TROYgirl128
04-06-2005, 11:23 AM
Running wild
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
MIKE PERRIN
News staff writer
There are lots of unwritten rules in baseball governing things like when it's OK to pitch inside, how long you can watch your home run soar over the fence and when it's bad form to steal a base.
Troy University's opponents should write this down as a commandment: If Adam Godwin gets on base, only unwritten rules can stop him from stealing.
Heading into Tuesday's game at South Alabama, the senior from Enterprise led the country in steals with 55 in 59 attempts. In 15 of the Trojans' 30 games, he has stolen more than one base. Thirteen times, he has stolen second and third consecutively. He stole five bases against Belmont and UAH. Only seven times this season had Godwin been held with no stolen bases.
"It's really been amazing," Troy coach Bobby Pierce said. "I think we were 26 games in when he set the school single-season record. He set the career record on the same steal. He broke the conference record for steals in the 27th game of the year.
"It's hard to believe you can break any single-season record halfway through the year. It's a lot of fun to watch him. He's ignited our fans and our team.
"He always has the green light. We have only one sign for him and that's not to run, when we're way up or way down."
The 21-9 Trojans, 9-3 in Atlantic Sun play, are tied with Central Florida for first place in the league.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound center fielder is also tops on the team with a .373 average batting leadoff.
"It's kinda crazy," Godwin said. "You could never plan on something like this happening. It's just the way the year's been going.
"The guys all laugh at me, but I tell them I'd rather get two stolen bases than a home run."
Godwin does have a little pop in his bat with four doubles, a triple and one home run in his 47 hits in 126 at-bats - not bad for a guy who, until four years ago, planned to be a shooting guard for somebody instead of a base-stealer.
"Baseball had always been my second love," he said. "I actually thought I'd go to college through playing basketball. That was my main focus.
"My senior year, coaches from Enterprise (Community College) came looking at another guy. I stole some bases and ended up getting a baseball scholarship offer. The day I signed with the junior college, I totally committed myself to be a baseball player."
Pierce said his speedster, who has been timed in 6.4 seconds in the 180-foot sprint from second to home, has drawn attention from pro scouts this season - and he was surprised he wasn't drafted after his junior year.
"Last season I had Nate Moore, our closer, who led the nation in ERA," Pierce said. "This year, Adam's leading the nation in steals. In your coaching career, you hope to have one guy lead the nation in something.
"Nate was the best I ever had on the mound in 23 years. Adam, no doubt, is the best I've ever coached in stealing.
"He disrupts the other team - their pitchers, their defenders, their catchers. He opens up lanes for guys behind him to hit through."
Godwin credits his success to his natural speed, his coaching staff's scouting reports and his work in the Coastal Plain League. His 29 steals led the wooden bat college league last season.
As a junior in his first season at Troy, he led the Trojans with a .384 batting average and in steals with 28.
E-mail: mperrin@bhamnews.com
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
MIKE PERRIN
News staff writer
There are lots of unwritten rules in baseball governing things like when it's OK to pitch inside, how long you can watch your home run soar over the fence and when it's bad form to steal a base.
Troy University's opponents should write this down as a commandment: If Adam Godwin gets on base, only unwritten rules can stop him from stealing.
Heading into Tuesday's game at South Alabama, the senior from Enterprise led the country in steals with 55 in 59 attempts. In 15 of the Trojans' 30 games, he has stolen more than one base. Thirteen times, he has stolen second and third consecutively. He stole five bases against Belmont and UAH. Only seven times this season had Godwin been held with no stolen bases.
"It's really been amazing," Troy coach Bobby Pierce said. "I think we were 26 games in when he set the school single-season record. He set the career record on the same steal. He broke the conference record for steals in the 27th game of the year.
"It's hard to believe you can break any single-season record halfway through the year. It's a lot of fun to watch him. He's ignited our fans and our team.
"He always has the green light. We have only one sign for him and that's not to run, when we're way up or way down."
The 21-9 Trojans, 9-3 in Atlantic Sun play, are tied with Central Florida for first place in the league.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound center fielder is also tops on the team with a .373 average batting leadoff.
"It's kinda crazy," Godwin said. "You could never plan on something like this happening. It's just the way the year's been going.
"The guys all laugh at me, but I tell them I'd rather get two stolen bases than a home run."
Godwin does have a little pop in his bat with four doubles, a triple and one home run in his 47 hits in 126 at-bats - not bad for a guy who, until four years ago, planned to be a shooting guard for somebody instead of a base-stealer.
"Baseball had always been my second love," he said. "I actually thought I'd go to college through playing basketball. That was my main focus.
"My senior year, coaches from Enterprise (Community College) came looking at another guy. I stole some bases and ended up getting a baseball scholarship offer. The day I signed with the junior college, I totally committed myself to be a baseball player."
Pierce said his speedster, who has been timed in 6.4 seconds in the 180-foot sprint from second to home, has drawn attention from pro scouts this season - and he was surprised he wasn't drafted after his junior year.
"Last season I had Nate Moore, our closer, who led the nation in ERA," Pierce said. "This year, Adam's leading the nation in steals. In your coaching career, you hope to have one guy lead the nation in something.
"Nate was the best I ever had on the mound in 23 years. Adam, no doubt, is the best I've ever coached in stealing.
"He disrupts the other team - their pitchers, their defenders, their catchers. He opens up lanes for guys behind him to hit through."
Godwin credits his success to his natural speed, his coaching staff's scouting reports and his work in the Coastal Plain League. His 29 steals led the wooden bat college league last season.
As a junior in his first season at Troy, he led the Trojans with a .384 batting average and in steals with 28.
E-mail: mperrin@bhamnews.com