Post by elon_phan on Jun 1, 2007 18:42:18 GMT -5
Right-hander Basham parts ways with Elon
Bob Sutton / Times-News
June 1, 2007 3:00 AM
Ryan Basham, who was the starting pitcher for Elon University in its final game of the baseball season last weekend, is transferring out of the program.
“I’ve been struggling here lately,” Basham said. “Sometimes a change of scenery might do the trick. I’ve tried everything mechanically to make it work.
“(My career) has kind of been stalling there for awhile. Who knows? It could be mental mistakes, mechanical or whatever.”
Basham said he hasn’t determined his next destination, denying speculation that he has settled on UNC Greensboro, which like Elon is a Southern Conference school. Elon coach Mike Kennedy said Thursday that an intra-conference transfer is unlikely.
Basham, a right-hander who completed his junior season with the Phoenix, took the loss in Saturday’s Southern Conference Tournament game against The Citadel. Word of his departure from Elon began circulating as early as Sunday night.
“It’s a decision he made based on where he feels he fits in to the program,” Kennedy said. “You know your players … it didn’t surprise me.”
Basham made 48 appearances, including 23 starts, in his three Elon seasons. He posted a combined record of 10-6, but had earned run averages of 5.96 and 7.93 before this year’s 9.13 mark.
He went 2-2 with one save in 14 appearances, including four starts, this year. He walked 18 and struck out 21 in 23 2/3 innings.
“I loved Elon … everything was perfect,” Basham said. “Just that part of trying to figure out what was wrong baseball-wise. It’s tough leaving guys you’ve spent time with for three years.
“I came in to school expecting to do well. I did well my first year and it kind of progressively went downhill. No one wants to go from doing well to struggling.”
Kennedy said the decision to turn to Basham in the conference tournament was out of necessity as the Phoenix was playing its fifth game in four days. “We were down to the last straw,” he said.
Basham said his personal highlight might have been a strong outing during a start at Georgia as a freshman. He took the loss that day, allowing one run in six innings.
He arrived at Elon as one of the state’s top prospects coming out of East Forsyth High School.
“The bottom line, he has to get people out to be on the mound,” Kennedy said. “Unfortunately, his numbers didn’t get better.”
He was 4-3 as a freshman and 4-1 as a sophomore. His most action came his first year when he made 12 starts and pitched 68 innings.
He was the winning pitcher as a starter in the 2006 home opener against Duke.
Basham said his next college choice will be based on a financial decision to some degree.
“Just trying to catch the flow (with a new team),” he said.
Kennedy said, “I’m sure he’ll get some calls.”
This summer, Basham is playing with Kernersville of the Carolinas-Virginia League (for college players) and living at home. He’ll be a starting pitcher with Kernersville, a role he would like to have next year with his new college team.
Last summer, he played in the New England League with the Vermont Mountaineers.
Basham, 20, majored in leisure / sports management at Elon. He said he has three semesters of course work remaining and he intends to return to Elon to graduate in the fall of 2008.
Bob Sutton / Times-News
June 1, 2007 3:00 AM
Ryan Basham, who was the starting pitcher for Elon University in its final game of the baseball season last weekend, is transferring out of the program.
“I’ve been struggling here lately,” Basham said. “Sometimes a change of scenery might do the trick. I’ve tried everything mechanically to make it work.
“(My career) has kind of been stalling there for awhile. Who knows? It could be mental mistakes, mechanical or whatever.”
Basham said he hasn’t determined his next destination, denying speculation that he has settled on UNC Greensboro, which like Elon is a Southern Conference school. Elon coach Mike Kennedy said Thursday that an intra-conference transfer is unlikely.
Basham, a right-hander who completed his junior season with the Phoenix, took the loss in Saturday’s Southern Conference Tournament game against The Citadel. Word of his departure from Elon began circulating as early as Sunday night.
“It’s a decision he made based on where he feels he fits in to the program,” Kennedy said. “You know your players … it didn’t surprise me.”
Basham made 48 appearances, including 23 starts, in his three Elon seasons. He posted a combined record of 10-6, but had earned run averages of 5.96 and 7.93 before this year’s 9.13 mark.
He went 2-2 with one save in 14 appearances, including four starts, this year. He walked 18 and struck out 21 in 23 2/3 innings.
“I loved Elon … everything was perfect,” Basham said. “Just that part of trying to figure out what was wrong baseball-wise. It’s tough leaving guys you’ve spent time with for three years.
“I came in to school expecting to do well. I did well my first year and it kind of progressively went downhill. No one wants to go from doing well to struggling.”
Kennedy said the decision to turn to Basham in the conference tournament was out of necessity as the Phoenix was playing its fifth game in four days. “We were down to the last straw,” he said.
Basham said his personal highlight might have been a strong outing during a start at Georgia as a freshman. He took the loss that day, allowing one run in six innings.
He arrived at Elon as one of the state’s top prospects coming out of East Forsyth High School.
“The bottom line, he has to get people out to be on the mound,” Kennedy said. “Unfortunately, his numbers didn’t get better.”
He was 4-3 as a freshman and 4-1 as a sophomore. His most action came his first year when he made 12 starts and pitched 68 innings.
He was the winning pitcher as a starter in the 2006 home opener against Duke.
Basham said his next college choice will be based on a financial decision to some degree.
“Just trying to catch the flow (with a new team),” he said.
Kennedy said, “I’m sure he’ll get some calls.”
This summer, Basham is playing with Kernersville of the Carolinas-Virginia League (for college players) and living at home. He’ll be a starting pitcher with Kernersville, a role he would like to have next year with his new college team.
Last summer, he played in the New England League with the Vermont Mountaineers.
Basham, 20, majored in leisure / sports management at Elon. He said he has three semesters of course work remaining and he intends to return to Elon to graduate in the fall of 2008.
