Down 0-2 in the count with two outs, two runners on base and the game tied at one, freshman center fielder Greg Pace Jr. faced an early high-pressure moment in the top of the fourth inning Sunday afternoon for the Michigan baseball team.
But Pace emphatically quashed that pressure, connecting on a pitch thrown by Cal State Fullerton left-hander Tyler Stultz that sailed beyond the left-center field wall to give the Wolverines a 4-1 lead, propelling them to a 9-5 victory over the Titans in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.
“It was a great feeling,” Pace said. “It was electric to me, honestly. And all I have to do is take my approach and just continue to play with confidence and stay positive throughout all nine innings.”
This upbeat approach while facing a pitcher’s count helped contribute to that home run, which was the first of his college career in addition to his first RBIs. In the eighth inning, Pace stole second base after getting walked and later hit a leadoff triple in the top of the fifth inning of game two.
The mentality Pace has been working on amid the natural ebbs and flows of a baseball game has helped propel him to start as a freshman, batting ninth and starting in center field.
“It’s not an individual sport and there are many ups and downs,” Pace said. “… It’s just chasing the process and not the results. And you just have to have a strong mindset throughout the ups and downs.”
Although he has not been chasing the results, they have already shown, and the Big Ten has taken notice. Pace was recognized as this week’s Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the team’s first recipient of the award since left-hander Steven Hajjar in 2020.
“It’s a huge achievement among many more,” Pace said. “But I’ll give all grace to the team. These guys pick me up left or right, even when I’m down and just continuously a brotherhood that we formed here and I’m just glad to be a part of the culture.”
And as Pace is being lifted up by his team, he is doing his part to lift the team up through his play.
Michigan was staring down a stretch of eight games in eight days before Monday’s series finale against Cal State Fullerton got canceled due to inclement weather. Nonetheless, managing the arms through so many games in such close proximity is a steep challenge for an already-thin staff. Hitting performances like Pace’s on Sunday alleviate pressure on the staff by providing critical run support to back up solid pitching outings.
“Anytime you have a freshman that’s going to get a start,” Michigan pitching coach Brock Huntzinger said. “… Finding areas where guys are going to have success, and then going out and seizing those opportunities and having that success, I think everybody notices it.”
As his teammates and coaches celebrate Pace’s breakthrough, he knows there is more to be had being just six games into this young season.
To make sure he continues to capitalize on his opportunities, Pace does not plan on dwelling on Sunday’s stellar day, instead focusing on what’s ahead.
“For the rest of season, just striving, looking forward and not looking back,” Pace said. “There are going to be some bumps in the road, but my job is to control what I can control. And I know one thing I can control is my mindset.”
The power of the mind is significant, and so is Pace’s natural talent in the batter’s box and in center field. Syncing those two components together, as evidenced by his impressive showing against the Titans, can lead to more electric moments in his college career.