By Annie Papadellis/Web Reporter
With already one outstanding summer baseball season under his belt, Craig Schlitter (Bryant) returned to the Cape eager and ready for another year of top-notch competition.
Schlitter was the opening day pitcher last year for the Commodores, and had his first start of the summer in game four against the Cotuit Kettleers back on June 16.
Last season with the Commodores, the right-handed pitcher earned a 5-2 record in eight game appearances and seven starts. He left the Cape with a league-leading 2.72 ERA, coming in third at the conclusion of the 2012 summer baseball season. Schlitter finished his first year on the Cape with a WHIP of 1.02, and 41 strikeouts over only 8 walks in 43 innings of work, heading into his junior year with a solid summer behind him.
Schlitter certainly carried his summer confidence and command on the mound back to Bryant this 2013 spring season. This past season for the Bulldogs, the junior made 14 starts, leading the team with a 10-4 record, while furthermore becoming the first pitcher in Bulldogs D1 history to earn 10 wins in a single season. He posted a 2.58 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 83.2 innings of work.
The rising senior was undoubtedly thankful to be called back to the Cape this summer.
“It feels great,” started Schlitter. “I got another great team behind me, and it’s a lot of fun playing with these guys.”
Last summer his short-term goal was to make the All-Star team, and unfortunately he was not selected. This time around, Schlitter’s goals are more long-term— more specific goals he can take with him to wherever he may “wind up” in the future:
“My goal… developing my pitches. Every pitch matters,” said Schlitter. “Just getting better. That’s the ultimate goal.”
This summer, he continues his control on the rubber with numbers very similar to his previous summer season with a 2.86 ERA and a WHIP of 1.22 as of August 2. He has a 3-2 record thus far on the season, and has 30 strikeouts to 10 walks.
Not only has baseball been a main sport of Schillter’s, as a younger athlete he also played football.
“I played football through eighth grade, and a little of high school,” he said.
However, his freshman year of high school he decided baseball was the sport he wanted to take seriously and focus on.
“I’ve played baseball my whole life, and chose to focus on that,” Schiltter said. “I let go of the other sports to train baseball and get better.”
With a WHIP of 1.22 in arguably the best and most competitive summer league in the country, there is no doubt we will be seeing the right-handed pitcher somewhere in the Majors sometime in the very the near future.
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