Top 10 Clarkson Highlights - #7 Clarkson Baseball Survives Slow Start to Challenge for League Title

After weeks indoors in Northern New York, the excitement of getting outside to play baseball games in Florida can be felt as soon as the calendar turns to March. Spring training is a special time for all teams at all levels, but it's especially satisfying when the monotony of hitting in the cage and pitching off makeshift mounds inside has finally come to an end.

Although a 3-7 trip in Florida wasn't what the Clarkson University Baseball team had hoped for in its annual southern visitation, the tough schedule still had the Golden Knights confident once the team returned north.

Four straight losses to open the conference season against RIT in frigid weather at Rochester, NY, however, certainly pushed the team to its lowest point of 2016. Not surprisingly, opponents were better in virtually every category through the first 14 contests of the season, outhitting Clarkson by 48 points (.320-.272) and forcing Golden Knight pitchers to live with an earned run average of more than six.

When the weather started to heat up and, more specifically, when April arrived, Clarkson's bats and arms followed suit and quickly turned what appeared to be a lost season. The Knights went 13-2 over their next 15 games, including an 11-1 run in league games to catapult themselves back into league title contention. In fact, after a disappointing start in all aspects of the game, Clarkson batted .339 over its final 24 games with a .460 slugging percentage, 118 points higher than the first 14 games. The Knights earned run average dropped by nearly two full runs in that closing stretch as several Clarkson hitters and pitchers found their way to all-star honors.

No player epitomized the turnaround more than outfielder Chris Miller. Though the junior was no slouch in the first 14 games, hitting .380 through 50 at bats, Miller was locked in down the stretch, hitting .489 over his final 24 games with a .727 slugging percentage. Thanks to his overall performance through the 38-game season, Miller earned numerous all-region and all-league honors and became the first player since 2009 to lead the conference in hitting (.449), on-base percentage (.515) and slugging (.659). His numbers were even better when limited to the conference slate, where he nearly hit .500.

Miller, along with senior infielders Greg Jasek and Anthony Padrazo, as well as junior lefty Ted Wilson, were chosen as Liberty League First-Team All-Stars. The former trio of every day players also earned All-Region honors from D3baseball.com and the ABCA/Rawlings contingent. For his part in keeping the team confident and halting the downward spiral in March, head coach Jim Kane won his second Liberty League Coach of the Year honor in three years (and third overall), a season which was highlighted by his 300th career win.

2015-16 Clarkson University Athletic Highlights TOP 10 List

The Top 10 Clarkson University Athletic Department Highlights of 2015-16 were carefully selected by the Clarkson Sports Information Staff. Top 10 Clarkson highlights will be posted on Mondays throughout the summer.

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Players Mentioned

#30 Greg Jasek: RHP/IF; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#11 Chris Miller: OF; 6' 0"; Junior; L/L

#5 Anthony Padrazo: IF/RHP; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#31 Ted Wilson: LHP; 6' 3"; Junior; L/L

Players Mentioned

#30 Greg Jasek
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: RHP/IF

#11 Chris Miller
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#5 Anthony Padrazo
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: IF/RHP

#31 Ted Wilson
: 6' 3"; Junior; L/L
: LHP