By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

LOS ANGELES — Pitching command is one of the most elusive and cherished skills in baseball.

In every generation, there seems to be a hurler with exceptional control of his pitches.

One of the greatest pitchers in Major League history was Orel Hershiser who constantly hit his spots over a marvelous Major League career that stretched over 18 seasons, including 13 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He still holds the Major League record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitched with 59 during the 1988 season.

Known for his fierce competitive spirit, Hershiser was nicknamed “Bulldog” by former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.

Now a color analyst with the Dodgers after working for several years with ESPN, Hershiser graciously allowed Collegiate Baseball to interview him on the subject of pitching command and how he approached the art of pitching several years ago.

Hershiser was unquestionably one of the top pitchers in Major League history with regard to great command. On many occasions, he was able to throw pitch after pitch anywhere he wanted in and around the strike zone.

“You must have different components working for you,” said Hershiser.

“First, you must control your mind to control your body to control the baseball. Then you must be blessed with the wiring to connect the three. Some guys can look at a target as they throw and hit it with natural wiring.

“So they might not need to control the mind. But if that wiring starts to go south with age, injury or whatever, it would be nice to know how consciously you can put your body into a position where you want the ball to go.

“All the components are what allow you to command pitches. And if you pay attention to all the components, then you have the best chance of being able to hit the target most often.

“Emotion also enters into the equation. Pressure, nerves, adrenalin and excitement do exist. And you have to decide when to control those emotions and decide when to ignore it.”

Hershiser described where he visually focused prior to each pitch in the quest for throwing precision strikes.

To read more of this article, purchase the April 21, 2023 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — With Major League Baseball doing away with extreme defensive shifting this season, the obvious question is whether all levels of college baseball will do away with it as well in the future.

The new Major League rule now forces the defending team to have two infielders on each side of second base, all in front of the outfield grass, when each pitch is delivered.

Typically when a major rule change takes place in pro baseball, it filters down into college baseball at some point.

One of the biggest tactical changes in college baseball took place during the 2019 season with the use of extreme shifting on defense.

While shifting has been used for many years in baseball to defense hitters with certain hitting tendencies, extreme shifting takes place when pull hitters come to the plate and defenses put most, if not all of the infielders, on the pull side of the field.

There have been three distinct extreme shifts being utilized which can be viewed in the three charts on page three.

With lefthanded pull hitters, defenses have had the shortstop in back and to the left of second base. The other three infielders are the right side of the infield with one infielder in short right field.

Another variation leaves the third baseman where he normally is and possibly a few steps to second base.

The shortstop moves to the right field side of second base deep on the dirt near the outfield grass.

The second baseman is positioned in short right field while the first baseman remains where he typically plays.

With righthanded pull hitters, the first baseman stays put. The second baseman moves to the leftfield side of second base, shortstop near the outfield grass on the infield dirt which he normally patrols and third baseman where he normally is positioned.

For years college programs have scouted opponents by online video or in person and used spray charts to track where hitters drive balls to position their defense properly. 

Synergy Sports Technology made it possible for college programs to track every pitch and hit ball in NCAA Div. I baseball. Each game has been broken down in detail so that important areas are tracked, including spray charts on batters.

That way, you can utilize extreme shifting with a high probability of having balls hit on that side of the field with certain hitters.

“In our program at Virginia for the past 20 years, we have been moving guys on our defense in the infield and outfield when batters show certain tendencies,” said University of Virginia Head Coach Brian O’Connor.

“It has only been the last five years that we have utilized extreme shifting on the infield where we have most of our infielders on one side of the infield or the other because of the accurate tendencies that we have access to from Synergy Sports.

“We have been pretty progressive with data such as this as we move defenders to spots with the highest probability of a batter hitting a ball in that area.

“There are a lot of times when we position our outfielders a certain way based on what scouting reports show. It gives us the highest percentage chance of where balls may be hit.”

O’Connor said that he loves college baseball the way it is played now and does not want to see the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee outlaw extreme shifting as Major League Baseball has.

“Our game is great the way it is now. The offensive production in college baseball has been really good since extreme shifting began on our level.”

To read more of this article, purchase the April 21, 2023 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

ORCHARD LAKE, Mich. — One of the most amazing runs of success in high school baseball history is unfolding before our eyes at St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, MI).

