Collin Priest knew it was coming — it was just a matter of when.
So when San Diego pitcher Vaughn Mauterer sent yet another fastball this time, the freshman designated hitter was ready. And the rest can be chalked up to a breakout performance.
To anticipate what was coming, Priest first had to learn his opponents’ go-to pitches. And he displayed a knack for understanding the pitchers he faced against the Toreros this weekend.
In the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday, Priest struck out on three straight fastballs at the hands of Mauterer. But instead of trotting back to the dugout upset, Priest returned with a lesson.
“The first pitch was a fastball,” Priest said. “ … But I fouled it straight back. The second pitch, fouled it back. Third pitch, he got me on the same pitch again and I struck out on it. So I kind of saw him and knew what (Mauterer’s) process was.”
While his pinch hit appearance in the Friday loss didn’t go his way, Priest wasn’t deterred. After a disastrous loss on Saturday, he was inserted into the starting lineup for the series finale on Sunday. Little did Priest know that this would be the start of a breakout performance.
And if presented with the opportunity for another matchup, Priest knew that Mauterer wouldn’t change his approach later in the series. After three straight fastballs, Priest could expect much of the same.
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, that opportunity came for Priest. With a runner on base, Priest stared down Mauterer again — he knew a fastball was coming. When it came on the first pitch, Priest crushed a deep drive to right field for a walk-off home run, clinching a win and saving the Michigan baseball team from getting swept.
“I wanted to sit on this fastball and if it was right there I wanted to hit it,” Priest said “I got that fastball in that one spot where it was … down in the middle and it’s the spot that I love to crush. It’s probably my favorite pitch to hit. And I got it and I hit it really far and it’s kind of awesome.”
As Priest trotted the bases, his teammates sprung out of the dugout to celebrate with him as he touched home. But as large as the moment loomed on the game, it was just another part of a career day for Priest. Adding onto a double and a walk, Priest totaled 3 RBIs — responsible for every run the Wolverines registered on Sunday.
While the remaining batters couldn’t get it going at the plate, Priest’s efforts kept Michigan in the game long enough for him to put the icing on the cake. Responsible for three of eight of the Wolverines’ baserunners, Priest’s milestone performance was just a peek into the effort he can provide.
“Collin is a guy that’s been putting the work in,” Michigan coach Tracy Smith said. “It’s nice to see him get some results. And quite frankly with all the injuries and the loss of the speed it was a conscious decision to say hey, let’s put a guy in that can change the game with one swing. So I’m pleased for him and I think we’ll get a look at him moving forward.”
With a batting average of .292 and a 1.110 OPS, Priest has made his impact felt in just 16 career appearances and five starts. Through his limited playing time, Priest has proven to be an important building block for a young Wolverine roster. If he can continue to improve, Priest could find himself as a lineup staple. And like he did on Sunday, he might just win Michigan some games.