up • Train to hit hard line drives. being external. Now the person is during tough situations. This wonderful story that Brent Strom if he falls into a slump. He is not • Develop bat control and directivity to hit balls into gaps. relying on himself. attached to results and stats. You just • Swing in an optimum plane for best hard contact probability. “If you have a pitcher performing told completely altered the situation and broke the tension. Other times, can’t afford to do that in baseball • Proudly made in the USA. with everything on the line, he since there are so many times you should not be looking at the you as the coach may have to kick some rear end. It all depends on don’t succeed. It is important not coach in the dugout. He should be to jump on the dangerous path looking at himself. He should do the person on the mound. If you know your pitchers, you can ask the of an up and down roller coaster his homework within his inner self. emotionally. The coach should ask questions as right questions rather than being a dictator.” “Many people don’t realize (888) 542-9246 opposed to being a dictator. The Derek almost quit baseball in the last thing you want is your pitcher Asking Proper Questions minor leagues. Everything didn’t www.sportssensors.com tied up mentally thinking about Hanson said a Big League pitcher Page  Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 For Thousands Of Years, Kids Have Been The Same By GARY WARD and emotional skills, the student distractions are encountered… the Special To Collegiate Baseball becomes accountable and presence of an audience, under responsible for who they are now pressure to be successful, feeling STILLWATER, Okla. — and who they shall become later. fatigue, and/or unmotivated. Socrates could not coach the They must be encouraged to Task Initiation…The courage modern athlete. become the chief executive officer to complete a difficult task without In 400 B.C., he said: “Children of themselves. delay…do not procrastinate. today love luxury and comfort. Executive function skills are the Plan and Prioritize…Make the They have bad manners, contempt “brain-based” skills required for decision on your To Do List as to for authority. They have disrespect humans to effectively execute or what is most important and move it for their elders and love to gossip perform tasks and solve problems. to the top of the list. Focus on the more than take exercise. Research reveals as high as 50 difficult and trash the trivial. “Children now are tyrants, not actions of human behavior that Organization…It is required of service to their families. They no could fall into the definition of that the player create and maintain longer rise when their elders enter executive function. a system for keeping track of the room. They contradict their The list below identifies 11, with important information that is used parents, their talk is endless and my interpretation, that are commonly frequently in meeting the day to day meaningless chatter, gobble their used by educators, business leaders, responsibilities of an athlete. food, cross their legs and tyrannize and psychologists. Time Management...The ability their teachers.” Response Inhibition…to to estimate how much time you The point is that young people receive a stimulus…to remain have as currency to spend on have not changed much over a few Gary Ward explains important teaching techniques. centered while deciding your choice each activity that you choose to thousand years. what I do. becomes their primary goal for of action…Yes or No…while undertake. There are 168 hours So coaches and teachers, quit On average, the negative don’t survival. understanding the consequences of in each week…20 hours of team the whining and complaining about and can’ts outnumber the atta boys Before we can coach, mentor your decision. practice and 5 hours of individual your students and the fact that by about 5-1 in the social institutions or guide today’s athlete, we must Working Memory…the ability training. Figure it out! they are immature and difficult of family, church, school and their teach them how to think…not what to hold 5-7 bits of information… Goal-Directed…The human with which to communicate and rules and regulations. to think. plus or minus 2…while performing brain is a servo-mechanism that control. After years of dominance by We must allow them to take complex tasks. chases the goals of your individual That is their normal state of habit the A.P.E.S., the young have had ownership, become self-directed Emotional Control…the conscious choice or follows the and behavior. it with the chaos, conflict and and celebrate with them when capability of keeping your “inner goals limited by your environmental They have been programmed in confrontation of these masters who they discover the emerging adult engine” at the correct idling speed programing of the sub-conscious by the environment of their world by demand they do it my way or find within. in crisis…to calculate with poise A.P.E.S. the A.P.E.S. This is the adult world the highway. We now know what the student the proper level of response. Embrace Change…If you of ego and experience that hold the They seek every manner or needs for survival. It is a skill set Flexibility…How adequately continue to do what you always power to expect perfectionism from method of finding their own path of actions labeled as “executive can the player revise their present done, all you get is what you their offspring. and seek any activity that gives them function.” plan of action in the face of obstacles already got. If you want something This call to perfectionism is a sense of freedom, independence, The skills and tools for making encountered, mistakes made, to be different in your athletic trumpeted by parents, pastors, autonomy and ownership. the choice, finding the voice, incorrect decisions by umpires, career, then do sometime different. priests, policemen, principals, They take that choice with their discovering the power in ownership and the surprise of game changing The definition of insanity is a player peers, pimps and professors who eye on revolution. of self, self direction and self events. doing the same thing over and practice the art of asking their Escape from the A.P.E.S. prison discovery, is vital. Sustained Attention … over again and expecting different students to do what I say but not of environmental programming Upon learning these mental The capacity to function when results. Lewis-Clark State’s Jack Johnson On 16-Game Hitting Streak LEWISTON, Idaho. — Lewis- He was named The Sun Scoggins hit.636 with 2 doubles, a Clark State INF Jack Johnson has Conference Pitcher of the Week. home run, 4 RBI and 4 runs scored to be named Appalachian Athletic been dominate at the plate this Potent Offense season, posting a 16-game hitting OF Shane Jones of Menlo Conference Player of the Week. streak with 9 multiple hit games. College had a huge offensive Kealon Martin of Texas A&M- Recently Johnson helped his weekend against Ottawa Univ.-AZ. Texarkana racked up three home team sweep the College of Idaho. He went 6-for-11 with three home runs and 9 RBI to help his team The senior hit .529 with two runs, a double, a triple and 8 RBI. sweep Houston-Victoria to start home runs, two doubles and a triple. Jones was the centerpiece of a conference play. He knocked in 6 runs and scored 6. potent offense that scored 30 runs in The sophomore infielder He posted two three-hit games in three games over the weekend. delivered two hits per game. the four-game series. He also posted his second two He is now third in RRAC in For the season, he is hitting .400 home run game this season. He batting average (.436) and second with three doubles, one triple, five was named Golden State Athletic in home runs (4). home runs and 18 RBI. Conference Player of the Week. He was named Conference He was named Cascade Player of the Week. Collegiate Conference’s Player of Around The Horn... Indiana Tech had two players the Week. William Carey C RJ Stinson received Wolverine-Hoosier recorded a hit in all four games Athletic Conference honors. 5 Home Runs helping his team to a 3-1 week. In a Oklahoma City belted five Mike Snyder hit two home runs, three-game series against Faulkner, 4 RBI and scored 2 runs over two homers during a 24-0 win over he went 4-for-12 with a homer and Texas Wesleyan. games against Thomas More while 4 RBI. Phillip Hobbs tossed 7 innings in a He earned Southern States Player 2-0 win, allowing one hit, 2 walks Photo by Alisha Alexander of LC Athletics Alexander of LC Alisha Photo by of the Week honors. and striking out 5. NAIA NOTES Jack Johnson has posted 9 multiple hit games. Bryan College INF David The Stars had many players shine games of a four-game series His other five appearances have offensively, including Cross Factor against Westmont College, RHP been in relief. He was named who was 3-for-5 with a triple, two Caleb Jaime came in to shutdown Cascade Collegiate Conference home runs and 9 RBI. Westmont and win the game 3-1. Pitcher of the Week. 2020 NCAA Div. I, II, III More Great Hitting He tossed a complete 7 inning RHP Sloan Dieter helped William OF Joey Thompson of St. game, allowed three hits, one run, Carey to a 10-0 win over Faulkner. World Series Cancelled walked none and struck out 9, a He tossed six inning of shutout TUCSON, Ariz. — The NCAA Div. I, II and III College World Thomas extended his hitting streak Series have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. to seven consecutive games after career high. ball, allowing only three hits and He was named Golden State striking out 10. It was not known why there was such a rush to cancel the 2020 recording at least one hit in a five- NCAA Div. I College World Series which was scheduled to be game week. Athletic Conference Pitcher of the He was named Southern States Thompson, who was the Sun Week. Pitcher of the Week. played three months from now. Conference Freshman of the Year The NAIA is monitoring coronavirus Outstanding Pitching Efforts Second Shutout developments and will work closely last season, tallied three hits in three RHP Tyson Cosgrove of Montreat St. Thomas RHP Ernesto Pino games, two of which came in a with member institutions to determine College tossed a 4-0 shutout over continued his dominance, tossing the best path forward for the NAIA doubleheader sweep over Warner. Union. his second complete game shutout He scored 8 runs, drove in 8 and Baseball Championship. In 8 innings of work, he struck in four starts. The NJCAA has made no decision stole 2 bases. out 11 batters while walking just The senior struck out 10 over For the season, Thompson is yet on whether the Division I, II and III two. He was named Appalachian seven innings of work in a run-rule World Series will be cancelled or not. hitting .353 with 5 doubles, one Athletic Conference Pitcher of the victory over Warner. home run, 18 RBI and walked 9 Administrators are closely watching Week. Pino has recorded 19-consecutive coronavirus developments. times. He was named The Sun University of British Columbia’s shutout innings, dating back to his Conference Player of the Week. The California Community College Athletic Association Board RHP Barry Caine capped off a no-hitter of February 7 against of Directors voted to postpone practices and competition for baseball Snaps Losing Streak sweep over Oregon Tech. Middle Georgia. teams. Administrators are monitoring coronavirus developments to The Master’s College baseball In the 6-1 victory, he tossed He is second in the NAIA in runs see if the state baseball playoffs will be held or not. team dropped six games in a row 7 inning, surrendering one run, allowed (1), ninth in wins (4) and A full report on the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic after starting the season well. striking out 11 and walking one. leads the Sun Conference in ERA will be in the next edition of Collegiate Baseball. After losing the first three It was his first start of the season. (0.38) and strikeouts (36). Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page  Sizzling Hot Hitter Aggies’ Nick Gonzales Belts 12 Homers In 13 Games By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR. on weight training with speed. I the Aggies. Editor/Collegiate Baseball worked with our strength coaches As a freshman, he was the to refine my weight training in this Western Athletic Conference LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The core fashion. My overall strength is Freshman of The Year. of the sun can reach temperatures about the same. But I am able to In 57 games, he led the team in excess of 27 million degrees move faster when I hit and be more with a .347 batting average while Fahrenheit. explosive.” compiling 17 doubles, 9 home runs New Mexico State All-American Fascinating Study and 36 RBI. shortstop Nick Gonzales is hotter Gonzales arrived at New Mexico Those are superb numbers for a than that. State as a 5-foot-10, 160 pound freshman. Consider that he hit .432 last freshman walk-on in the fall of But he wasn’t satisfied as he season with 16 homers, 19 doubles 2017 with little fanfare. kept working hard at every aspect and 80 RBI. It wasn’t until he was a of his game. But this season, he has been off- sophomore that he actually received “My dad always taught me to the-charts great. a scholarship with the Aggies. keep things simple in hitting,” said While it took him 220 at-bats to At Cienega High School in Gonzales. hit 16 homers last season, he has Tucson, Ariz., he hit .543 his senior “When I got to New Mexico belted 12 homers in only 48 at-bats season with 9 doubles, 3 triples and State, Coach Brian Green changed a this season over 13 games. 4 home runs. few mechanical things that allowed He is on pace to hit 50 home Gonzales transformed his body me to improve dramatically and get runs this season in 56 games which by adding 30 pounds of muscle. His to the next level.” would break the NCAA Division weight shot up to 190 pounds in a Greene is now the head coach at I record of 48 set by Oklahoma little over a year. Washington State. State’s Pete Incaviglia during the “It was obvious to me that “One of most important changes 1985 season over 75 games. I needed to get stronger,” said was getting my back elbow slotted Recently, he belted 5 home runs Gonzales. in my side during the swing. It over a doubleheader sweep against “College athletes are bigger, might seem like a small adjustment, Purdue Fort Wayne which included faster and stronger especially on but it added significant power. an inside-the-park grand slam. He the NCAA Division I level. To get “Then it was all about putting in compiled 10 RBI over the two stronger, I had to eat a lot to put the repetitions swing after swing to games and was 5-for-10 with 5 weight on. refine this movement, get stronger runs scored. “My brother was a middle and put more muscle on. During an 18-4 win over Iona, linebacker on the football team “In high school, I had pretty good he hit for the cycle as he belted at Navy. He helped me with off- bat speed, but I could never really two home runs and went 5-for-6 season workouts when I went back pull the ball hard with backspin. I in the game with 7 RBI and 5 runs home to Tucson. would hit balls hard, but it would scored. “He helped me tremendously have side spin or top spin. He also has 36 RBI in 13 games. with the food I was eating which “With that small change in my Projected over a 56-game season, he was nutritious and put on muscle. back elbow getting slotted, I could would collect 155 RBI which would My brother is much bigger than me. then pull balls with backspin which also set a new NCAA Division I He is about 4-5 inches taller and 60 was a big improvement as I drove record. pounds heavier. balls to leftfield, centerfield and The current record was set by “The goal was to eat 4,000 rightfield. Oklahoma State’s Pete Incaviglia New Mexico State Slugger Nick Gonzales calories a day, and that meant eating “I had confidence that I could do during the 1985 season with 143 well at the NCAA Division I level “Those aren’t lucky home runs over the mound to get the runner at 4-5 meals a day. They didn’t have RBI over 75 games. to be huge meals. of college baseball.” The righthanded hitting Gonzales to rightfield. Realize he is focused first. I was shocked. on driving the ball that way when “He has the feel for time and “But I had to make sure food was Highly Disciplined Hitter also is batting .500 and has walked in my system at all times. Green has been a college coach 18 times (8 times intentionally) pitches are on the outside of the space that kids on this level don’t plate. have defensively. “I would routinely drink protein for 17 years with stops at UCLA, because pitchers typically pitch shakes in the morning and at night. Kentucky New Mexico State and very carefully to him. “In batting practice, he has the “In my eyes, he definitely is one capability of hitting a home run of the top shortstops in the country, I also ate a lot of oatmeal, a lot of now Washington State. First year New Mexico State carbs and protein as well. He has seen some remarkable Head Coach Mike Kirby has been virtually every swing. But the if not the best.” discipline and maturity level he has Kirby said the righthanded hitting “At the end of my freshman fall hitters over the years with none involved with college baseball for season, I now weighed 175 pounds better than A.J. Reed at Kentucky many years as a coach at Cal. St. is special as he focuses on hitting Gonzales also has the ability to hit balls the other way and hitting line lefthanded as well. as I put on 15 pounds of muscle in who became the National Player of Fullerton, Nebraska, Oregon and a few months. The Year in 2014. UNLV. drives. One of the things he does is “I saw Nick take some swings utilize a batting tee that is below his lefthanded, and I was blown away. “The whole winter break, I was “I have been around some highly He has seen 104 players selected in the weight room every day for 1 skilled players, but I have never in the MLB Draft during his knees, and he smashes balls. I asked him if he has ever hit “He is really hard to pitch to lefthanded before, and he said 1/2 hours. seen a guy sustain the type of coaching career, including 27 who “It was tough on my body which excellence during the course of have played in the Major Leagues, and can hit many different types of yes. He said that as a righthanded pitches in different locations. hitter when he was young, pitchers was constantly sore. But it needed season that Nick has,” said Green. and he has never seen any hitter to be done. If I didn’t do this, I knew “He demonstrated some glimpses perform at the level Gonzales has “He has a routine he likes and wouldn’t pitch to him. But they has had great success.” would when he hit lefthanded. I wouldn’t be a starter my freshman of greatness as a freshman in terms this season. season in 2018. of discipline toward the game, work “Nick has been incredible,” said Amazing Shortstop “I honestly believe Nick could be a .300-plus hitter from the left “I had to come back in January ethic and approach to the plate. His Kirby. Kirby said one part of Gonzales’ showing the coaches I was serious physical skills and tools are special. “He is really advanced for a game that typically goes unnoticed side which would allow him to be a switch hitter. I saw him hit a home about getting bigger and stronger He is one of those rare hitters who college level player both on the is his defense. and better. I really wanted to play. can start his swing late. field and off. He has an advanced “A lot of people don’t realize run from the left side. I’m glad he’s on my team.” “My coaches wanted me to do “He has legitimate professional approach at the plate. He has tons he is playing shortstop for the first different drills during the Christmas bat speed. His plate discipline is of discipline. If you aren’t scared time in his college career at New Improves Quickness break. I did them constantly during superb. He doesn’t chase after to walk or strike out, that’s a tough Mexico St. The skilled New Mexico State that time, and it ended up working pitches just off the plate. combination. “Previously he played second hitter was asked why he has hit 12 out very well. “If you watch him take batting “The one player I might compare base. A week before the 2020 home runs in only 13 games this “Then I added another 15 pounds practice, rarely will you ever see Nick to is Phil Nevin who played at season, he moved to shortstop. season. over the span of a year and now him hit one out. A righthanded Cal. St. Fullerton and was the No. “We had two other players “Last year, I wanted to get as weigh 190 pounds.” hitter, he hits a lot of balls to right 1 overall pick in the 1992 MLB battling to start at shortstop in strong as possible. Through trial Changes Eating Tactics center in BP and a lot of line drives Draft. Austin Duffy and Kevin Jimenez and error, I felt that moving a and ground balls as he constantly “Phil had the same quick bat and trading off at third base. One good amount of weight fast during Once he hit 190 pounds, Gonzales changed tactics and is not works at backing the ball up and speed that Nick has which is really of them went down with an injury. weight training would help my putting great swings on the ball.” special. I asked Nick if he would like to fast twitch muscles be quicker and eating nearly what he once did as a freshman at New Mexico State. Gonzales said that he has “Watching Nick hit this year is try playing at shortstop. He got ultimately allow me to have faster emulated the BP practices of Los almost like watching someone play this big smile on his face and said, bat speed. “Now I try to maintain my weight and eat food that is good Angeles Dodger Mookie Betts. a baseball video game. His home ‘absolutely.’ “Several of the weight training “I saw an interview where he run and RBI numbers are off the “The Baseball Gods were all exercises I typically do are the for my body as I work with a nutritionist. I have a good, healthy talked about his hitting philosophy charts. The amazing thing about over Nick when he became a bench press, squat, dead lift, trap in BP, and he rarely hit home runs. Nick is that it’s not as though he shortstop. They made him make bar dead lift and power cleans as meal plan in place starting with breakfast. It is a meal that gives me So that stuck with me, and I have can only hit one pitch in one area every single difficult play possible well. done it ever since,” said Gonzales. of the strike zone. It is line to line by a shortstop. He threw out a 4.1 “With the bench press, I can energy through the day. I am also careful what I fuel my body with Green talked about a key moment with him. runner in the 6-hole deep. He went usually do 185 pounds for speed he had with Gonzales during the fall “Four of his home runs this up the middle and had to do a 360 and do four reps of four. With for lunch and dinner.” His strength, discipline and work of his freshman season. season have been hit to left field, to throw out a runner. squats, I can do 10 sets of two at “During that fall in 2017, he four others to centerfield and the “Nick had to come in on the 275-315 pounds. ethic also played big roles in his other four to rightfield. That’s why fastest runner the other team had “Instead of pushing weights dramatic improvement from his I said he is advanced. with the bases loaded and a chopper at maximum weight, I focused freshman to sophomore years with See GONZALES, Page 8 Page  Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball’s Florida No. 1 NCAA Division I Gators Roll With 16 Consecutive Victories TUCSON, Ariz. — Florida Poll Notes: Outside of Florida, is ranked No. 1 in Collegiate several other teams have winning Get Latest 2020 Baseball’s NCAA Division I streaks, including Mississippi TOP 30 POLL baseball poll presented by Big (14), Texas Tech. (12), Wichita Standings, Stats Presented By League Chew bubble gum. St. (12) Auburn (8) and U.C. Santa The Gators are off to their best Barbara (8). For NCAA Div. I TUCSON, Ariz. — Readers start in school history at 16-0 and In key series, Virginia took two of Collegiate Baseball can get are the only undefeated NCAA of three at home against N.C. State, the most current NCAA Division Division I team. Pepperdine took two of three at I standings by going to: www. Florida has hit 21 homers and 31 home against Michigan, Notre baseballnews.com and then clicking doubles over its first 16 games. Dame swept a 3-game series at the category Polls. The defense has only committed North Carolina (first conference Then click on NCAA Division I. 10 errors while the pitching staff road sweep since 2015 for Irish), Once there, click on NCAA Div. has a 2.43 ERA and has struck out Duke won two of three at home I Conference Standings. 172 batters with 45 walks. against Florida St., Louisville took For NCAA Div. I statistics, go to: UCLA, ranked No. 1 the previous two of three at Wake Forest and www.baseballnews.com and then two polls, slipped to third after U.C. Santa Barbara swept a 3-game click on Polls, NCAA Division I losing to U.C. Santa Barbara and series at Oregon St. and then NCAA Div. I Statistics. Texas Christian. The Bruins also Three teams fell out of the top 30 Navigate from there to find the stats www.bigleaguechew.com had quality wins against Vanderbilt in North Carolina, Texas Christian you are after. (As of March 9) and Southern California. and Michigan. Rank School Record Points Prev. 1. Florida (16-0) 496 2 Advanced Hitter Crushes Balls Line To Line 2. Texas Tech. (16-1) 495 3 3. UCLA (13-2) 493 1 4. Georgia (14-2) 489 4 5. Louisville (11-4) 487 6 Gonzales Flexes Muscles 6. Mississippi (14-1) 484 8 7. Vanderbilt (12-5) 481 5 With 12 HRs To All Fields 8. Arizona St. (13-4) 478 10 Continued From Page 7 9. Miami, Fla. (11-4) 475 9 10. Mississippi St. (10-4) 472 12 could hit the ball the other way. But he kind of pushed the ball. He had 11. N.C. State (13-2) 469 7 no pull power and no backspin to 12. Central Florida (15-2) 466 15 the pull side whatsoever. 13. Auburn (13-3) 464 17 “I had him do a high tee drill 14. Duke (12-3) 462 26 one day during the fall as we were messing around in the batting cage 15. Arkansas (9-5) 460 13 and asked him to really exaggerate 16. Florida St. (10-5) 457 14 the use of his top hand. 17. Texas (13-3) 455 19 “He took one particular swing 18. Texas A&M (14-3) 453 20 and just pounded the ball very 19. Louisiana St. (11-5) 451 22 differently than he had been. We 20. Alabama (15-1) 449 23 looked at each other, and I asked him if he felt that movement. 21. Pepperdine (12-3) 448 24 “A couple of weeks went by as 22. Tennessee (14-2) 446 16 he worked on this new movement, 23. Virginia (12-4) 444 — and I told Nick that he might have 24. Notre Dame (10-2) 443 — 25. Clemson (12-3) 440 27 NCAA D-1 Notes 26. U.C. Santa Barbara (13-2) 439 30 some real power. 27. Long Beach St. (10-5) 437 21 “That certainly has taken place 28. Oklahoma (13-4) 434 28 as his bat speed has exploded the 29. Tulane (13-2) 431 29 last two years. 30. Wichita St. (13-2) 428 — “You don’t see a lot of players do that. Source: Collegiate Baseball Newspaper “The reason goes back to his habits, discipline, nutrition, what he works on and his commitment to strength. “During batting practice, he NATIONAL PLAYERS constantly works on how late can he hit the ball and still drive it. It is a lot of right center and line drives. OF THE WEEK “We put a cone between home plate and the pitcher and asked Nick Powered By not to swing until the pitched ball New Mexico State SS Nick Gonzales traveled over the cone. “It redefines how late a batter Meadows threw two innings. 14 strikeouts in five innings, the 22 can start his swing. The next thing From there, Gonzalez and total strikeouts by the staff topped you know, a hitter gets shorter with Watters capped the historic night the 21-strikeout performance by his stroke.” with a pair of scoreless frames. Jeff Granger during the 1993 season Green said Gonzales’ focal point For the first time since 2005, against Lubbock Christian. is on his body to impact. Tulane pitchers combined to throw In other noteworthy strikeout www.diamond-sports.com “His rhythm and timing and BP a no-hitter during a 2-0 win over performances, Arizona State RHP Dane Acker, Oklahoma: Acker pitched a no-hitter on a daily basis is very slow even Middle Tennessee. pitchers combined to strikeout 18 against Louisiana St. during a 1-0 win. He struck out 11 batters though that isn’t necessarily his Braden Olthoff threw the first Oklahoma State batters during a and walked one. It was the Sooners’ first individual 9-inning game stride rhythm. He is a little six innings and finished the night 2-1 loss. no-hitter since 1989. quicker in games.” striking out eight. Erik Tolman of the Sun Devils fanned 12. RHP Jake Miller, San Diego: Miller threw a no-hitter against Then Clifton Slagel threw 2 1/3 Combined No-Hitters Connecticut pitchers combined Monmouth during a 7-0 win. It was the first no-no since the perfect innings with three strikeouts Two combined no-hitters were to strike out 17 during an 8-7 win 2008 season for the Toreros. He struck out 10 and walked two. before Keagan Gillies came in to thrown in recent action. over Michigan. Miller had a perfect game through seven innings. record the final pair of outs in the Four pitchers combined to throw ninth. Will Lucas went 2 1/3 innings SS/2B Nick Gonzales, New Mexico St.: Gonzales belted 5 a no-hitter in West Virginia’s 8-0 Tulane pitchers combined to and fanned six Wolverine batters. home runs over 5 games and collected 10 RBI as he went 7-for- win over Kent State. strikeout 12 batters and didn’t Pat Gallagher followed with three 18 at the plate. He scored 9 runs and was walked 8 times. One Tyler Strechay, Dillon Meadows, surrender a walk. strong innings as he also struck of his home runs was an inside-the-park grand slam. Skylar Gonzalez and Jacob Watters 22 Strikeouts out six. all contributed in the first nine LSU pitchers Cole Henry and C/1B Hunter Goodman, Memphis: Goodman had a monster inning no-hitter since the 2002 A school record 22 strikeouts week as he collected 24 RBI in four games as he belted 4 home by the Texas A&M pitching staff Jaden Hill combined to strikeout 16 season against Buffalo. Texas batters in a 4-3 win. runs and went 11-for-21 at the plate. He also scored 7 runs. Strechay pitched five perfect powered the Aggies to a 12-3 win For all national Players Of Week, visit: www.baseballnews.com innings, striking out a pair, before over Army. Paced by Asa Lacy’s career-high See BUCCANEERS, Page 9 Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page  Buccaneers Set School Record With 7 Homers Continued From Page 8 eighth inning go ahead grand slam deficit against Richmond and tied Oklahoma struck out 11 Arkansas struck out a career-high 14 North to push Wake Forest past La Salle, the game with two outs in the ninth batters in five innings during a 6-3 Carolina batters during a 4-1 win 7 Home Runs 7-4. inning. win over the Razorbacks. over the Tar Heels. East Tennessee State set a school A.J. Lewis hit a grand slam Then Ryan Davis hit a grand Luke Boyd of Baylor tallied On the season, Meyer has record with seven home runs during and drove in five runs in Eastern slam in the 10th inning to lift the saves in all four of the Bears’ wins punched out 31 hitters in 19 2/3 an 18-7 win over Georgia State. Kentucky’s 11-8 victory over Hoyas to an 11-8 win. in recent action. He recorded 9 innings of work. Incredible Games Siena. Around The Horn… strikeouts over 4 innings of work. Will Hollis of Texas State went Elijah Henderson hit a walk-off Lewis finished 3-for-4 with a Murray State beat Bowling He now has 5 saves on the season. 5-for-5 against Lamar. He fell single with one out in the 10th walk, 3 runs and 5 RBI. Green, 25-5. The 25 runs are Kevin Stevens took a no-hitter a double short of hitting for the inning to lead Clemson to a 1-0 win Memphis sophomore Hunter the most for Murray State since into the seventh, but Texas-Rio cycle. over Stony Brook. Goodman connected on his second hanging a school-record 31 runs Grande Valley fell to South Dakota During Long Beach State’s 7-3 He was 2-for-2 on the day with grand slam of the weekend to on Eastern Illinois during the 2016 State, 3-1. He struck out a career- win over Wake Forest, freshman a double, two walks and a hit-by- provide the game-winning hit season. Brock Anderson led the high 12 batters and only allowed pitcher Luis Ramirez struck out pitch as he reached base in all five during an 8-5 win against Western way with two home runs, including one hit which was a solo home 12 batters over seven innings plate appearances. Illinois. a grand slam and nine RBI. run. and retired the final 17 batters he In another pitchers duel, Chase Georgetown overcame a 6-run Pitcher Cade Cavalli of Minnesota pitcher Max Meyer faced. DeLauter hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning to propel James Madison to a 1-0 win over Quinnipiac. Brett Ayer picked up the victory for James Madison, going 4 shutout innings out of the bullpen. Ayer scattered two hits while striking out six. Nick Stewart started for the Dukes and went six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. Walk-Off Homer Peter Ahn belted a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th to lead Michigan State to a wild 15-14 win over Merrimack. Ahn ended the game 3-for-5 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. Wins It In 14th Inning A wild 14-inning affair resulted in a 5-4 win for Brigham Young over Cal Poly. BYU’s Danny Gelalich hit a double down the left field line, allowing Peyton Cole to score the game-winning run. 600th Career Win Head Coach John Pawlowski of Western Kentucky celebrated his 600th career victory in a 17-9 win over USC Upstate. Western Kentucky battled back from multiple deficits throughout the game before eventually pulling away in the final few frames to earn the comeback victory. Hit 5 Times In Game Stetson batters were hit by pitches five times during an 8-7 win over Maryland-Baltimore County. It was the most in a game for the Hatters since the 2016 season when Big League Chew was invented by Rob Nelson, a former Cornell Illinois pitchers hit five Stetson batters in a 4-1 Stetson win. University lefthander who was pitching in Oregon in 1977 for the Junior Kyle Ball was on the unfortunate end of those three hit fabled Portland Mavericks when he came up with the idea for a new by pitches in the game against Maryland-Baltimore County. It type of bubble gum. was the most in a game for a Stetson player since Brian Pruitt was plunked three times in a game Rob was literally sitting in the Portland bullpen, watching his team- against Nebraska during the 2007 season. mates chewing other less salubrious stuff, when he thought that Hits For Cycle Tulane’s Trevor Minder became shredded bubble gum would be a much more fun option. the first Green Wave hitter since 2013 and just the third since 2001 to hit for the cycle. Against Middle Tennessee, he Rob shared the idea with Mav teammate Jim Bouton who liked the hit a single, double, 3-run homer and then a triple on his final at-bat concept so much he spent the next two years searching for a gum of the game. company to manufacture and distribute Big League Chew. He Walk-Off Homers Gabe Matthews hit a walk-off succeeded, and BLC quickly became the must-have bubble gum for 2-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Oregon a ballplayers in the littlest leagues to the Big Leagues. 