TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

In your last 49 innings, you have a 1.65 ERA after you started your career with an ERA over 9.00. What clicked for you?
What clicked for me was kind of the frustration of having some bad innings and another thing that clicked was that I finally realized what my role was, being a closer. It was getting out there and trying to get a save, keeping your team within reach and whenever runners get on base, just bearing down and throwing strikes. It’s trying to get those guys out and getting our fielders back in to hit and put some runs on the board.

This year, you appeared out of the bullpen once and have started the last two weekends. Is it a big difference in roles for you and do you enjoy one more than the other?
Both roles I like. I’d say the one difference in roles is the mindset in when you’re getting out there. When you’re coming in out of relief, you have to have a different mentality. You have to get up and start off quick. You can’t let any guys on base or if guys are on base, you have to get them out. The other difference is with starting, which I like a lot more personally, you control the pace of the game and control what the outcome is, kind of. I guess that’s the big difference for me.

You tied a school record with six career saves last season and have led the Bulls with three saves in your first two years here. Do you enjoy getting the ball in the last inning with the chance to close out a win?
I like getting the ball in the last inning, especially with the chance to save. Of course, there’s the career saves record, which is great, but I think some of the kids on this team, eventually, like freshman Steve Geltz, who will push past me, but it’s nice to have it for a little bit. It’s always nice to get a save and a win.

You’ve helped shut down some pretty big names in your four years, including a complete-game shutout of Maryland as a sophomore. Do you enjoy the early part of the team’s schedule, when UB gets to go out and play some bigger conference schools and some Southern schools that have great teams?
It’s great for the team to get out and play, especially early in the season when we get to go down South and play in a little warmer weather. Even if it is 35-40 degrees, you’re at least playing outside, which is big. Playing some of the bigger teams is good for us because it gets us ready for our conference. A lot of the teams are packing the same kind of schedule that we are the early part of the year, so I think it’s good to get out and play.

Last season, your co-captain, James Kingsley, set a school record for RBIs in a season and tied the home run mark. How important is he as a leader and as a proven run producer this year as the team heads into conference play?
He’s real important. A lot of the younger guys look up to James as the hitter, whether that be as a power hitter, playing defense or looking at him off the field as a leader. He’s not much of a vocal leader, but when it comes down to it, he leads by example with his bat and in the field. I think that’s important and that’s what we need.

Joe Mihalics was the first player to be drafted from the Bulls in 18 years last spring, going to the New York Mets in the 34th round. How important do you think that was for the growth of the program, being able to say that Buffalo can develop players for the next level?
I think that’s very important. It helps with recruiting. A lot of the kids coming in know do look to see if players get drafted out of UB. If you look at some of the other schools that we play in our conference, they have a track record of kids getting drafter. I think that helps put Buffalo on the map and show that our program is getting better and our program is developing into a good Division I program.

The Bulls set a record for wins in a season since reinstatement last season with 19 wins. How much do you think this team has grown since you got here three years ago?
It’s grown tremendously. It’s fun to see us starting to gain confidence and go out there with a different attitude now. The first year, I was here, I knew it was just a matter of time. You just have to keep grinding, especially in playing in the MAC, there’s not much time to mess around. You have to get out there and show what you’re made of.

Pitchers, obviously, get more time to watch the game, only being able to pitch once a week or throwing only an inning per game in a series. What do you normally do with downtime at games?
Normally, during downtime at games, I’m just relaxing and watch the game. I try to keep the team up and I try to help out wherever I can. If a pitcher is out there struggling, I’ll sit down and talk to him and try to help him with what’s going on.

Pitchers and catchers just reported to spring training and the rest are set to follow soon. Based on that, let’s look ahead a bit, what’s your prediction for this year’s World Series?
I’m a Braves fan, so I’d like to see the Atlanta Braves in there. My guess, this year, is the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees. That’s who it’s going to be.

What has been your favorite moment as a student-athlete at the University at Buffalo?
Probably my favorite moment as a student-athlete was that Maryland game, when I threw that 6-0 shutout. It was my favorite moment because I was coming in as a sophomore from a Division II school (Mercyhurst) and playing against a pretty big-time Division I school and it was our first win that year. I think that was a pretty big win. It helped me with my confidence as a pitcher.

- “The 10 Questions With…” feature is compiled by Joe Guistina