The 2-time Collegiate Baseball national high school champions have posted records of 43-1 and 44-0 the last two seasons.

If you go back to the final 28 games of the 2019 season, St. Mary’s has posted an incredible 120-1-2 record.

The lone loss was by one run during the 2021 season, 2-1 to Saline, MI.

This season, St. Mary’s is 14-0 and riding an 80-game win streak — only 9 off the national high school record of 89 set by Portsmouth (NH) during the 2008-2012 seasons.

Going back over the 45 years Collegiate Baseball has ranked high school teams, only two schools have won back-to-back national titles other than St. Mary’s.

Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA) won national titles in 2001 (27-2) and 2002 (28-2).

Argyle (Argyle, TX) won consecutive national championships in 2018 (37-0) and 2019 (40-1-1).

That’s it.

The win numbers at St. Mary’s could have been even higher. Keep in mind they didn’t play any game in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Eaglets are currently riding a 73-game winning streak.

The national record is held by Portsmouth (NH) with 89 straight wins from 2008-2012.

The amazing coach behind all of these wins at St. Mary’s is Matt Petry.

“As far as building our program, it has been all about providing development opportunities for the kids,” said Petry who has posted a 306-142-2 record in 13 seasons with the Eaglets.

“We encourage kids to play multiple sports if that is what interests them. If not, we provide something year round so they can improve their skills as athletes and baseball players.

“Once school starts in the fall, we partner with High Performance Training to provide strength conditioning and mobility work for our guys. Their facility is only 30 minutes away, and our players work there three days a week once school starts. We run that all the way up to the start of the spring season.

“On top of this, we hit 2-3 times a week.

“I firmly believe that if you have kids who push each other, not only do they get better as individuals. But it makes your team better because everyone is pulling in the same direction. It shows them in order to not only make the varsity baseball team at St. Mary’s, but to start and play, you must put in the extra effort.

“If you don’t, you will be passed by your peers.”

St. Mary’s Prep is located in the village of Orchard Lake, MI which has a population of 2,200 in this suburb of Detroit.

“We draw kids from all of metro Detroit to our Catholic high school, and we have been fortunate to have some superb baseball players over the years who are equally good people.

“Last year we had 17 players who signed to play at different colleges. Brock Porter, who was named National Pitcher of The Year by several outlets (9-0, 0.23 ERA, 115 strikeouts, 25 walks), was drafted in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers and signed for $3.7 million.”

To read more of this article and Coach Matt Petry’s system, purchase the April 21, 2023 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

COLUMBIA, S.C. — One of the most thankless jobs in the world is the bullpen catcher.

Often working in obscurity, bullpen catchers never play in games but serve an incredibly important role in the success of pitchers while often getting beat up with balls that bounce in the dirt and ricochet off their bodies.

Veteran bullpen catchers often suffer knee damage because of squatting so many times in their life. If they receive high velocity pitches over and over again, their receiving thumbs in gloves suffer nerve damage.

Constant bruises are part of life with these people who love the game of baseball.

One of the best bullpen catchers in the USA is a talented lady at the University of South Carolina named Meredith McFadden.

She is the first female NCAA Div. I bullpen catcher at a power 5 university.

A life-long baseball player starting from the age of 4 and a huge fan of the Gamecocks, her dream has been to make the USA women’s baseball team.

As a catcher at Olympic High School (Charlotte, N.C.), she also came up with the idea of volunteering to be a bullpen catcher for South Carolina’s baseball team when she started attending college.

So she sent an e-mail to the baseball office offering her catching services once she arrived on campus.

She received an e-mail back that said they would keep her e-mail and get back to her if an opening came up.

Last summer Meredith was notified that she could try out as a bullpen catcher in August. After an impressive audition, she was immediately brought on board.

Since then, she has caught thousands of pitches in practices, scrimmages and in games at home and on the road since that humble beginning and is an integral part of the South Carolina baseball family now.

It is rare to see any women involved in college baseball. Collegiate Baseball is aware of two other ladies who are participating in college baseball this season.

One is Brown freshman Olivia Pichardo. She recently pinch hit during a 10-1 loss to Bryant and became the first female in history to appear in an NCAA Div. I baseball game.

Marika Lyszczyk is a RHP at Sonoma State. She has been playing baseball since the age of five and pitched in two innings this season. She hasn’t given up an earned run.