6-4 win over Milwaukee. Kenyon Yovan walked to lead off the inning before Matthews blasted a 2-1 pitch over the rightfield fence Today, over 40 years later, Big League Chew is the #1-selling for the win. Vanderbilt’s Isaiah Thomas shredded bubble gum in the world — with over 800 million pouches belted a 2-out, 3-run walk-off home run in the 11th inning to beat sold. It is manufactured in the USA by Ford Gum of Akron, New York. Hawaii, 7-5. Hawaii had jumped ahead with ™ two runs in the top half of the 11th before Vanderbilt stormed back to ® score four times in the bottom half BIG LEAGUE CHEW AMERICA’S BUBBLE GUM of the frame. Grand Slams Galore Coaches Discount now available at bigleaguechew.com William Simoneit belted an Page 10 Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball’s Jesuit H.S. No. 1 Tigers Roll To 7-0 With .365 BA, 1.92 ERA National High School TUCSON, Ariz. — Jesuit They have already defeated several four shutouts. (Tampa, FL) is No. 1 for the top teams in Red Mountain, 10-3, No. 17 Lake Travis (Austin, TX) third straight Collegiate Baseball O’Connor, 4-1 and Mesa Mountain is 11-1-1 with recent wins over The National High School Poll as View, 9-8. Woodlands (TX), 3-1 and Round TOP 30 POLL presented by Diamond Pro® with New to the poll is No. 10 Veterans Rock (TX), 2-0. Presented By a 7-0 record. Memorial (Corpus Christi, TX) No. 19 Spruce Creek (Orange, The Tigers have been the top team with a 12-0 record. The Eagles FL) started the season 8-0, including in the USA since the pre-season won the Mira’s Baseball Classic 5 wins in district play. The team poll. The most recent win was a by plowing through six different has not allowed more than 3 runs 12-1 rout of Calvary Christian (Fort opponents, outscoring them 34-6. by opponents, outscoring them Lauderdale, FL) who was ranked in In the championship game, they 53-10. several other national polls. defeated King (TX), 11-1 in a run- No. 20 Ayala (Chino Hills, CA) In 7 games, the Tigers have rule shortened game. is now No. 3 in the most recent posted a .365 team batting average No. 11 Thousand Oaks (CA) Los Angeles Times rankings with a and a 1.92 team ERA. started the season off with an 8- 10-0 record. They earned a key 6-3 Four hitters are batting over 0 record. They have outscored victory over early ranked La Mirada .400 in Jalen Niles (.467), Nick opponents 52-13 and have four more (CA) recently. Rodriguez (.450), Bradke Lohry games to hone their skills before No. 22 Huntington Beach (CA) (.429) and Henry Politz (.429). facing the tough competition in the dropped in the poll after posting a Leading the pitching staff is National High School Invitational 5-3 record. After beating Loyola, 7- Camden Minacci who is 3-0 with in Cary, N.C. 0 and Harvard-Westlake, 14-6, they a 0.64 ERA, 23 strikeouts and 2 No. 12 JSerra Catholic (San Juan lost to JSerra in extra innings 3-2 in walks in 11 innings. Justin Clark is Capistrano, CA) posted a 9-1 record a local tournament championship PROFESSIONAL GROUNDSKEEPING PRODUCTS 2-0 with an 0.00 ERA, 10 strikeouts with the most recent game against game. Then they subsequently and no walks in 4 innings. Birmingham (Lake Balboa, CA) as lost a doubleheader to JSerra, 6-1 No. 2 is De La Salle (Concord, the lone loss, 2-1. They boast three and 3-1. CA). The Spartans won the first wins over No. 23 Huntington Beach No. 23 North Gwinnett two games of the season against (CA), 3-2, 6-1 and 3-1. Pitcher (Suwanee, GA) is 7-3. A recent (As of March 9, 2020) Bellarmine College Prep (San Gage Jump has not allowed a run trip to California resulted in the Jose), 4-3 and Elk Grove (CA) 5-3. on 2 hits so far in 15.1 innings of team losing to Valley Christian Rank School Record This extends its win streak from last work. He has walked 10 and struck (San Jose, CA), 5-2, St. John 1. Jesuit (Tampa, FL) 7-0 season to 30 games. out 27. Bosco (Bellflower, CA) 4-1 and 2. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 2-0 No. 3 Orange Lutheran (Orange, New to the poll at No. 13 is beating Mater Dei (Santa Ana, 3. Orange Lutheran (Orange, CA) 6-0 CA) is 6-0. Of the six games, four Owasso (OK) with a 4-0 record CA), 5-4. They returned to play a 4. American Heritage (Delray Beach, FL) 9-0 were shutouts. They have two wins to start the season. The Rams took doubleheader against Duluth (GA), over top California teams in La two games from Jenks (OK), 7-3 winning 12-0 and 10-0. 5. Farragut (Knoxville, TN) 0-0 Mirada, 2-0 and Valley Christian, and 2-0. Nate Wohgemuth struck No. 24 Harvard-Westlake (Studio 6. American Heritage (Plantation, FL) 7-0 8-2. out 10 Jenks batters in 4 innings of City, CA) is 6-1-1. Recently the 7. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, CA) 4-1 No. 4 American Heritage (Delray work. Nate Ackenhausen tossed a Wolverines swept Mission League 8. Carroll (Southlake, TX) 11-1 Beach, FL) rolled to 9-0, posting complete game one-hitter vs. Jenks rival Loyola (CA), 13-5, 7-2 and 9. Hamilton (Chandler, AZ) 7-0 four shutouts. The team has a .323 and struck out 16. 15-6. They dropped a tournament 10. Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi, TX) 12-0 batting average and 0.25 team ERA. No. 14 Barbe (Lake Charles, game to Huntington Beach (CA), LHP Nelson Berkwich leads the LA) has an 8-2 record. Leading the 14-6 and tied ML King (CA), 6-6. pitching staff with a 3-0 record, pitching staff are Brody Drost (2-0, No. 26 Parkview (Lilburn, GA) 11. Thousand Oaks (Thousand Oaks, CA) 8-0 0.00 ERA, 31 strikeouts and 4 0.00 ERA, 14 K) and Adam Guth posted a 10-2 record. Parkview 12. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, CA) 9-1 walks in 16.2 innings. (2-0, 0.62 ERA, 19 K). Top hitters defeated Blessed Trinity (GA), 8-0 13. Owasso (Owasso, OK) 4-0 No. 5 Farragut (Knoxville, TN) include Ethan Medlin (.457, 4 2B, 1 in the Georgia Peach Tournament. 14. Barbe (Lake Charles, LA) 8-2 starts this week. HR, 8 RBI), Davis Meche (.419, 2 Mason Brown and Jordan Lowery No. 6 American Heritage HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI) and Bailey combined for a no-hitter. Brown 15. DeSoto Central (Southaven, MS) 10-1 (Plantation, FL) is 7-0 to start the Juneau (.407, 1 3B, 8 RBI). had 7 strikeouts in 6 innings of 16. Reagan (San Antonio, TX) 9-2-2 season. They boast key wins over No. 15 DeSoto Central work. The Panthers had three 17. Lake Travis (Austin, TX) 11-1-1 top Florida teams in Westminster (Southaven, MS) has posted a shutouts in the tournament. 18. St. Mary’s (Orchard Lake, MI) 0-0 Christian (Miami) 2-0, Venice 4-3 10-1 record with wins over teams Parkview pitchers have thrown 8 19. Spruce Creek (Port Orange, FL) 8-0 and Florida Christian 3-2. from Florida, Georgia, Alabama shutouts and only given up 7 runs 20. Ayala (Ayala, CA) 10-0 No. 7 Notre Dame (Sherman and only one Mississippi team. in 12 games. Oaks, CA) posted a 4-1 record. DeSoto won the White Bracket of No. 27 Har-Ber (Springdale, They opened the Mission League the Perfect Game Showdown. The AR) kicked off the season with a 21. St. Augustine Prep (Richland, NJ) 0-0 schedule going 2-1 against Crespi pitching staff has been outstanding 4-1 record. 22. Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach, CA) 5-3 (Encino, CA), winning 13-2 (8 led by Cade Smith (2-0, 0.00 ERA, No. 30 Loganville (GA) posted 23. North Gwinnett (Suwanee, GA) 7-3 innings), 10-5 and losing 11-5. 4 BB, 28 K, 16.1 IP) and Gavin an 8-3 record but has won its last 24. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, CA) 6-1-1 No. 8 Carroll (Southlake, TX) is Brassfield (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 BB, 6 games. 11-1. The team dropped a one-run 17 K, 13.1 IP). Dropped from the poll are The 25. Jesuit (Portland, OR) 0-0 game to Pebble Hills (El Paso, TX) No. 16 Reagan (San Antonio, Woodlands (TX); Bob Jones (AL); 26. Parkview (Lilburn, GA) 10-2 early in the season, but has since TX) has a No. 2 ranking in the Sam Houston (LA); Kingwood 27. Har-Ber (Springdale, AR) 4-1 gone on a 10-game win streak. Texas 6A division by the Texas (TX); La Mirada (CA); Venice 28. Millard West (Omaha, NE) 0-0 No. 9 Hamilton (Chandler, AZ) High School Baseball website (FL); Valley Christian (CA); and 29. St. John Vianney (St. Louis, MO) 0-0 is proving once again that the with a 9-2-2 record. The team tied Mountain Point (AZ). 30. Loganville (Loganville, GA) 8-3 Huskies are the team to beat in games with Katy (TX) 2-2 and For more details, go to our Arizona 6A baseball as they kicked The Woodlands (TX) 4-4, both in website at www.baseballnews.com off the season with 7 straight wins. 8 innings. Among their wins are under high school polls. High School Notes AC Flora Wins 30th Annual International Paper Classic GEORGETOWN, S.C. — AC out one and allowed one walk. Monteith, Fort Dorchester; Rocco hits over six innings of work. DeSoto Central’s Blaze Jordan Flora (Columbia, SC) defeated Baker Cox went 2-for-3 at the Reid, Greenville; Tristan Smith, In an early game against Bob was named Tournament MVP. He Chapin (SC), 5-4 in the title game of plate and was named Tournament Boiling Springs and Hunter Young, Jones (AL), Phelan threw 8 shutout went 6-for-13 with a home run, two the 30th Annual International Paper MVP. Georgetown. innings, allowing only three hits, triples, a double and two singles Classic in Georgetown, SC. AC Flora went through its Perfect Game Showdown two walks and seven strikeouts. with two runs scored and an RBI. The event kicks off the spring bracket undefeated, beating South Three high school baseball He earned co-MPV Pitcher honors Teammate RHP Cade Smith was baseball season in South Carolina Aiken, 15-7, Greenville, 1-0, and teams were crowned winners at along with Buford’s Dylan Lesko. MVP Pitcher after allowing four high school baseball. Georgetown, 8-7. Chapin also the Perfect Game Showdown held OF Will Yarbro was named the hits and striking out 11 in seven Both teams are ranked No. 1 in won its bracket, defeating Fort in Hoover, AL. MVP Player as he hit a home run, shutout innings. their respective divisions. Dorchester, 4-0, Fort Mill, 5-4, and In the Blue Bracket, Mountain two triples, a single with 6 RBI. In the Red Bracket, Loganville The Falcons built a 4-run lead in Boiling Springs 4-1. Brook (Birmingham, AL) defeated In the White Bracket, DeSoto (GA) defeated IMG Academy the third inning and then held off Greenville (SC) beat Fort Buford (GA), 1-0 in the title Central beat Harteselle (AL), 4-3 (Bradenton, FL), 13-1 for the title. Chapin for the 5-4 victory. Dorchester (SC), 5-1 for third game. in 8 innings for the title. IMG Academy’s RHP Heston Jake Huggins earned the victory. place. The Spartans RHP Porter The Jaguars were trailing 3-0 in Tole was the tournament’s MVP He surrendered two runs on two hits The All Tournament Team Phelan tossed a two-hitter after his the sixth inning before rallying for Pitcher, who earlier threw a and walked none in 1 1/3 innings. included Chris Veach, Drew teammates gave him a one-run lead a pair of runs. They added another complete-game, no-hit shutout Baker Cox recorded the last 7 outs Calhoun and Sam Green of in the top of the first inning. Phelan run in the seventh to send the game with 11 strikeouts. for the save. Chapin; Michael Wright, Coleman struck out seven and walked one. into extra innings. DeSoto Central’s OF/3B Jackson Stephens West started the game Ramos and Jack Reynolds of AC The game was a pitcher’s duel Robert Mac Sims came through Daniel was named MVP Player for the Falcons, allowing two hits Flora; Mikey Tepper, Fort Mill; with RHP Jackson Gaspard of with a walk-off, one-out RBI single for his three-run double during the and no runs in one inning. He struck Jesse Sanders, South Aiken; Pat Buford giving up one run on three into left field in the eighth inning. championship game. Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page 11 Greatest Coaches Of All Time Lewis-Clark State’s Cheff Was Fabulous Innovator By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR. place, he does not want any involved in offense — the guy Editor/Collegiate Baseball pitchers shagging loose balls in hitting and three guys on the bases. (First Of A 2-Part Series) the outfield. The base runners are reading balls “We have three outfielders who hit by the batter whether it be LEWISTON, Idaho — No coach play shallow. Those guys have a grounders, line drives or fly balls in college baseball history was competition each practice as to who and reactions to balls which can more successful than Ed Cheff, will make the greatest catch of the and can’t be caught. They read and head coach at Lewis-Clark State, day. Every time a ball comes off a react to every other pitch. The first who led the program to 16 NAIA bat, it is a contest to see who can BP pitch, they are expected to react national championships. make the greatest catch. You are to it. The second BP pitch, they He was with the Warriors for 34 rewarding the effort and hard-nosed return to their preliminary lead. years and amassed a 1,705-430-2 mentality of who will go all out to Then on the third pitch, they have record for a .799 winning percentage catch a ball. full secondary leads and anything before retiring in 2010. “At the end of BP, an outfielder else we have incorporated into the No coach in the nation utilized is recognized as making the greatest process. practices, pre-game hitting, infield catch of the day. Your focus as an “It’s one thing to line them all up and actual game time more to his outfielder is that you work your tail and say this is what we’re doing. advantage than this Hall of Fame off on every ball that is hit in your It’s another thing to talk about total skipper. vicinity. Now if the ball is hit and effort and total secondary lead with “One of the first things we is obviously not catchable, don’t a ballistic 3-4 step reaction from the did was give the players a solid dive after it. hit ball which is hit in the gap or a understanding of what the coach “The kid is wasting his time. We runner at third reacting to a ball hit expects in practice,” said Cheff. may even have four out there where in the infield which he will score on. “We try to define what the one of the outfielders will trade off. The reaction time for that is critical foundation of a good practice is. To Ed Cheff (right) Led Lewis-Clark St. To 16 NAIA Titles. But we always have players in left as well as the effort. us in our program, a good practice Then those players throw back to It can mean a bunch of pitchers field, centerfield and right. Nobody “While BP is going on, we centers on a player’s total effort and the other base across the diamond. hanging around the outfield. It can is standing in the alleys or on the incorporate a lot of defense and emotion via intellectual, physical “After a certain number of mean some guys lazily catching lines. You would be surprised at the base running. Another thing we do and mental terms throughout throws, two of the catchers will a fly ball or an infielder maybe great plays which are made daily in is have the outfielders in BP play practice. snap throw to the next base on picking up a ground ball off a bat our practices. If a ball gets through shallow so they get an awful lot of “Practice is more than just a the right as the second phase of and more than likely not. BP can the outfielders, they retrieve the chances for hard shots over their series of drills and repetition of the this drill begins. Then we may go be very laid back and not very ball, throw it back in and get back to head. Anything hit in front of them bio-mechanical exercise. We try to back with the diagonals across the productive except for the person their position as quickly as possible that they might be able to catch integrate emotional stability and diamond which simulate throws to who is actually hitting.” so they get more chances to make is left to the infielder to go after balance, intellectual appreciation second again. “Or you can make batting practice that great catch. which helps the infielders develop for what they are doing, total “We can incorporate the specifics highly productive to everybody and “As far as infielders, they play better range on short fly balls to physical effort and then have them of the footwork and the throw for incorporate the key element of the ball off the bat first. If the ball the outfield. demonstrate a good mentality. We all four catchers and be pretty batting practice which is the guy is not hit to them, then we are in a “The outfielder is screaming to incorporate those four qualities into productive in a short period of throwing the ball.” sequence with the two fungo guys the infielder ‘You, You, You’ so he everything we do. time.” Cheff said having enough who hit balls to two infielders goes after it. We want the infielder “Doing those four things achieves Cheff said his first baseman all pitchers for a BP can be a problem immediately with purpose specific making diving, hard catches over more focus better than just honing play catch together as well as his for many programs. But he has a ground balls. We might be working his shoulder in practice with Texas in on the bio-mechanics of a swing middle infielders and outfielders. solution. backhands for the first 20 minutes. leaguer type stuff.” or footwork in a double play or During throwing practice, he said “If you don’t have enough These are real firm, hard backhands. All-Encompassing System pitching mechanics. there might be some 4-corner pitchers to throw BP, I tell high So therefore, the fungo hitter has to Cheff said the beauty of this “I feel practice must be structured catch with infielders or quick hand school coaches all the time that they be well trained so he hits the ball system is that one high school and monitored so this type of effort catch. should go out into their community exactly where he wants it to go.” coach can observe three base is explicitly defined and recognized. “We want to incorporate some and find former baseball or softball Pitchers Waste Time runners, nine players on defense There is no question what we are specifics of ball handling, footwork players who can donate their time Cheff said he at times hates and his hitter. after when we go to work.” and throwing of the ball which we to be a core of batting practice to have pitchers waste their time “The key thing is the quality of Cheff discussed his practices. think we should work on while pitchers for your program. You hitting fungoes. the fungo guy and the quality of “A lot of times in a single practice we’re warming up. Warming up might get a stockbroker who has “Sometimes pitchers feel the BP pitcher. If these folks are we wouldn’t incorporate a lot of is not strictly an activity where an afternoon off. practice revolves around shagging not good, you can’t have a quality different things into it. I think back you get your arm loose. It is a “Find some guys in your balls and hitting fungoes for them. practice. So you must train your to when I was a high school football structured type of situation where community who like baseball and But sometimes for the high school pitchers to be good fungo hitters. coach. We had a defensive day and there are specific things going on will train in the off season so they coach, he has to utilize all available Some kids have no idea what is spent time on defense. The next day with specific throws.” are ready to pitch when practice players who can chip in to help. involved in hitting a fungo. we might spend time on offense. For the vast majority of practices, begins. They will become BP The key is training the fungo hitter. “Some coaches are bad fungo Then we might spend time on the Cheff said he shies away from pitchers for your program. Try to Every time he hits a bad fungo, it’s a hitters, and they need to become kicking game and special teams drills. get six or seven of them, including waste of everyone’s time. If he hits more adept at doing it through “Our baseball practices are “I am not a big drill guy,” said a couple of lefthanders. three out of four bad ones, we aren’t practice. One of the saddest things regimented from the very first Cheff. “In our community, we only getting any productivity. is a coach having infield practice practice. In our stretching, we don’t “We do some drills. But I am not have 30,000 people. We have “It has to be a quality fungo. If and not being able to fungo the ball talk. It is not a time for conversation all that excited about gimmicks, a batting practice core of guys. it is a ball hit to the fielder’s back where he wants to. He also might between players. We’re developing especially hitting gimmick drills. I Some of them are 35 years old. hand, make the person on defense not be able to get the hop in the a focus on what practice is all about. like some Tee work a little bit. But But I have had an association with extend himself and bust his butt to ball he is after because he doesn’t If coaches have any comments, I don’t like to see balls on strings them either at Lewis-Clark State get there and make the play. He gets practice himself. then the players can listen as they and a lot of soft toss and things with or with another baseball program. the ball back to the fungo hitter and “A good coach is one who not stretch. We preview what will be weighted bats, light bats or fungo A lot of guys like to go work out immediately sets up to prepare for a only has his kids practice. But he incorporated in that practice. When bats. I feel regular BP is a great help in a gym, do aerobics or jog. We ball hit by the batter in the cage. must go out and refine his skills in we get down to the structure of to hitters with good BP pitchers try to convince people that a great “There is a lot of defensive this area as well to keep sharp. It’s playing catch, we play a unison type throwing pitches. But if you’re workout throwing BP is, and they effort happening during every not a bad idea for a coach to take of catch to begin our practice. only going to have one guy hitting can become a very important part of batting practice. We may have a his pitchers with him on a Saturday “We have players in straight lines at a time in a field BP situation, the ball club in the process.” great fungo hitter and have him morning and teach his pitchers how equally spaced. We are doing it in then you better have a lot of other Freeing Up Head Coach hit ‘divers’ where every infielder to hit fungos for two or three hours a rhythm and timing together so it things going on that are productive Cheff said this frees the coach is extended for 15 minutes. Then into buckets which are strategically looks like one guy is playing catch. for other players as well.” up so he can monitor all areas of every infielder will work on diving placed on the field.” It’s something we have always used BP