May 10, 2005

Miller lives up to hype

Coming in to the Cowley College baseball program Brad Miller of Ada, Okla., was expected to be an impact player. The freshman has been that and more for the No. 9-ranked Tigers as he has shined at the plate and on the mound.

Miller, a member of the Oklahoma All-State Team and Oklahoma Sunbelt Team as a senior in high school, turned down an opportunity to play for NCAA Division I University of Louisiana Monroe, in the hopes that Cowley would help him achieve his goal of being drafted by a Major League Baseball team.

“It’s a great program, the tradition here is awesome,” Miller said. “They are always playing for a national championship, which is my first priority. Hopefully, we will win a national championship, and then in a few years I will get drafted.”

If Miller continues playing the way he has this season, getting drafted will be no problem. Currently, Miller leads the team in doubles (16), runs batted in (70), stolen bases (28), and is tied for the lead in hits (73) with sophomore Deik Scram. Miller also is second to only Scram in batting average (.397), home runs (6), total bases (113), and slugging percentage (614).

“Brad’s a talented young man,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said. “His job has been to drive in runs when guys get into scoring position, and he has done a great job with that.”

Miller has split time between playing shortstop and pitching for the Tigers. On the mound, Miller has compiled a record of 7-2 with a 2.41 earned run average. He has allowed just 38 hits in 61 innings, and has struck out 54 while walking only 18.

Miller is coming off his most impressive outing of the season as he pitched a two-hit shutout against Cloud County on Sunday to help the Tigers win the Eastern Sub-Regional and advance to the Region VI Tournament at Wichita’s Lawrence Dumont Stadium this Friday through Tuesday.

“I have always loved to pitch, and the coaches gave me the opportunity to pitch and be a two-way guy here,” Miller said. “With a lot of confidence, a lot of good things can happen. I try to be as consistent as I can, and know if I make my pitches and don’t try to overpower people then I will be successful.”

After getting just three hits in his first 17 at-bats as a member of the Tigers, Miller proceeded to go 16-for-25 with 15 runs batted in over his next seven games.

“No matter what level you play at, you play baseball the way it is supposed to be played,” Miller said. “You play hard and with hard work try to get better. I struggled a little bit at the first of the season, but I just kept working hard and knowing that I could do what I wanted to do. I knew I had the confidence to do it, it was just a matter of getting it done.”

Miller credits his success and ability to drive in runs to the players who bat in front of him.

“It’s the guys in front of me that did the work of getting on base, steal bases, and getting in scoring position for me,” Miller said. “We have a really good team. I think we have a chance to go all the way and be successful at the World Series.”