Summer Magic
April 07, 2010 02:10 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
April 7, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - It was a summer like no other for redshirt junior Grant Buckner. The Elkview, W.Va., native completed his third season with the West Virginia University baseball team, helping the Mountaineers to a momentum-building 37-18 record while breaking through with a .325 batting average and starting every game in right field.
As thrilling of a season as it was, little did Buckner realize that his summer with the Forest City Owls of the Coastal Plain League would nearly match the excitement of a college baseball season. Collegiate baseball summer leagues across the country are usually viewed with little fanfare, giving players an opportunity to develop while a fan base as vague as parents, friends, townies and scouts look on.
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| Grant Buckner was a key part in the Owls' Petit Cup Championship this past summer.
photo courtesy of Forest City Owls |
But Buckner and his team captured the town of Forest City, N.C., a tiny municipality with a population of just over 7,500. The Owls finished the Coastal Plain League season with a remarkable 51-9 record, won the Petit Cup Championship and earned the ranking as the nation’s top collegiate summer league team by Perfect Game Crosschecker.
“That was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a baseball field,” Buckner said. “It was like a video game – we played 60 games and won 51 of them. That’s almost unheard of in baseball. The type of talent we assembled on that team was unmatched, and we set so many Coastal Plain League records. It was the best summer baseball experience I’ve ever had, and I look forward to going back this summer.”
One of the best aspects for Buckner was the way the civilians embraced the team. During the dog days of summer, fans came out in droves to cheer on a squad that not only represented themselves and their schools, but also symbolized the small town.
“We averaged over 3,000 people per game,” Buckner added. “The whole town comes and goes when the Forest City Owls come to town. You’re the best thing that happens to that town, and that’s what they’ll tell you.”
Buckner was just one piece of the puzzle that opposing teams couldn’t solve throughout the season. He batted .274 with two home runs and 32 RBIs in the regular season, a respectable showing considering that averages usually dip in wooden-bat leagues.
However, the versatile player with a cannon-like arm stepped up his offense during the postseason, going 7-for-18 with four RBIs as the Owls won five straight playoff contests. He also batted cleanup in every playoff game.
At about the middle of this year, Buckner has been relied on to produce at the plate, which he has done so far. But with several injuries to a key group of infielders, Buckner, who amassed his 100th career hit against Niagara, has been thrown back to his original position at third base. He is currently mending a sprained ankle that he suffered against Connecticut, putting him out for at least a week.
Buckner was originally recruited to play the hot corner, but found a niche in right field with his ability to gun down runners at any base. Despite the time off, he remains comfortable taking sharp hops instead of scaling the wall for big flies.
“It’s different at first but I grew up my whole life playing the infield,” Buckner said of making the transition. “It’s a little bit different taking a few years off then coming back and playing third base at the college level. I’ve had some games under my belt and I’m getting more comfortable over there. Of course I like the outfield, but I’ll play wherever the team needs me to play.”
Playing in his fourth year at WVU, Buckner is seen as a veteran presence amongst the team. He is a guy who had to redshirt his first season and work hard throughout his career to crack the everyday lineup, which he accomplished last season.
“Being able to contribute to the lineup that we had last year and being able to play everyday with the lineup we had definitely boosted my confidence,” Buckner mentioned. “It made me feel like I can perform at this level and contribute to the team. This year I’m relied upon much more, definitely more than last season, and I’m ready for the challenge.
“Last year I tried to just fit in the lineup and get going. This season, I think there are only two or three returning starters. I’ve definitely gone from being a role guy to a big-time veteran on this team as well as a leader. There are so many freshmen and transfers in the lineup, they’re going to look toward me to get the job done. I’m more of a leader this year.”
When Buckner finishes yet another season with the Old Gold and Blue, he plans to travel down south again and lead the Owls to a second consecutive Petit Cup Championship. If everything goes right, he will have had another solid year with WVU before culminating the season with some more summer magic in Forest City.
