GREENWOOD – Lander’s Andy Quick and David Glover are hardly the most likely pitchers who you might have expected to become one of the Peach Belt Conference’s best bullpen tandems.
But the two seniors have become dominant late-inning pitchers for a team battling for a chance to play in the post-season.
Glover is the closer, leading the PBC with nine saves and posting a miniscule 0.69 earned run average through last weekend’s games before giving up three runs in a non-save situation in Tuesday's win at St. Andrews. The runs caused his ERA to climb to 2.57. Glover is three saves shy of Lander's school record of 12 saves in a season set by Dwayne Eury in 2000, and is also currently tied for second in the nation in saves.
Quick (3-1) has worked mainly in the seventh and eighth innings, posting a 1.25 ERA while setting up seven of Glover’s nine saves.
In 50 innings of work including Tuesday's game, Glover (14 innings) and Quick (36 innings) have allowed a grand total of five extra base hits. They have yielded only nine earned runs in 35 combined appearances with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 38-12.
This from a former Lander starting pitcher (Glover) who has missed the last two seasons due to multiple injuries, and a reliever (Quick) entering the season with an 0-6 career record whose best previous ERA was 5.40 as a sophomore in 2007.
"It’s tremendous," Bearcats head coach Chris Moore said of the bullpen. "If you can get the starter through six or seven innings, you know you have Andy and David to close it out."
Quick has allowed only five earned runs and 23 hits in 36 innings. He has struck out 22 batters and walked only four. His ERA last spring was 6.23.
"Location is the most obvious thing," Moore said of Quick’s improvement. "He is doing a good job working the corners of the plate and keeping the ball down. He throws two pitches, sometimes three, for strikes, especially his fastball. That’s been the main thing, to work down in the zone instead of leaving balls up and falling behind in the count. Pitching ahead makes a world of difference. He gained some confidence early and kept building on it. He wants the ball."
"The main thing for me has been consistency, just throwing strikes," Quick agreed. "I have cut down on my walks. The past three years, I have had some good outings and some bad outings. This year, it seems like every time I’ve gone out there, I’ve done a pretty good job."
The Cheraw, S.C., native has only one career start at Lander and has found a home in the bullpen.
"I worked real hard in the fall, improving my arm strength and being able to throw my curveball for strikes, my changeup for strikes, and just having three pitches that I can throw on any count," Quick said. "Learning how to do that has been the turning point instead of just trying to throw the ball past batters. Getting those pitches over the plate has helped me be more successful."
Glover was once a standout starter for the Bearcats. As a sophomore in 2005, the Fort Mill, S.C., native was 8-3 with a 3.43 ERA and a 62/14 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
But he always saw himself as a reliever.
"Funny story," Glover said of his new role. "Whenever I first signed to come to Lander during my senior year of high school, the reporters from our local town came and did a story on me and another guy (who signed a scholarship offer). They asked us what kind of role we saw us doing. I saw myself as a middle reliever or closer coming out of high school because freshmen don't get to start much in college. But my first two years I started for Coach (Mike) McGuire and then I started for Coach (Bill) Jarman. Now, I am actually coming into the role as I saw myself as a senior in high school."
But injuries are what necessitated Glover’s new role.
During his sophomore year when the Bearcats played over spring break in Hawaii, Glover came home and experienced soreness in his elbow. He had bone chips and required surgery.
He tore an ulnar collateral ligament in his arm during the fall of his junior year. "I tried to fight through it," said Glover, who wound up missing 14 months with the resulting Tommy John surgery.
Glover tried to pitch again in 2008 and lasted only two innings. A stitch that did not dissolve from the surgery was pinching a nerve every time he threw, more surgery was required, and he was red-shirted for a second consecutive year.
"I’ve had three surgeries in four years," Glover said. "It’s been a tough ride. Throwing puts a lot of stress on the arm, and it (an injury) is bound to happen. If I stopped throwing completely, I would not get hurt. But then I wouldn’t be playing baseball either. I have a very strong passion for the game."
Therefore, with eligibility still left, Glover was not about to quit. He was determined to contribute in 2009.
"I felt like I could still pitch," he said. "I took some time off and worked hard in the weight room over the summer and got in better shape. I went out throwing and it felt pretty good. With that being the case, I could just keep pitching. I knew I might not could start, but I could contribute to the team. And here I am today.
"I enjoy closing. I like getting the ball in the last inning, having all that pressure on me. I enjoy going out there, throwing as hard as I can for one inning."
Glover (1-1) has saves against Columbus State, Anderson University, Georgia College & State University, West Liberty State, Limestone, North Georgia College & State University, Catawba, St. Andrews and Newberry.
