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LEWISBURG — It’s not something they’ll ever forget, and hopefully, the most traumatic thing they’ll ever have to witness.
It was during a normal Thursday practice on April 30, with Bucknell’s baseball team gearing up for a Patriot League series against Lehigh when Bison coach Scott Heather collapsed.
“I don’t think any of our guys have seen anything like that before,” senior Michael Trommer said after practice on Thursday as the Bison prepped for the Patriot League Championship Series, which begins at Depew Field at Marren Park at 2 p.m. Monday against Holy Cross. “It was a scary situation. I think it brought us all together, players and coaches. I think for about a week or so after it happened, we really stuck together.
“We really just leaned on each other. To be honest, it was a really tough time.”
More than two weeks later, not much is known about Heather’s prognosis. Friends have set up a zeffy.com site for donations to support his wife Emily and daughters Ellie and Maren.
The Bucknell baseball team found some solace on the field. It hosts the championship series beginning Monday with hopes of a third NCAA tournament trip under Heather.
“We played Lehigh a couple of days later, and there were some questions on if we were going to be able to play that game,” Trommer said. “I think playing just helps take our mind off it, and I think it helped us mentally.”
Bison pitching coach Jason Neitz, a Mifflinburg High graduate and a former pitcher in the San Francisco Giants organization, was named interim coach for the rest of the season. It was a tough adjustment for Neitz, and not just because of the expanded role. He’s been Heather’s right-hand man for Heather’s 12 years as skipper, and his friend even longer.
“When Scott was an assistant, and I was still playing, (former coach) Gene (Depew) used to bring me over to pitch batting practice to his team,” Neitz said. “I was really able to foster a relationship at that time. Obviously, that relationship has grown into a great friendship. Scott gave me my first paying job in this business.
“He’s a great person to work for, and just awesome person overall.”
Neitz had two significant things to tackle besides his own feelings on the matter. One, he had to help the Bison handle the most traumatic experience many of them had encountered.
“I said to the guys constantly the first couple of days, ‘What you feel today, might not be what you feel tomorrow,’” Neitz said. “The other thing was constantly checking with the kids to make sure how they were doing, and honestly, they were doing the same thing for me — checking in, and just making sure I was doing okay.
“There is no blueprint for this. You don’t know what you’re going to be feeling and how it’s going to work out with all that stuff. It’s just about being a good person and making sure you are there for each other.”
Then there was the baseball part of it.
Neitz had to become the in-game manager along with his pitching coach duties, but that part may have been the easiest part of the adjustment.
“I really thought the game day stuff would be more of a headache because of all of the decisions you have to make during a game. In the short time that I’ve been doing it, I’ve realized if you feel comfortable in your preparation, you can just let the boys go out and play,” Neitz said. “Scott and I always communicated on those decisions, so that hasn’t changed a whole lot.
“It’s just allowing them to play, have fun and just be loose.”
That approach has worked out for Bucknell as the Bison took two of three from Lehigh in the series after Heather’s medical incident, and they swept last weekend’s Patriot League semifinal from Navy.
Next comes a Holy Cross team with which the Bison split a four-game set back on April 10-12.
Holy Cross finished fourth in the Patriot League. The Crusaders are led by CJ Egrie, who was named the Patriot League Player of the Year for the second straight season. The senior center fielder hit .340, and is second in the NCAA with 40 stolen bases.
Bucknell led the Patriot League in hitting during league play at .274, and it ranked second in earned run average (4.68). Trommer is hitting .305, and ranks second in the Patriot League with 50 hits. Teammate Billy Fluharty led the league in hits with 52. Freshman Garrett Mathias leads the Bison with 41 RBIs.
Bucknell is seeking its first Patriot League title since 2014 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
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It was during a normal Thursday practice on April 30, with Bucknell’s baseball team gearing up for a Patriot League series against Lehigh when Bison coach Scott Heather collapsed.
“I don’t think any of our guys have seen anything like that before,” senior Michael Trommer said after practice on Thursday as the Bison prepped for the Patriot League Championship Series, which begins at Depew Field at Marren Park at 2 p.m. Monday against Holy Cross. “It was a scary situation. I think it brought us all together, players and coaches. I think for about a week or so after it happened, we really stuck together.
“We really just leaned on each other. To be honest, it was a really tough time.”
More than two weeks later, not much is known about Heather’s prognosis. Friends have set up a zeffy.com site for donations to support his wife Emily and daughters Ellie and Maren.
The Bucknell baseball team found some solace on the field. It hosts the championship series beginning Monday with hopes of a third NCAA tournament trip under Heather.
“We played Lehigh a couple of days later, and there were some questions on if we were going to be able to play that game,” Trommer said. “I think playing just helps take our mind off it, and I think it helped us mentally.”
Bison pitching coach Jason Neitz, a Mifflinburg High graduate and a former pitcher in the San Francisco Giants organization, was named interim coach for the rest of the season. It was a tough adjustment for Neitz, and not just because of the expanded role. He’s been Heather’s right-hand man for Heather’s 12 years as skipper, and his friend even longer.
“When Scott was an assistant, and I was still playing, (former coach) Gene (Depew) used to bring me over to pitch batting practice to his team,” Neitz said. “I was really able to foster a relationship at that time. Obviously, that relationship has grown into a great friendship. Scott gave me my first paying job in this business.
“He’s a great person to work for, and just awesome person overall.”
Neitz had two significant things to tackle besides his own feelings on the matter. One, he had to help the Bison handle the most traumatic experience many of them had encountered.
“I said to the guys constantly the first couple of days, ‘What you feel today, might not be what you feel tomorrow,’” Neitz said. “The other thing was constantly checking with the kids to make sure how they were doing, and honestly, they were doing the same thing for me — checking in, and just making sure I was doing okay.
“There is no blueprint for this. You don’t know what you’re going to be feeling and how it’s going to work out with all that stuff. It’s just about being a good person and making sure you are there for each other.”
Then there was the baseball part of it.
Neitz had to become the in-game manager along with his pitching coach duties, but that part may have been the easiest part of the adjustment.
“I really thought the game day stuff would be more of a headache because of all of the decisions you have to make during a game. In the short time that I’ve been doing it, I’ve realized if you feel comfortable in your preparation, you can just let the boys go out and play,” Neitz said. “Scott and I always communicated on those decisions, so that hasn’t changed a whole lot.
“It’s just allowing them to play, have fun and just be loose.”
That approach has worked out for Bucknell as the Bison took two of three from Lehigh in the series after Heather’s medical incident, and they swept last weekend’s Patriot League semifinal from Navy.
Next comes a Holy Cross team with which the Bison split a four-game set back on April 10-12.
Holy Cross finished fourth in the Patriot League. The Crusaders are led by CJ Egrie, who was named the Patriot League Player of the Year for the second straight season. The senior center fielder hit .340, and is second in the NCAA with 40 stolen bases.
Bucknell led the Patriot League in hitting during league play at .274, and it ranked second in earned run average (4.68). Trommer is hitting .305, and ranks second in the Patriot League with 50 hits. Teammate Billy Fluharty led the league in hits with 52. Freshman Garrett Mathias leads the Bison with 41 RBIs.
Bucknell is seeking its first Patriot League title since 2014 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Continue reading...
