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Posted May 18/09 - Fuller pitches, Sanders spreads the credit
Campbellsville University baseball coach Beauford Sanders was looking for a confessional after his Tigers won three straight games in the NAIA region in Lindenwood, Mo., and their first-ever berth in the Avista-NAIA World Series.

The Tigers open World Series play on Friday in Lewiston, Idaho with an 8:30 a.m. (11:30 EDT) game against Lee University.

Sanders was trying to explain that he was neither a baseball genius nor the chain gang warden in the Paul Newman movie "Cool Hand Luke."

The coaching move to pitch senior right-hander Bryan Fuller for 21 straight innings with a World Series berth in the balance appeared to be the decision of someone who had a crystal ball in the same pocket with his lineup card. Or, maybe a man looking to pen a new chapter in his next book  - The Making of the Next Bionic Arm.

Fuller, playing Newman to the chain gang warden Sanders: "I'm still pitching, boss."

"I can't take any credit for it," admitted Sanders. "You have to trust and count on the guys you work so hard with every day.

"I was against it," the coach said with a grin one could almost perceive even though the interview was conducted by cell phone.

Sanders said his whole mindset after his team drilled Lindenwood 17-8, to set up the first rematch with Kansas Wesleyan, was that the Tigers would play tough and if they got to Friday, "we'd win."

Sanders said his squad never got flustered. Lindenwood led twice, but the Tigers put their runs on the scoreboard too, he said, and finally built a lead.

"Oh, Lord ... our guys were just crushing the ball," said Sanders. "Our offense has been so lethal all year. After that game I said 'man, we're going to win it.'"

Sanders inserted Fuller in the sixth inning of the Lindenwood game and he shut the host team down the rest of the way. But the Tigers faced the prospect of playing Kansas Wesleyan in 45 minutes.

"I knew he (Fuller) wasn't used up in relief. He's in such great shape and his conditioning is excellent."

So, Sanders decided to start Fuller for the first time all season and see how many innings he could go.

"We got that lead and his command was excellent ... He just chopped them down."

One inning led to another and when the smoke cleared, Fuller had a complete-game 11-0 shutout, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.

After all the congratulatory handshakes Sanders was approached by pitching coach Scott Hortness who had, what seemed to Sanders to be, an odd suggestion.

"Hey, what do you think about starting Bryan (Fuller) tomorrow?"

Before Sanders could spit out the word no, catcher Jimmy Voelker walked by and said: "I think Fuller's arm still has something in it."

The Kansas Wesleyan radio announcers had been praising Fuller's ability to keep the Coyotes off stride with a bevy of off-speed pitches and pin-point control.

Fuller complicated Sanders' decision for a Friday starter by telling his coach: "I'm not going to lie to you, my arm feels great right now."

"And dad-gum-it if he didn't get started again," Sanders said.

Campbellsville's defense got behind the senior iron man and Fuller never let a single count go to three balls.

"Just talking about it gets me emotional," Sanders said nearly 24 hours after his team had drenched him with a water cooler.

"We have worked so hard and come so far. The improvements in our facilities, the scholarships, the weight room, the indoor facility ... and our field. Oh my."

By Saturday afternoon Sanders said he'd been inundated by well-wishers ... phone calls and text messages.

"It just blessed my heart." he said. "People we compete against were calling, former players, people around town."

From the looks of things Sanders has only one thing to worry about as his team prepares for a Tuesday flight to Spokane, Wash., and a bus ride to Lewiston - that Bryan Fuller will get too much rest before he takes the mound again.

Lee University

If you think the competition won't be tough in the Avista-NAIA World Series, get this ...

Campbellsville's opponent (Lee University) is the 9thseed and CU the 8th.

But the Flames just got through dismantling Bellhaven in the finals of their region by a 22-4 score as Lee pounded 27 hits.

Lee University (50-12) is situated in Cleveland ,Tenn., close enough for the two teams to have met. But they did not play each other this year.

Campbellsville (39-10) is listed in the top 20 in 11 NAIA statistical categories, led by its team batting average of .253, 10thin ERA (3.8) and 10thin hits allowed (7.16).

Lee is mentioned in the top 20 in seven of the NAIA statistical categories. The Flames are seventh in ERA (2.97), and eighth in both hits allowed (7.13) and runs allowed (3.79)

Lee is returning to the World Series for the third straight year and with its region final victory accumulated 50 wins for the fourth time in the last five years.





 


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