In The Dugout – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 12, 2003
Ohio State sophomore pitcher Trent Luyster certainly has come a long way since plunking an opposing batter in the head during a Little League game. Now, in his second year as a member of the Buckeye pitching staff, he won his first game. That journey has not been easy, but it has been a memorable one.
Like many baseball players, Luyster spent much of his childhood idolizing Major League stars such as Nolan Ryan and Ken Griffey Jr., and like many youngsters, Luyster was influenced by his father to begin playing baseball.
“I actually didn’t play T-ball or anything like that when I was little,” the 6-foot-9-inch Luyster said. “I started playing when I was about 8 years old an my dad said I should go out and play Little League.”
While hesitant at first to begin playing baseball, Luyster would soon show a passion for baseball, displaying a relentless work ethic. That work ethic proved to payoff while at Harrison Central High School in Flushing, Ohio, where he recorded an astounding 118 strikeouts and posted a .044 earned run average his senior year.
Establishing himself as one of the top high school pitchers in the state, Luyster decided to attend Ohio State, but found it difficult at first, to adapt to such a large-school setting.
“Coming to Ohio State was a tough experience,” Luyster said of his freshman year. “The atmosphere was a little overwhelming and building confidence within myself was not always easy. I really had to convince myself that I was good enough to be here by going out on the mound and getting people out.”
In the hopes of finding the confidence that eluded him during his freshman season at Ohio State, Luyster played summer ball with the Delaware Cows in order to work on his mechanics.
“I finally found it during summer ball,” Luyster said. “I worked a lot with the pitching coaches in Delaware, which gave me a lot of confidence in the fall and in the winter, and this spring I was given an opportunity to pitch.” Luyster beat Detroit March 16 for his first collegiate win. He is now 1-0 on the year and has pitched 11.0 innings in four appearances, striking out six batters while walking just one.
With a year under his belt, Luyster would like to lead the Buckeyes to another Big Ten title, which escaped the team last year. Winning last year’s Big Ten Tournament to earn the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament was his great sports thrill.
“I feel that if I go out and pitch the way I can pitch every time I take the mound and focus on pitching the best that I can, I will be successful.”
That journey continues tonight as he is expected to get the mid-week start against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