Organization practice. to his left and right and coming up Cheff said pre-game workouts pre-game and pre-practice. It is our Cheff gave an example of a “The most ridiculous thing in with the ball. The production of the are important as well. way to get our players to focus on typical batting practice. the world is one coach on the field entire practice is outstanding while “Nine innings of baseball isn’t the practice or game coming up. So “We will face a particular type trying to throw BP. It’s just him one guy is hitting in BP.” taxing at all. It’s hard to exert often, playing catch is a goof off of pitcher in BP. He might be a soft and a kid hitting, and the rest of Cheff said he always has three yourself enough prior to a game activity. But we want our catching lefthander or a power righthander. the players are wondering what’s men on base during BP as well. to be tired in a BP setting. You just to be useful and not wasted.” “Maybe he is a split finger going on? It also behooves coaches “The guy at first base may be don’t get enough chances. Unique Drills righthander with decent velocity. to teach all their players how to practicing secondary leads and “You won’t wear yourself out. Cheff explained what drills he Whatever we create will be pitcher throw BP. It helps arm strength, reading line drives or balls in the But if you make some great plays utilized during practices. specific. At all of our BPs, we try to control of the ball, etc. You teach dirt. He always makes a three or on defense in BP prior to a game “We have specialized throwing make it pitcher specific or at least kids that when they are freshmen in four step reaction to what he sees. in the outfield, your confidence drills where we might have catchers pitch specific. the program. What happens with all The runner at second might be will build.” at each base on the infield diamond. “For the first segment of BP, of this is that you have a lot of good, working on his stealing of third. Since we have four catchers, we we might have the hitters look at productive firm BP pitchers who That’s why all of our BP pitchers NEXT ISSUE: Ed Cheff will have one at each base. The catcher nothing but inside third pitches with will help your hitters progress. throw from the stretch. The runner explain his unique in-game at first base will throw a ball across fastballs. If we are using machines, “You will have guys consistently at third looks for ground balls to practices for infielders, hitting the diamond to third while using it will be 88-90 mph.” throwing balls on the inside third score or wild pitches. Any area of sins his teams tried to avoid, proper footwork and throwing Cheff then digressed. of the plate firm or outside third base running can be incorporated at pushing players to new levels of fundamentals. The catcher at home “Batting practice can mean many consistently firm.” any given time. greatness and much more. will throw to the guy at second. different things to different coaches. Cheff said when BP is taking “Overall, we have four guys Page 12 Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Strikeouts Galore Three NCAA Division II Pitchers Mow Down 17 Batters In Tilts PORTLAND, Ore. — RHP Austin Schneider of Texas-Tyler NCAA Div. II broke the school record with 17 strikeouts during a complete Baseball Poll game, 2-hit shutout victory over (As Of March 9) Cameron. Rank School 2020 Rec. Points 1. U.C. San Diego (17-4) 240 He recorded at least one strikeout 2. Catawba (17-3) 231 in all nine innings, and he had two 3. Central Missouri (18-3) 225 or more strikeouts in seven of the 4. Colorado Mesa (14-4) 213 5. Angelo St. (19-3) 211 nine frames. 6. Georgia College (13-2) 200 After UT Tyler gave him a 3-0 7. Barry (15-4) 185 8. North Greenville (17-5-1) 183 lead with 3 runs in the bottom of the 9. Millersville (14-4) 175 seventh, Schneider struck out the 10. Tampa (13-7) 157 side on 16 pitches in the top of the SECOND TEN 11. Columbus St. (17-3) 156 top of the eighth to tie the program 12. Alabama-Huntsville (15-5) 147 mark of 15 strikeouts set in 2008 by 13. Texas-Tyler (19-3) 146 Brett Holland. 14. Ashland (7-2) 144 15. Mount Olive (17-4) 129 LHP Josh Bobrowski of 16. West Texas A&M (17-5) 120 Francis Marion also recorded 17 17. Valdosta St. (12-6) 112 18. Biola (12-2) 109 strikeouts. 19. Bloomsburg (9-1) 99 During a 3-2 win over Young 20. East Stroudsburg (12-1-2) 89 Harris, he pitched eight innings THIRD TEN 21. Bellarmine (10-4) 71 and allowed two earned runs and 22. Wingate (15-5) 65 scattered seven hits with one 23. West Georgia (13-6) 63 walk. 24. Dixie State (15-3) 62 25. S. New Hampshire (10-4) 47 He is only the sixth pitcher in 26. Chico St. (15-7) 42 league history to record 17 or more 27. Davenport (13-2) 37 28. UNC Pembroke (17-5) 20 strikeouts in a game. 29. Florida Southern (13-8) 15 RHP Josh Stover of Ashland Newberry (15-5) 15 fanned 17 batters during a 7-inning Source: NCAA Div. II Poll Committee complete game 10-0 win over St. Cloud State. He struck out multiple hitters RHP Austin Schneider of Texas-Tyler struck out 17 batters against Cameron. in every inning and fanned the Andy McClymond of Slippery side in the first, third and seventh Nighthawks’ first two wins. He single to lead off the second and a as the Vikings swept Southwest Rock started the 2020 season on a followed by going 3-for-5 with a double to open the fourth without Baptist. He is now on an 11-game high note with 9 strikeouts during solo home run and grand slam in issuing a walk as he struck out 7. hitting streak and is hitting .477 on a 6-2 win over West Virginia State. NCAA D-2 NOTES in game three and then finished the LHP Braden White of King the season with 5 doubles. He scattered 2 runs over 6 innings week 2-for-3. picked up two conference wins Trevor Clemons of UNC of work. innings. John Trousdale of Alabama over a week to move to 5-0 on the Pembroke had multiple hits in three Tyler Blomster of Colorado He gave up just four hits and Huntsville belted 4 homers, scored season. In league victories over wins over Clafin as he collected School of Mines struck out 8 batters walked one. 8 runs and collected 13 RBI over Chowan and Barton, he has fanned 12 RBI with a double, triple and in 8 innings during a 5-1 win over The 17 strikeouts were two shy five games. 10 in 11 innings pitched and owns home run. Colorado Christian. He scattered of Ken Kravec’s seven-inning Three of his four homers were in a 1.64 ERA. Collin Bishop of Kutztown went 4 hits. school record set in 1971. the West Alabama series, including Benjamin Huber of Limestone 6-for-10 with 2 home runs and 6 Todd Paperd of Saginaw Valley Stover has now struck out 29 a 3-run homer and grand slam in was 11-for-16 at the plate as he RBIs during a doubleheader sweep State went 7-for-13 during the and walked five in 17 1/3 innings the final game. His eight RBI in the drove in 8 runs and scored 6 runs of Ohio Dominican. On the season team’s spring trip to Florida. He hit on the season. series finale is tied for second most over four games. He collected through six games, he is hitting .538 with 2 triples and 3 RBI and No-Hitter in a single game in school history. multiple hits in all four games, .667 with 3 doubles, 2 homers and posted a slugging percentage of Minot State pitcher Noah Myhre U.C. San Diego SS Shay including three hits each in three 14 RBI. .846. Paperd leads the Cards with threw a no-hitter against Missouri Whitcomb belted 4 home runs as of the four contests. He also had 3 Alex Mykut of Millersville a .476 batting average. Western. he went 5-for-16 at the place with doubles and 2 home runs. tossed six strong innings against RHP Jake Karaba of Lewis He fanned 7 batters over 7 5 runs scored and 7 RBI. Three Alec Lewis of Henderson Goldey-Beacom to secure a 6-0 struck out a career-high 11 hitters innings and walked 2 during a came in one during a 7-inning game St. helped the Reddies pick up victory. He fanned a career-high 11 in only 5 innings of work during an 10-0 win. against San Francisco St. three wins against Delta St. and batters and walked one. 18-4 win over William Jewell. 14 Strikeouts Oklahoma Baptist as he drove in 18 Strikeouts 6 runs and hit .417. He also hit the Charleston’s Logan Campbell John Bezdicek of Southwest first two home runs of his career. struck out 18 batters during a Minnesota State tied a career high Jacob Potter of Southeastern 9-inning complete game over with 14 strikeouts over 6 innings Oklahoma St. struck out 6 and Shippensburg. during a 3-2 win over Minnesota walked only 1 during a 6-1 victory After allowing a walk to the Duluth. over Arkansas Tech. He allowed opening batter, Campbell set down He allowed four hits and threw only 4 hits in the 103-pitch complete 17-straight batters and took a no- 66 strikes among the 88 pitches game. Through five starts this hitter into the sixth inning. thrown. He did not have a 3-ball season, he has 27 strikeouts and Campbell finished the game count on any of the 22 batters he has walked 7. retiring 10-straight, including five faced. Nolan Bryant went 9-for-17 on strikes. Big Week at the plate over five games for 15 Strikeouts John Contoudis of Chestnut Hill Davenport as he scored 9 runs, Sasha Jabusch of Concordia went 8-for-12 at the plate with 3 collected 2 doubles, 1 home run University (Portland, Ore.) struck doubles, 1 triple and 7 RBI during and 9 RBI. He also was 3-for-3 in out 15 batters during a 1-0 win over three games against Bentley. stolen bases. Saint Martin’s to open conference He also was 3-for-3 in stolen Riley Herron of Drury went 8- play. He allowed only three hits bases and had a slugging percentage for-13 at the plate during a 3-game while walking one. of 1.083. sweep of Parkside. He collected His 15 strikeouts tied the Great 9 Strikeouts 6 RBI and scored 5 runs. Herron Northwest Athletic Conference Brandon Wise of Saginaw Valley registered 15 total bases, including record single-game record. St. earned his second victory of a home run, triple and 2 doubles. Belts 4 Homers the season with a 3-2 win over In addition, he swiped 4 bases in Haydn McGeary of Colorado Trevecca Nazarene. the series. Mesa was 12-for-15 during a series He worked 6 2/3 innings and Frostburg State’s Ryan Roell with Northwest Nazarene as he struck out a season-high 9 batters was 6-for-8 at the plate against belted 4 home runs, 3 doubles, and walked none. Shepherd over two games with two scored 6 runs and drove in 12 Only one run was earned. home runs, including a grand slam. He also recorded 9 RBI. RBI. 6 No-Hit Innings West Virginia State’s Nick Loftis During a doubleheader, he was LHP Riley Martin of Quincy pitched a 1-hitter through six 7-for-7 with 3 home runs, 5 runs threw eight shutout innings against innings and sat down 10 Slippery scored and 8 RBI. Missouri-St. Louis, including six Rock batters during a 7-0 win. Shawn Grandmont of Northwest innings of no-hit ball. Jeff Praml of New Hampshire Nazarene hit 4 home runs and He struck out nine batters and fired a complete game 1-hitter as he collected 8 RBI with 6 runs scored allowed just two hits. when he went 7-for-17 at the struck out 7 and walked two during plate over four games at Central Around The Horn… a 4-1 win over New York Tech. Washington. Cal. Poly Pomona RHP Rhys Jordan Barth of Augustana Grandmont opened conference Stevens fired a 2-hit shutout went 8-for-12 at the plate with 5 play with home runs in each of the during a 2-0 win over Cal. St. San runs scored, 7 RBI, 1 homer, 1 Bernardino. He only allowed a double, 1 walk and 2 stolen bases LHP Josh Bobrowski also mowed down 17 hitters. Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page 13

Coaches: Do You Know Your ABCA Membership Benefits?

