Senior pitching trio aim at first OAC Tournament birth

The John Carroll University baseball season is rounding third and heading for home. When the season ends for the Blue Streaks, coach Marc Thibeault’s squad will lose three members that freshman Tom Schaberl calls “the biggest leaders on the team– literally.”

Schaberl is referring to the only three senior pitchers on the pitching staff this season– Matt Fort, Brandon Kurtz and Marty Smith. Fort stands 6 foot 3 inches, while Kurtz and Smith are both listed at 6 foot 5 inches.

There is nothing small about their contributions on the field either.

Fort, the only left-hander of the group, has used his pinpoint control this season to jump out to a 5-1 record on the season. He has managed 42 strikeouts while surrendering just five walks, the fewest in the league.

Kurtz has started 13 games in each of the last two seasons. Through seven starts this season, he owns a record of 2-2 and has a 4.99 ERA.

Marty Smith owns a 1-2 record out of the bullpen. He has allowed three runs on the year, yet none of them have been earned.

Smith leads the OAC in saves with five and is second in appearances with 13. He has come a long way since his freshman season.“ I contemplated quitting after my freshman season, but I decided to give it another year,” said Smith.

While the individual statistics are great, the trio would trade it all in for a chance at the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament – something that has been deprived of them in each of their last three seasons.

“We’ve never made the OAC tournament before and that’s been the ultimate goal for us all year long,” said Fort.

Smith echoed that sentiment, adding that he would love to do it with two of his closest friends.

“We have grown to become really good friends,” he said. “We all have had really good careers so hopefully we can cap them off with an OAC title.”

And what a way that would be to go out for the trio after finishing below the .500 mark in OAC in each of their first two seasons.

Things started to turn around last year as the Blue Streaks went 21-14, the third highest winning percentage in the 33-year history of the JCU baseball program.

The pitching staff claimed the lowest ERA in the OAC. However, even with great pitching, the 2007 team came one win shy of qualifying for the OAC tournament.

The postseason seems to be well within reach this season as the Blue Streaks are currently tied for second place with Marietta College at 10-4 in league play. Otterbein College currently occupies the fourth and final position at 7-5.

After this season ends, hopefully after the OAC tournament, these three will shift focus to different endeavors.

Fort is currently interviewing for jobs with companies such as Aflac while still being open to the possibility that he could continue to play baseball. If baseball does not work out, the finance major will find work elsewhere.

Kurtz and Smith will be seeing a lot of each other next year, both as roommates and students in the MBA program here at JCU.

No matter what they do, whether they are OAC Champions or not, these three will have left their mark. They will leave behind big shoes to fill– literally.