LANCASTER — For some players, showing a lot of emotion, especially for a pitcher, can be a detriment. Coaches like to see their players play with an even-keeled attitude.
Lancaster senior pitcher Carson Miller is not one of those sedate types of players. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. He is not afraid to fist pump when he gets a big strikeout and let the other team know it. Good or bad, it’s what makes Miller tick. It also enables him to stay locked in.
Miller had a few shaky moments on Friday, May 1, against visiting Pickerington Central, but each time, he gathered himself and got out of any jam he was in. He was sensational throughout against the Tigers, and the offense did just enough in a hard-fought 3-2 Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division win on a chilly night at England Field.
The victory was huge because the Golden Gales forged into a tie for first place in the league with Newark. Lancaster improved to 13-4 overall and 9-1 in the conference.
“My mentality when I’m on the mound is I don’t think anyone can beat me, and I let that show with my emotions because it means a lot to me,” Miller said. “Baseball is one of the most important things in my life, other than family and friends. Showing emotion helps me stay in the zone and stay locked in. When (Pickerington Central) got those two runs, I told myself they weren’t getting another one. It helps to have a great defense behind you and a good catcher. My fastball was working, I felt good, and I just let it rip.”
Miller scattered six hits and two runs in seven innings of work. He finished with five strikeouts, including the final out with runners at first and second in the top of the seventh inning.
“Carson is a bulldog. He is an elite competitor out there, and sometimes he gets emotional in a positive, competitive way, and I love to see it,” Lancaster coach Corey Conn said. “When he is on the mound, our guys know we have a chance. He faced some adversity, but he didn’t let it shake him, and he was able to focus on the next pitch. I thought he did a really good job resetting and attacking the next batter.”
Lancaster took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a throwing error, but watched as the Tigers scored two runs in the top of the second inning. After Miller struck out the first batter, the Tigers rattled off three consecutive singles to score a run, and with the bases loaded, Miller walked in a run.
From there, Miller was able to keep Central from crossing the plate, even though it had opportunities. In the fourth inning, the Tigers got a one-out triple, but Miller coaxed a short fly out and a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Gales tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single from Jack Pompey, scoring Brody Broeckel, who had walked earlier in the inning.
Lancaster took the lead for good and scored what would prove to be the game-winner on an unconventional play. With two outs in the inning, Pompey struck out swinging, but the ball got past the catcher, and Pompey was able to reach first base. Coleson Ross then doubled, and with Pompey going on the play, he scored easily.
“We preach that a lot to be locked in one pitch at a time because you never know what play the game-changing play could be,” Conn said. “You never know when that big moment is going to happen, but if you can win as many of those as you can, we should be alright at the end of the game. Scoring that way is unconventional, but that’s baseball. We’ve been on the wrong side of that before.”
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on X at twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Carson Miller’s emotions fuel Lancaster’s key baseball win
Reporting by Tom Wilson, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette / Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
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