LHP, 6’4” 220 , B: L T: L
  Stanford University
  Hometown: Ozark, Mo

How did you get involved with baseball in the first place?
When she was first getting started, my Mom's photography studio was beneath a batting cage, and I asked my dad to go up there one day to hit. We went up there, and after I swung the bat for a bit, I noticed a flyer up front for an instructional baseball league. I joined up with the league – I was nine – and have been playing ever since. This was when I lived in Petaluma, Calif.

Who were your childhood role models? (Maybe one professional and one personal)
Baseball-wise, Will Clark and Andy Pettite were my childhood role models, and I would say my parents were my biggest role models personally.

Being an expert marksman and avid hunter, do you see a connection between shooting and baseball?
With shooting to baseball, there's a really close connection, particularly for pitching. When I competed, it was a matter of if you miss a shot, you couldn't let that affect your next shot. Obviously, this ties closely to pitching along with the need to be completely relaxed and focused when making a shot. If you don't time your shot right, set your balance, or adjust your sights properly, it'll affect your performance. With pitching, it's much the same, my release point, pitch grip, etc need to be exact or I won't have the desired effect.

A wad of gum or sunflower seeds?
That's a tough one, depends. I'll take seeds though.

How will last year's summer season with the Mallards help you adjust this year?
I'm really looking forward to this season. Playing with those guys last year was a great experience. I think that last season helped me really appreciate some of the smaller elements of the game as well as the fans. Also, it helped me prepare for pitching in some huge pressure situations along with pitching in front of large crowds – both hostile and friendly. Also, the wood bats were a great adjustment to pitch to. This year, I'll use the wood to my advantage. It's great to be able to break a hitter's bat finally.

What is your biggest strength on the field?
I think my control is both my biggest asset and my curse. The more in the zone, the less walks, but more hits.

What's to come in your career?
Don't know, I can only pray that God has a plan with baseball in it for the future.

A message for the fans.
Thanks for the great experience at the games. Without you guys, the league and the games would not be the same. I hear stories from teammates about other leagues and thank God we have such great fans to support us. Thanks everyone!

Full count, bases loaded, you're up by one in the bottom of the ninth with the opposing team's slugger batting. What pitch do you throw?
Change-up, no doubt for me.