Provence pursues perfection
Posted by The Skyliner on April 21st, 2010Billy Cannada
Staff Writer
It is simple; any time pitcher Drew Provence has stepped on the mound for the Crusaders this season, it has resulted in a big win. Not to mention he has helped lead North Greenville to a record breaking 36 wins thus far this season.
Provence has accumulated a perfect 10-0 record as a starter this season, and North Greenville has earned a win in each of his 11 starts. This breakout performance from the sophomore ace can be attributed to his hard work during the offseason, as well as some key additions to the Crusader ball club.
“I put in a great summer workout routine last year and was able to build up a lot of important areas in my game,” said Provence. “Our new pitching coach, Chris Dennis, has also been instrumental to my success.”
Holding his competition to a cumulative .201 batting average and striking out a total of 59 batters on the season, Provence presents all kinds of challenges for opponents when he takes the hill. Having pitched a total of 68.2 innings, he has also acquired an impressive 1.73 earned run average this season. Provence admits that his success is partially due to the amount of runs the Crusader offense puts up when he is pitching.
“Run support [from the offense] is great. It’s always great to have some breathing room when I am pitching,” said Provence.
Head coach Travis Henson believes that Provence is a vital part of North Greenville’s success and that the ace has endless potential.
“There is not a better Division II pitcher than Drew Provence,” said Henson. “Drew is an extremely hard worker, a very dedicated individual.”
The outstanding season has Provence not only looking to rack up some individual awards, but it also has him on some MLB draft radars. The second year marketing major said that baseball has always been his dream, and he would not mind playing after college.
“It would be an honor to be drafted,” said Provence. “That is every young athletes dream at some point in their life, and I definitely want to pursue a career in baseball.”
With professional baseball dreams still a couple of years away, it is clear that Provence is focused on propelling his Crusader squad to reach some of their highest goals this season. North Greenville has been reaching for the stars the entire season, and for these players, there is only one happy ending.
“Right now we are trying to finish strong, get to 40 wins, and win a national championship,” said Provence. “Once we accomplish that, we will be satisfied.”
Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 12