Closing baseball games requires a ton of talent and even more mental toughness.
Possessing a four-seam fastball and a newly learned slider, freshman pitcher Jordan Russell developed his talent—and his thick skin during his days in Little League.
After graduating from Wheelersburg High School in Scioto County, Russell came to Sinclair and tried out for the baseball team. He earned a spot on the roster, but it was in a role he was not familiar with. After being a starter his entire life, Russell was now a reliever.
“It’s a whole new experience,” he said. “In high school, our team was a juggernaut and I was our staff ace. Here, we play better teams and you have to come out and give 110 percent every game. If you miss a spot, that could be the ballgame.”
At the beginning of the season, Russell’s role in the bullpen was not clearly defined, but he quickly captured the closers role after an impressive performance in a 11-9 victory over Henry Ford Community College.
“I was kind of nervous the first game I came in to close,” Russell said. “There was one out and the bases were loaded. I struck out the first guy and I got pumped up because all the guys in the dugout were screaming. I struck out the last guy and that was the game. That’s when coach (Steve Dintaman) told me that was going to be my spot.”
The Pride’s season did not end the way Russell wanted, as they fell one game short of the NJCAA World Series. But, he did manage to break Sinclair’s record for saves in a season with 10.
“At first I had no clue,” Russell said about breaking the record. “I thought I had 11 saves and coach corrected me and said it was 10. I was excited about breaking the record. As a freshman in college, who’s not going to be excited?”
Russell will be returning to Sinclair in the fall to get all of his transfer credits and he is excited about next year’s squad.
“We’re pretty stacked,” Russell said. “Coach is excited and we got a bunch of recruits coming in.”