The complex life of a Division I student-athlete just got a lot easier, as Jonathan Lewis explains in this edition of “On the Mound with Jonathan Lewis.” With finals complete Lewis’ attentions are focused squarely on the University of Maine
Finally classes are finished. No more homework and no more finals. Talk about some stress relief! I can’t believe how fast my junior year has flown by. With no school left, I can focus all of my time in preparation for this weekend’s America East tournament.
We won two out of three in the do-or-die series against Binghamton and qualified for the conference tournament. If we win this tournament, and I think we can because we are playing some good baseball right now, we would then advance to the NCAA regionals.
As I mentioned last week, I feel confident again. I was able to even my record at 6-6, lowering my earned run average to 2.92. Not bad, considering it was just a few weeks ago when I was 2-6 with a four-plus ERA.
I threw a complete-game two-hitter and felt strong from beginning to end. Throwing a shutout this past weekend was much needed and a big confidence builder.
The good news is that I have gotten back on track at the right time. The draft is only a couple weeks away, and in the past five weeks I have given up four runs and walked only four batters.
I even won the Seawolf of the Week award, which is given to the best performer in all sports at Stony Brook over a one-week period.
My numbers have gone from not so great to very respectable. Most importantly, my team is back on track and playing solid, winning baseball. My teammates are believing in each other, and I’m believing we can win this weekend.
Interestingly enough, I have been reading a lot of the predraft analysis and many of my friends from the Cape Cod League are projected to go high in the draft.
It’s a pretty cool feeling to know that I can compete with these guys, and at the same time a Major League team might take them, hoping they’ll be a franchise player one day. One of my really good friends Zack Jackson is a projected first rounder, which is a dream come true for all baseball players.
