Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/514677
UNDER THE DOME Ryan Smoyer, a sophomore hurler for the Irish baseball team, is having a standout season on the mound. As of May 17, he had an 8-0 record and a 2.06 ERA in 15 appearances (nine starts). Blue & Gold Illustrated: Why did you choose Notre Dame? Smoyer: "My junior year — which is a big recruiting year — I broke my hand, so I didn't play my spring season of high school. There were only a handful of teams that had seen me pitch in the spring, and Notre Dame was one of them. "It got to the point where I didn't play until about halfway through the summer, and a lot of schools were already sign- ing guys, but Notre Dame stuck with me. I went on a visit and fell in love." Blue & Gold Illustrated: What do your team- mates say to you about your 8-0 record? Smoyer: "My teammates definitely let me hear about it; they're proud of what I've done, but they also want to keep me grounded. They rib me about it, but at the same time they're happy for me. "It's a testament to our team, being in spots where I'm lucky enough to get a win on some out- ings. But my teammates definitely let me have it. They don't want me to get too high and mighty." Blue & Gold Illustrated: You scattered five hits over seven innings in a series-opening win against No. 7 Florida State. How big was that game for your confidence? Smoyer: "That was a huge win for us as a team, but you do always have that personal satisfaction of getting a big win like that. Just to know that you handled their hitters for the most part, it's gratifying. "But the bigger picture, to get a win like that for the team, that's huge." Blue & Gold Illustrated: What's been the overall key not only to your individual success, but also the team's success this season? Smoyer: "Individually, being able to throw the four pitches that I have all for strikes. Some games it's not all four, maybe it's two or three, but having four throughout the season has helped. "I'm not a big strikeout guy, but I get bad contact a lot of times, and the de- fense behind me this year has played incredibly well. I'm able to trust those guys to make plays be- hind me, plus the confidence I have in my pitches." Blue & Gold Illustrated: Who is one player in Notre Dame's lineup that you wouldn't want to pitch against and why? Smoyer: "Ryan Bull. When it comes to inter- squads I can't get him out. I really can't explain why, he just has my number. I've tried changeups, that's worked on him with other guys in the past but he's doing a good job of hitting it lately. He's on the fastball. "He's just had my number in scrimmages, and he knows it — he lets me know it, too — that I can't get him out." — Jordan Wells Five Questions With … SOPHOMORE PITCHER RYAN SMOYER Smoyer made nine starts among his first 15 appearances of the season and had an 8-0 record and 2.06 ERA as of May 17. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS