The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 11, 1991, Image 11

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Senior Co-Captain returns
Pyle gives Aggies leadership, good bat
By James Bruce
Of The Battalion Staff
lake Pyle speaks softly but car
ries a hot bat.
The senior co-captain hit .279
last season and provided a crucial offen
sive spark on a Texas A&M baseball team
that hit a combined .252.
But Pyle’s bat always has been a clutch
one.
For instance, when the Aggies needed
a clutch hit to beat Arkansas and clinch a
share of the 1989 Southwest Conference
baseball title, they also needed a team
leader to step forward. Pyle delivered
that hit, giving the Aggies a 3-2 victory.
Two years later, Pyle still is delivering
leadership for A&M.
Pyle, a catcher and a team captain for
the second straight season, said, “I’m the
type of player who tends to lead by exam
ple, not by words.”
In the crucial game situations, the ex
perienced players need to be strong be
cause they nave been in similar situations,
while the younger players are still gaining
experience, the Aggie catcher said.
“It is important for the team leaders to
keep the guys positive because team losses
and bad outings are learning experien
ces.”
Pyle’s leadership qualities extend far
beyond the chalked lines of a baseball di
amond. He leads by example in the class-
J. JANNER/The Battalion
Senior co-captain Blake Pyle looks
to lead the Aggies to the SWC tour
nament this season.
room as well.
Pyle, a senior accounting major, was
awarded his fifth Academic Achievement
Award this fall. Pyle plans to graduate in
May and has accepted a job with an ac
counting firm following graduation.
As someone who has been there be
fore, Pyle assists the younger players in
managing baseball and academics.
“I try to direct the younger guys when
they ask about classes, class scheduling
and job opportunities,” he said.
Pyle said that academics were an im
portant factor in decision to attend A&M.
“The baseball facilities are great and
the academics are excellent, so when I got
the opportunity to come to A&M there
was really no choice,” Pyle said.
Pyle has high hopes for the 1991 Aggie
squad. The team has good cohesiveness
and positive players, he said.
“This is the right kind of team to ac
complish great things this season,” Pyle
said.
Pyle said he sees being selected team
captain as a big honor. Veteran pitcher
Steve Hughes is the other co-captain.
It is important for Pyle and Hughes to
see that the players look up to them, Pyle
said. The team showed it by voting them
team captains.
Pyle also is active in the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, which he describes as
a positive experience.
“It is good for the athletes to go and
build relationships with other athletes
who are going through some of the same
experiences as you,” Pyle said.
Pyle is a career .293 hitter, who batted
.278 with one home run and 22 runs bat
ted in last season.
He also stole 10 bases in 15 attempts
last season, showing surprising speed
from the catcher position.
He said he looks for any opportunity to
help the team, and baserunning is one as
pect of the game where an agressive
player comes in to play.
As a catcher, he is in control of hand
ling pitchers out on the mound. Each
pitcher has a different rhythm, Pyle said,
and it is crucial to get the pitcher and
catcher in accord.
“It is important to know which pitcher
does what best to ensure that you get the
right pitch for the situation,” he said.
Pyle said that he feels this year’s team
has a great deal of offensive potential.
The lineup from the top of the order to
the bottom should be able to produce
enough runs to win ballgames, he said.
Pyle’s two main goals for the 1991 sea
son are to win the conference
championship and to make a first-time
trip to the College World Series.
“Winning another conference
championship would be a great end to my
A&M baseball career,” he said.
And if Pyle’s bat stays hot, he indeed
could lead the Aggies to the NCAA tour
nament this season.
Page 12
Aggie Baseball
Monday, February 11,1991
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