University of Richmond Athletics
Mike Smith Making An Impact For Richmond Baseball
12/20/2000 | Baseball
Fall 2000
RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond senior right-handed pitcher Mike Smith knows something about making an impact.
After all, his first collegiate hit was - what else? - a home run to dead center field against Maryland in 1997. However, Smith's real impression has come on the mound where he has compiled a 6-2 record and a 3.47 earned run average in seven starts this season. One of his best outings of the season was a complete-game six-strikeout performance against North Carolina State on March 12, resulting in a 5-1 Spider victory. One start later at second-ranked North Carolina, he went eight innings, struck out five and yielded just two runs.
"Those two games (against North Carolina State and North Carolina) were the turning point in my season," says Smith, whose twin brother, Rich is an outfielder for the Spiders.
Combining a healthy fastball with a deadly slider, Smith has entrenched himself as the team's No. 1 starter, amassing a team-leading 97 strikeouts on the campaign. Smith, who tied a program record with 11 wins last season, hopes to shatter that mark this year.
"One of the biggest things for Mike is that he is so much more confident this season," said Richmond head baseball coach Ron Atkins. "He doesn't get rattled anymore. He has really matured, both mentally and physically. Mike has learned how to pitch. He's not a 'thrower' anymore. In the past, he hasn't had that 'out' pitch, and this season the slider has given him a pitch that can get people out."
In Richmond's Colonial Athletic Association-opener at Old Dominion on March 17, Smith had no-hitter type stuff, pitching a complete game two-hitter, while striking out ten. Smith, whose ERA and walks have dropped each year, has continued to improve a good slider into one that has opposing hitters looking silly these days.
"My slider has been one of my best pitches so far," says Smith, who has eaten up a team-leading 94.1 innings. "Being able to mix the fastball and slider and being able to change speeds has made a huge difference."
Smith has earned his fun. In 17 starts last season, he posted a 3.47 ERA, paced the staff with 114.0 innings and led the CAA with 11 victories. Smith also defeated Virginia Tech in Richmond's first round matchup of the 1999 Winston-Salem Regional. In what he describes as "one of the best baseball experiences I have ever had" Smith played over the summer in the Cape Cod League for the Hyannis Mets. His maturation as a pitcher continued over the summer, striking out 40 in 51.0 innings pitched.
Along with performing well on the mound, Smith, a computer science major, has succeeded in the classroom as well, earning CAA Scholar-Athlete honors.
Confident and ready for any challenge that faces him, Smith steps on the mound in this his senior season, expecting to be successful. "Right now, I feel that I can step out there and beat anybody that I pitch against," he notes.