The benefits of being a member of the American Baseball Coaches Asso- Baseball, Pocket Radar, Stick & Ball TV, Terryberry, Turface Athletics and ciation are stronger than ever, and the best part is, the ABCA’s $55 member- Wilson Sporting Goods. ship dues are the lowest among national sports coaching associations! This is • Hotel & Rental Car Discounts: The ABCA has leveraged its large mem- a partial list of benefits provided to the nearly 13,000 members of the No. 1 bership to secure discounts on hotels and rental cars for members, whether baseball coaching association in the World. it’s for team or personal travel. Chains include Marriott, Best Western, Red Roof Inn, G6, Enterprise and National. • Attend the ABCA Convention: Members are able to attend the World’s • ABCA Press Box Weekly E-Newsletter: All members receive the weekly Largest Baseball Convention, held annually each January at sites through- e-newsletter of the ABCA with articles about baseball news, coaching and out the United States. Registration opens Sept. 1 each year. See the back training as well as relevant association information. cover for future locations! • Continuing Education: Members who need Professional Development • NEW! Live Stream the ABCA Clinics: Members who are unable to at- or Continuing Education Credits (typically teachers) can satisfy their re- tend the Convention can sign up to live video stream the 23 main-stage quirements and receive documentation verifying attendance at the ABCA clinics at the ABCA Convention. Convention. • NEW! My ABCA mobile app: The “My ABCA” app is your one-stop • ABCA Job Postings & Open Dates: Many job listing websites charge shop for everything ABCA! You can message members, collaborate in fo- hundreds of dollars to post or view jobs, but this is a free service to all rums, access the Coaching Resource Library and Document Center, re- members! ABCA members can also post open schedule dates and inquiries ceive the latest ABCA news, as well as register for membership and events. on the ABCA website free of charge. • NEW! Coaching Resource Library: The ABCA Coaching Resource Li- • 30% off at www.ABCAvideos.org: The ABCA’s online video library, brary features more than 100 drill videos, diagrams & charts that can be www.ABCAvideos.org, hosts all of the ABCA Convention clinic videos instantly utilized with your players! New content is uploaded every week. dating back to 2008 as well as Barnstormers Clinics. Current ABCA mem- • Free Clinic Videos for Attendees & Live Stream Registrants: All mem- bers automatically receive a 30% discount on all purchases. bers who check-in on-site at the ABCA Convention or register to live • Networking and Professional Development: Members are able to con- stream the clinics get free online access to that year’s on-demand clinic nect and exchange ideas while enhancing their professional development, videos. This now includes the main-stage clinics, Q&A sessions, Youth both in person and virtually, by attending ABCA events or utilizing the Coaches Session and Expo Theater presentations! My ABCA app. • Free Registration for Barnstormers Regional Clinics: Registration for • Participate in Surveys: Members are able to participate in ABCA sur- the ABCA Barnstormers Regional Coaching Clinics is complimentary for veys regarding rule changes and legislative issues affecting their respective ABCA members! The nationwide schedule for 2020 will be announced divisions. The ABCA also runs surveys to get input about membership this spring. benefits and events! • Free Personal Liability Insurance: All members who are U.S. residents • Involvement in ABCA Awards: Members are part of the organization get free $1 million Personal Liability Insurance policy in their coaching that selects major awards, such as ABCA/Diamond National and Region- activities that covers lawsuits against them for occurrences such as bodily al Coaches of the Year, ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans and Gold Glove injury or property damage. If a coach was to purchase this coverage indi- Awards. vidually, it would be $400. • Grow the sport with Turn Two for Youth: The ABCA’s official charity, • Free Subscription to Inside Pitch Magazine: Members receive Inside Turn Two For Youth is a non-profit organization providing opportunities Pitch Magazine bi-monthly in the mail in January, March, May, July, Sep- for ABCA members’ programs to provide new and used baseball equip- tember and November. ment to underprivileged children. • Discounts from ABCA Partners: Through the ABCA’s corporate part- nerships, members can receive discounts on baseball apparel, gear and And many more benefits! Review all ABCA membership benefits at equipment from partners such as Baseball America, Franklin, Driveline www.ABCA.org/benefits. Membership renewals begin in July at www.ABCA.org. Memberships expire August 31.

SAVE THE DATE! January 7-10, 2021 Don’t miss the baseball coaching event of the year! The 77th annual ABCA Convention will be held Jan. 7-10, 2021 at the Gaylord National in Washington, D.C. It’s the first time the ABCA Convention is being held in Washington, D.C., since 1975! Join us for the world-renowned clinics, the Youth Coaches Session, the ABCA Trade Show, Expo Theater, Hall of Fame Banquet and more! It’s four days of non-stop baseball! Page 14 Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Schreiner’s Hooper Goes 13-for-16 Over 5 Contests KERRVILLE, Tex. — Devin combined to fan 20 Washington 9 Strikeouts Hooper of Schreiner was named the College batters during a 7-6 Nick Denove of Case Western National Hitter of The Week by the victory. Reserve retired the first 10 batters National College Baseball Writers Jackson Balzan struck out 8 he faced during a 3-1 win over Association after going 13-for-16 at over the first five innings. He was Wooster. the plate over five games. followed by Clayton Dwyer who He did not walk a hitter and He hit 5 doubles and 2 home fanned 7. Then Corey Burton closed fanned a career-high 9 while coming runs while posting a 1.500 slugging out the game with 5 strikeouts as he within one out of a shutout. percentage for the week. fanned all five batters he faced. Triples Galore He drove in 14 runs and scored Mows Down 13 Max Ruvo of Washington 11 times as the Mountaineers Ryan Boyer of Pittsburgh- College opened the 2020 season exploded for 71 runs over five Bradford fired a 2-hit shutout during by going 6-for-8 at the plate with 4 games. a 9-0 win over Wells College. triples, 1 double, 9 RBI and 15 total No-Hitters He struck out 13 batters without bases with 3 runs scored. Garrett West of Berry fired allowing a walk as he pitched Ruvo drove in a career-high a 7-inning no-hitter against the final five innings of the game 5 runs as he went 4-for-5 with 2 Oglethorpe. without allowing a hit. triples, a double and 2 runs scored He struck out 4 and walked 3 Boyer has struck out 33 batters in against Mount Saint Mary College. during the 12-1 win. 18 innings pitched this season. In a 15-0 win over Utica College, he Of the 98 pitches he threw, 56 Near-No-Hitter went 2-for-3 with 2 triples, 4 RBI, were strikes. University of the Ozarks starting a walk and a stolen base. Michael Simmerman of Alvernia pitcher David Beck had a no-hitter Tosses Goose Eggs going for 6 1/3 innings during a Ian McCole of Misericordia fired 13-0 win over McMurray. a 3-hit shutout during a 1-0 win at NCAA D-3 NOTES He finished with a 1-hitter over Kean University. tossed the fourth no-hitter in school seven innings as he picked up his He struck out 7 and didn’t allow history during a 25-0 win over over third win of the year. a runner past first base after the Finlandia. With an 8-1 record, Ozarks is first inning. off to its best start since the 2008 It was the first no-hitter since Strikes Out 11 Chuck Nicholas blanked Wilkes season. In his first collegiate start, University during the 2009 Amazing Weeks Jackson Balzan of Salisbury picked season. Derek Hurt of Maryville College up the win during an 11-0 win over 900th Career Victory went 10-for-15 at the plate over Immaculata. Alvernia Head Coach Yogi Lutz four games and recorded 9 runs, 6 He struck out 11 batters over celebrated his 900th career win with RBI, 3 doubles, a triple and swiped 6 innings. The southpaw allowed a 16-4 win over Finlandia. 5 bases. only one hit and two walks. Sean Robinson of Washington- Lutz is the fifth active NCAA Devin Hooper of Schreiner went wild over 5 games. Winningest Pitcher Division III coach to surpass 900 St. Louis was 8-for-9 at the plate Matthew Williams of Concordia- career wins. Hits For Cycle first four plate appearances. during a 3-game series against Texas became the winningest Trey Hicks of Christopher Rose-Hulman Institute of He finished 4-for-4 with 5 runs Illinois Institute of Technology. pitcher in school history with an Newport became only the fourth Technology Head Coach Jeff scored, 2 RBI and posted the first He reached base in each of his 8-0 win over Belhaven. player in school history to hit for Jenkins became the ninth active cycle at Christopher Newport since final 12 plate appearances and He tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings the cycle during an 18-2 win over and 22nd all-time baseball coach 2017. recorded hits in his last eight at- and set a new career-high with 14 New England. to win 800th games at the Division 20 Strikeouts bats. Robinson finished with 5 strikeouts and scattered 5 hits. He He wasted no time making III level when his team beat St. Salisbury’s pitching staff runs scored, 5 RBI, 4 walks and 2 now has 28 wins in his career. Joseph’s (Maine), 3-1. history as he hit for the cycle in his stolen bases. Junior College Notes Pedersen Fires Perfect Game During 84-Pitch Masterpiece VISALIA, Calif. — Freshman no runs, two walks and struck out Both were named Iowa RHP Ben Pedersen of College of 16 batters in 12 innings. He was Community College Athletic the Sequoias (CA) threw a perfect named NJCAA D2 Pitcher of the Conference’s Players of the Week. game during an 8-0 victory over Week. New Head Coach Taft. Other No Hitters After two years as the interim Pedersen needed only 84 pitches Central Arizona’s Calvin coach, Eduardo Trujillo was named over the nine