"His arm still isn’t near 100 percent," Moore said. "We knew that if we were going to be able to use him, it would have to be sparingly, one inning and sometimes two at the most. He is able to do that. He doesn’t throw a lot between outings. He is doing all he can to make it through this year. He pounds the strike zone, works ahead in the count, and that’s what we try to do as a staff. Not everybody is able to do that."
Glover is not the same pitcher that Moore remembers as Jarman’s assistant in 2006.
"In his last outing in the fall of his junior year, he was 88-92 (miles per hour) with a nasty slider, just lights out," Moore remembers. "He’s gone from that to what he is now. His velocity isn’t close to what it was. He just goes out there, throws strikes, and knows how to get outs."
Glover’s ninth save came Saturday in a key Peach Belt game against Columbus State when he retired the side in order, ending the team's 10-game losing streak to the Cougars. He had a four-out save last week against Anderson when he entered the game with the potential tying and go-ahead runners on base.
But his most memorable save to date came March 29 at league-leading Georgia College. Glover entered the game with the potential tying run on third base with only one out in the bottom of the ninth. Glover struck out the first batter he faced and got the final out on a fly ball, preserving Lander’s 4-3 victory on a pair of Bud Lanier two-run homers.
"I struck out the number two batter (in the lineup) and the number three guy hit a fly ball to right field and Gabe (McCann) sprinted over and made a phenomenal, snow cone catch," said Glover, who is scheduled to graduate in May with degrees in history and math. "That game really stands out. That was all adrenaline. Most of the time, I am pretty calm and relaxed.
"Columbus State was really big because of what happened last year when they swept us at their place (by scores of 17-7, 9-1 and 12-4). It was good to go in there and close the door on them. Taking two out of three from them this weekend was big. I like pitching against the Peach Belt teams because it’s higher competition and the hitters are a little better."
His teammates couldn’t be happier for Glover.
"Being here and seeing him go through all of that, I am really proud of David," Quick said. "He wants the ball in his hands. The last two or three years, he hasn’t been able to do that. This year, he has really done well in the closer’s role. I love seeing him out there. He is definitely a gamer."
Moore agreed.
"He needed this. He has been through so much these last couple of years with injuries. Last year, he was able to get two innings in and didn’t make it back in after that. He did everything he could, worked hard all summer with his strength and conditioning to be in position to pitch (this year)."
One of Glover’s other highlights came at Legion Field March 7 against West Liberty State. Moore sent him up to the plate as a pinch hitter and Glover crushed a home run over the left-field fence.
"I guess I got it from my college coaches. In games where we have a big lead, you try to get senior pitchers an at-bat," Moore said. "It’s kind of a reward for them in their senior year. I don’t know what I was doing (during the at-bat). I didn’t see contact. I picked the ball up about mid-flight and saw it go (over the fence). He was actually a DH one game early in his career, maybe his freshman year, and I think he is 3-for-5 in his career with two doubles and a homer."
"It was a fun experience," Glover said of hitting. "I am very appreciative that Coach Moore let me hit. I didn’t really expect to hit the ball hard. I really don’t know what happened there. I just kind of closed my eyes and swung. It was right there and I made contact. The guy threw me a low and inside fastball. When I was in high school, I liked to hit the inside pitch. I was kind of lucky.
"I actually listened to the crowd (rounding the bases). They were going crazy. Coach (Austin) Smithwick had a huge smile on his face when I was coming around third base. I gave Brad (Hay) a high-five at first base. I really enjoyed that."
But pitching is where Glover can make his biggest contribution the rest of this season as the Bearcats attempt to qualify for the Peach Belt Tournament for the first time since the baseball program's inaugural 1998 season. And he is thankful for having Quick come in ahead of him while also acknowledging fellow relievers Billy Veal and Ches Courtney.
"Andy has done a phenomenal job," said Glover, who is interested in a career as a teacher and baseball coach. "It’s great to see Andy having the success that he is having. He didn’t do extremely well his first couple of years here. They were really trying to find a role that fit him and obviously being a setup man is where he needs to be. Every time he goes out there, we know we are going to stay in the game. He knows what he is doing on the mound. Billy and Ches are really stepping into their roles in the bullpen as well."
Quick, an exercise science major who is interested in become a strength and conditioning coach, is proud of his setup role.
"A lot of people tend to look over the setup man and look at the starters and closer," Quick said. "But being in that position, I wouldn’t have it any other way. You get to pitch in more games, in better situations. I like coming in with guys on base. I like getting out of jams. That is kind of what I did in high school. I am proud to be a setup guy.
"Me and Glover take pride in being in the back end of the game. We want to be the go-to guys. After my first three years getting my feet wet and getting some experience, and now being able to really contribute to this team has been exciting."