Catching Elite Pitchers
Let’s let Meredith take it from here and explain her fascinating journey into the world of elite college baseball which is dominated by men.

“I played baseball throughout my years at Olympic High School (Charlotte, N.C.),” said McFadden.

“I was the only girl on those baseball teams. I played JV my freshman and sophomore years and then on the varsity my final two years.

“My junior year of high school in 2020 was when the COVID-19 pandemic hit full force. So we didn’t have much of a season. I knew I was going to attend USC because this is my dream school.

“I had an opportunity to play baseball at lower levels. But I knew I wanted to go to USC. I reached out to the USC baseball program and offered my services once I started attending South Carolina. I received a reply that they didn’t really have a need for me at the moment. But if they had an opening, they would let me know.

“Fast forward a few years later, I get a message from the director of baseball operations at South Carolina asking if I was still interested. They kept my e-mail and offered me a chance to try out.

“I jumped at the opportunity and said yes. I came out to Founders Park in Columbia, S.C. at the very end of last summer to try out as a bullpen catcher.

“They asked me to stay on for the fall and 2023 baseball season. That was such a cool moment when they broke the good news to me. I grew up a HUGE Gamecocks’ fan. My family bleeds garnet and black. My great grandfather went here along with my uncle as well as my grandparents.

“There is so much tradition at this school with the baseball program. It was exciting to be part of it.”

Since late August of 2022, she received pitches 4 ½ months up to the Christmas break and an additional 10 ½ weeks during the spring of 2023.

Collegiate Baseball estimates that she has received over 1,500 pitches during this time.

McFadden said catching high school pitchers at Olympic High School was fun.

But catching elite pitchers at South Carolina was a new challenge since virtually every hurler throws over 90 mph with wicked movement, including a few who throw over 95 mph.

To read more of this story, purchase the April 7, 2023 issue of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

SAN MARCOS, Tex. — Chase Mora of Texas St. has accomplished the impossible.

The freshman 2B/RHP, who didn’t even participate in practices or scrimmages last fall because he was still rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery the previous June, belted home runs in his first three at-bats this season.

It was the first time in NCAA history such a feat has ever been accomplished by a freshman.

Not bad for a guy who is only 154 pounds and 6 feet tall but possesses a lightning-quick bat.

The first at-bat of his collegiate career took place in the seventh inning of Texas State’s second game of the season against Northwestern on Feb. 18.

Mora came to the plate in a pinch hitter role and blasted a 3-run home run over the left centerfield wall.

The next day, he was once again inserted as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and hit a solo home run to left centerfield against Northwestern.

In the eighth inning, now as the designated hitter, he hit a grand slam over the left centerfield wall.

In his first three at-bats of his freshman season, Mora belted 3 consecutive home runs with 8 RBI. He was then named a Collegiate Baseball National Player of The Week.

He cooled off a bit as he went 1-for-11 over his next five games with no extra base hits. Six games and 19 days after his incredible start, Mora went off on March 11 with another game for the ages.

Against North Dakota State, he belted 4 home runs during a 4-for-5 effort as he produced 9 RBI and scored 4 runs.

Once again, he was one of Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of The Week.

In the history of NCAA Div. I baseball, only two players have hit more than 4 home runs in a game.

Henry Rochelle of Campbell hit 5 during the 1985 season while Marshall McDougall of Florida St. hit 6 consecutive home runs against Maryland during the 1999 season.

Due to Tommy John surgery last June, the earliest he was cleared to throw in a game was against Grand Canyon on March 5 as a second baseman.

Since then, he has started eight of nine games.

After 13 games, Mora is hitting .368 with 8 homers, 2 doubles and 24 RBI. He hasn’t made an error at second base in 26 chances.

“Coming into Texas State last fall, I couldn’t practice with the team because I was still rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery on my right elbow the previous June after my senior year at Tomball High School (Tomball, Tex.).

“All fall, I wasn’t allowed to do anything at Texas State as I continued with my rehabilitation. The Monday before we got out for Thanksgiving, I was allowed to do a little hitting. So I hit for two weeks. Then I was allowed to start a throwing rehabilitation program. I made it clear that I wanted to get back to being a full-time position player at second base. I would worry about pitching after the 2023 season.”

To read more of this story, purchase the April 7, 2023 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.