inning contest against Schapira tossed a no-hitter against the head baseball coach for Glendale the Cougars. GateWay CC (AZ), going seven CC (AZ). He struck out 9, but had flawless innings with 10 strikeouts. He joined the GCC baseball defense behind him fielding 12 He was named ACCAC Pitcher staff in 1989 as an assistant coach. ground outs and the rest fly outs. of the Week. He began his coaching career at Pedersen had never pitched a no- Three Delta College (CA) Santa Barbara City College before hitter before on any previous level pitchers combined for a no hitter returning to Arizona and is an alum or a perfect game. in a 17-0 win over Modesto JC. of GCC. Giants head coach Jody Allen Kohl Drake threw 6 2/3 inning Over the last two seasons, the said he could not remember any of before coming out for a pitch count. Gauchos have participated in the his pitchers throwing a no-hitter or It was his first win of the season as Region playoffs. In 2018 they a perfect game in his 27 seasons at he struck out 5, walked one, one hit posted a 32-27 record while in 2019 the college. by pitch and no hits allowed. they were 24-34. The team was “It was like watching Picasso Nate Morris came in for relief for recognized for academic excellence paint,” he said after the game. “You 1.1 innings, striking out one, hitting by the American Baseball Coaches are watching what he’s doing and one batter and allowing no hits. Association for posting a 3.2 team marveling at what’s going on. It Beau Peters came in for the final GPA in 2019. was exciting. But at the same time, inning, making quick work with a we’re calling pitches and feeling the Around The Horn... ground out, strike out and a fly ball Through three games, Eastern pressure because we didn’t want to to leftfield. mess this thing up.” Oklahoma State College RHP Pederson improved to 4-0 with Stellar Week Christian McGowan has pitched a 1.24 ERA and 40 strikeouts in Catcher Pablo Lanzarote of 18 innings with 35 strikeouts and a 36.1 innings. Hinds CC (MS) had an outstanding 1.00 ERA. He has allowed only five week leading his team to a sweep hits, four walks and two runs. He Back-To-Back No Hitters of Baton Rouge CC and National received NJCAA Region II Pitcher Catawba Valley CC (NC) RHP Park College. of the Week honors. Blake Dockery is the first Red He hit .583 with two doubles, College of Sequoias (CA) RHP Ben Pedersen. CF Lincoln Riley of Southeastern Hawk pitcher to ever throw two two home runs and 11 RBI. He also CC (IA) helped his team to a 4-0 career no hitters and he did it in walked three times, stole one base College. He threw five innings, over the four games, improving his week over Rend Lake and McHenry back-to-back outings. and scored 7 runs. allowing one run on two hits with season average to .448. He belted County. He was 8-for-17 with 2 In his first game of the season, Hinds CC improved to 8-0 on the 11 strikeouts. three home runs, two doubles and triples, a double and 6 runs scored. Dockery helped his team defeat season with Lanzarote’s help as he He was named MACJC Pitcher drove in 6 RBI. He scored four He also stole 3 bases and drove in USC Union, 4-0 in 7 innings, was hitting .522 with four doubles of the Week for his efforts. times and walked four times. 3 runs. allowing one walk, five strikeouts RHP Conner MacKay helped the and 15 RBI. Top Performances Des Moines Area CC RHP and no hits. He was named NJCAA D2 Reivers defeat Cowley, 17-2 in one Kolton Scherbenske tossed a In his second outing, he struck Iowa Western College had two Player of the Week. players with top performances game. He went five innings before 7-inning, 4-1 win over Northern out 11 batters in five innings for Pitching also has been great for the run-rule came into the play. He Oklahoma-Enid. He gave up just a 10-0 run-rule victory over Paul against No. 3 ranked Cowley (KS) the team. Preston Johnson earned in a recent series. The teams split held the Tigers to two runs on e one run on 10 hits while striking out D. Camp. his first win of the season with an seven hits and two walks. He struck 10. It was his first win of the season For the two games, he allowed 2-2. 11-1 victory over National Park IWC’s 1B Jaden Rolffs hit .555 out five batters. in three appearances. Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Page 15

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(2) SECRETS OF PITCHING: Loads of information on pitching, including the greatest pickoff move ever devised by Mike Maack, mas- tering command with Orel Hershiser, why sniper focus is crucial in pitching, the future of pitching with Butch Thompson, why resilience is a must with Ken Ravizza, velocity improvement strategies with Ron Wolforth, secrets of deception with Perry Husband, video analy- sis and a look at Tony Robichaux’s remarkable system at Louisiana Lafayette.

(3) SECRETS OF GREAT HITTERS: Anaheim Angels’ Hitting Coach John Mallee taps into wealth of data which vividly shows how hit- ters are most efficient in launch angles for production. Professional Hitting Coach Pete Lauritson utilizes unique program that produces 18 mph exit speed gains. Tulane skipper Travis Jewett delves into his system which has produced many great hitters over the years as they are prepared for anything pitchers can throw.

(4) SECRETS OF AMAZING INFIELD PLAY: This is the system Coach T.J. Bruce used for 5 years as an assistant at UCLA as he helped the Bruins to the 2013 national title. Now the head coach at the University of Nevada, he explains how your infielders can be outstanding with his precision teaching system.

(5) SECRETS OF PLAYING THE OUTFIELD: In-depth teaching system utilized by the best outfield coach in history, Sam Suplizio. He worked in pro baseball for nearly 50 years, and his thoughts on teaching outfield play are carried in this special e-book. Good defen- sive outfield play is one of the most important and most exciting phases in the game of baseball. Yet, it is rarely stressed and seldom taught properly. Learn all of Sam’s tricks of the trade with this important publication which covers every type of scenario an outfielder will face.

(6) SECRETS OF GREAT COACHES: Best Infield Drag Six in-depth articles involving coaching Secrets Of techniques, team chemistry, value of Great Coaches & Tamp Designs the walk, extreme hustle, innovations, plus much, much more.

(7) BEST INFIELD DRAG & TAMP DE- SIGNS: Famous Rosenblatt Stadium (Omaha, Neb.) groundskeeper Jesse Cuevas gives complete plans on how to build both. Extremely popular.

(8) BASEBALL’S GREATEST TRICK PLAYS: Trick plays have been part of baseball since the game’s birth. Read how diabolical coaches over the years have dreamed up wild plays that have frustrated opponents. Produced by Collegiate Baseball, each of these e-books is available for only $5. If you purchase six ($30), you will receive two for free and will get all eight! You must provide an e-mail address to receive these special e-books. Order Immediately: www.baseballnews.com Once there, look on the right side of the page and scroll down until you see the 8 Amazing E-Books offer. Click on the ad. Then decide what you want. Or Call at (520) 623-4530 to place your order. Page 16 Collegiate Baseball Friday, March 20, 2020 Collegiate Baseball Catch All The Exciting Action For less than the cost of a handful of baseballs, you can read about all aspects of college and high school baseball starting with pre-season editions, moving to in-season coverage and culminating in post-season championships. From All-American teams to important news that is fit to print, we take pride in running the best human interest stories of any publication covering the game. Plus, we delve into unique teaching methods from the best baseball coaches in the business along with in-depth reports on the best new baseball products available. Subscribe today and pick 1 of 8 special E-books below for FREE!

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Collegiate Baseball News Subscription Form Individual Subscriptions: Name $28 for 1 year (14 issues) Company/School $48 for 2 years (28 issues) Address Foreign Air Mail City State Country ($50 for one year in U.S. funds only) Bonus Rate Team Subscriptions: Zip E-Mail (All papers must go to same address): Payment Method: Credit Card Options Check enclosed (payable to Collegiate Baseball) Call (520) 623-4530 M-F Coaches’ Bundle — 4 copies each issue $56 Money Order (payable to Collegiate Baseball) 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. (MT) or 11 papers each issue — $110 (Save $198) Credit Card FAX to: (520) 624-5501 21 papers each issue — $189 (Save $399) Charge My: Mastercard VISA Discover American Express Credit Card # Mail Orders To: Collegiate Baseball Expiration Date Security Code P.O. Box 50566 Signature (if paying by credit card) Tucson, AZ 85703 Daytime Phone Number: With A 1-Year Subscription To Collegiate Baseball, you receive 1 FREE E-Book below. Check 1 from the 8 E-Books that are offered: SECRETS OF BASE STEALING (NEW!): Seven elite coaches explain how to have a high octane offense which allows teams to score more runs. They include Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt), Dan McDonnell (Louisville), Gary Gilmore (Coastal Carolina), Matt Talarico (Wright St.), Selwyn Young (Benedict College), Mike Gillespie (former U.C. Irvine coach) and Mike Knight (former Nicholls St. coach). SECRETS OF PITCHING: The greatest pick-off move ever devised from Mike Maack, mastering command with pitching legend Orel Hershiser, why sniper focus is crucial in pitching, why resilience is a must with Ken Ravizza, plus much more. SECRETS OF GREAT COACHES: Jerry Stitt explains highly successful coaching techniques that master coaches have utilized for decades. Ed Cheff, who led Lewis-Clark State to 16 NAIA national titles, explains how valuable team chemistry is, plus much more. SECRETS OF GREAT HITTERS: Phillies’ Hitting Coach John Mallee taps into wealth of data which vividly shows how hitters are most efficient in launch angles for production. Tulane skipper Travis Jewett delves into his hitting system, plus much more. SECRETS OF AMAZING INFIELD PLAY SECRETS OF OUTFIELD PLAY BEST INFIELD DRAG AND TAMP DESIGNS BASEBALL’S GREATEST TRICK PLAYS