TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

Last season, you ranked in the top four on your team in batting average, homeruns and runs batted in. What is the key to your consistency across the board?
I really can’t pinpoint one or two things that have helped in me being consistent. I guess I’ve just tried to work hard in the off-season so that I’m prepared for the season.

You have played both catcher and outfield this season. Is your approach to a given game any different depending upon where you play?
There really is no different approach that I take in preparing to play, whether I am catching or in the outfield. I definitely feel a lot more nervous when I’m in the outfield though, because that isn’t my natural position.

What is the importance of the relationship in the pitcher-catcher battery?
The relationship that I have with the pitchers differs on an individual basis. I basically need to know how to motivate and get whoever is on the mound in the best frame of mind so that they can perform. It is also very important to know what each pitcher feels comfortable throwing in each situation that comes about during games. I think that I have a very close relationship with my pitchers, which has helped a great deal so far this season.

How difficult is it to play a four-game series against a team in three days – as the Mid-American Conference schedule calls for?
The most difficult part for me in playing a four-game series is the wear-and-tear that it puts on my knees, but I do like the series setup. It allows for me to become more familiar with the other team, so that by the third and fourth games I have a better idea of what pitch to call for each one of their hitters. It also allows me to get in a groove at the plate.

How does it feel to play in a competitive league like the MAC that has produced major leaguers such as Mike Schmidt (Ohio), Orel Hershiser (Bowling Green), Thurman Munson (Kent State), Bob Welch (Eastern Michigan) and Steve Stone (Kent State)?
The thing about the MAC is that it is one of the most underrated conferences in college sports. Last year, the MAC produced 20 baseball players that were drafted, and there should be a similar output again this year. Every series that we play is one that contains some of the best players in the country.

How much practice does your team get in now that the season has started?
We basically have practice every day that we aren’t playing – with the exception of Monday. That’s been the day that we’ve had off all year.

Walk us through an average practice that your team had during the preseason.
Practice during the off-season can start as early as 12:30 p.m., but practice for the whole team starts at 3:00 p.m. If you show up at 12:30 p.m. you can work on all the things that you want to improve on, such as hitting, fielding, or throwing.

Practice starts out with a team jog and stretch. Then, the team divides up according to position. Each position then works on specific drills that correlate to situations they would face in a game. The pitchers basically go off and do their own goofy things – I don’t really have any idea what they do. The outfielders and infielders split up. One group hits in the cages and the other does defensive work. Practice usually ends around 5:30 p.m. with sets of wind sprints.

Talk about the significance of the win over nationally ranked Southern Mississippi earlier this season.
The Southern Mississippi win was one of the most memorable games I have taken part in. I was really happy for Coach (Bill) Breene, because we were able to shock all his old teammates, since Coach Breene is a Southern Mississippi alumnus. It was also a great win for the team and the baseball program as a whole. It was a very meaningful win for the guys on the team that have been here for three years and helped to get the program off the ground. It showed how far we have come and how much we have improved.

Can you speak to the difference in playing 20-30 games per season in high school to the 45-55 you play now?
Well, it is obviously more difficult to stay focused and determined to perform at your top level for the longer season. Another factor that is more prevalent at the collegiate level is injury, as well as additional fatigue.

What does it mean to play all of your home games at Audubon Field, nearby to the UB campus?
I’ll be really excited to see if we get more fan support now that the games are closer to campus. At most of the schools we play against, there is a pretty good student fan base – some fans just come out to heckle the visiting team. Hopefully, we can get some people to come out and heckle whomever we are playing, as well.