Oklahoma State University Athletics
Pitcher Scott Richmond Making Most Of Final Year
March 10, 2005 | Cowboy Baseball
When school started in August,
Before he could start throwing in fall ball, Richmond was informed the NCAA ruled him ineligible for his final campaign as a Cowboy pitcher.
After graduating from Aldergrove Secondary School in British Columbia — where there wasn't a high school baseball team — Richmond played a season on a local club team.
“At the beginning of the fall, I was petitioning the NCAA for my eligibility,” Richmond said. “They thought because I played for a little club team in Canada with a college affiliated name, it would count as a year of college eligibility.”
Richmond said he starting researching the ruling and decided he had an opportunity to regain his last year of eligibility.
“I double checked on it and they said I had a year gone, so I filled out some forms and it ended up working out for me,” Richmond said.
OSU coach Frank Anderson said Richmond kept him updated as the process progressed through the fall, and in the end, could not take credit for one of the pitcher's best saves of his college career.
“To his credit, he is the one that did most of the legwork on that thing to get eligible and make sure everybody knew the situation,” Anderson said. “It's not as much of a relief as it is neat to see someone work on a situation like that, then they uphold it and allow him to play.”
Richmond started practicing late in the fall, but struggled, but then went home for winter break, where things began turning around.
When he returned to practice in January, no one was happier to see Richmond than his coach.
“He is very valuable,” Anderson said. “He's kind of our catch net. We throw him out there in a lot of situations, a lot of roles, and it's amazing what a year's difference makes. He's more confident because he's kind of been through it a little bit. He adds some stability to us.”
Last season, Richmond was slated to be in the weekend rotation, but after struggling in non-conference play, Richmond was sent to the bullpen.
Richmond's breakout performance came on April 18, when he came into a game against Kansas in the third inning and gave up one run over 10 innings. He struck out eight on 150 pitches in a game where he also sit through a 30-minute rain delay.
After picking up both OSU wins in relief against the Oklahoma Sooners, Richmond grabbed a spot in the starting rotation at the end of the season.
After 17 games this season, Richmond has come out of the bullpen seven times, which is fine with him considering seven months ago, he was supposed to be a spectator.
“I'm not worried about (starting),” Richmond said. “We've got three lefties in rotation, and they all do their job well. I'm the right hander out of the bullpen, and I'm getting my innings, so I just need to go out there when I come in and do my job.”
While Richmond is happy getting the call from the bullpen, junior pitcher Brae Wright is just as glad to see the senior sprint from right field to the mound when Anderson makes the call.
“When I'm on the mound or anybody's on the mound, when Scott comes in, I feel very confident,” Wright said. “He's done a very good job this year, and I feel like he gives us a great chance to win just as good as anybody on the team.”
In seven appearances, Richmond is 1-1 with two saves in 25.2 innings of work. More impressive is his team-low ERA of 0.70, his team-low opposing batters average of 0.96 and his strikeout total of 29, which is the second highest on the team behind starter Adam Daniels, who has struck out 33.
Even when he's nowhere near a mound, Wright said he and the rest of the Cowboys like spending time with the Canuck.
“He's the guy that everybody likes to be around,” Wright said. “He's one of those guys when we're on a bus trip or we're just hanging out, he's somebody that uplifts everybody. He even grabs a laugh here and there.”
While most pitchers at the Division I level have been playing baseball since early childhood, Richmond began playing the game after high school.
After a season of work at Missouri Valley College and Bossier Parish Community College, Richmond joined the Cowboys in 2004, where he learned some of his most important lessons from Anderson — a former pitching coach at Texas.
“Compete, compete, compete and throw strikes,” Richmond said. “Don't let them mess with what you're doing. You work your game and stick to what you're doing. The umpires, the batters, they're going to do their own thing.”
Among his personal goals, Richmond said he looks forward to filling out more paperwork as soon as the season the ends.
“I have lots of them,” Richmond said. “I want to pitch well. I want to get a visa, so I can become eligible to get drafted. I want to help the team go as far we can when I take the mound.”
With a save that earned him one last chance to help guide the team to the College World Series and prove to scouts he is worthy of a chance at the next level, Richmond is happy to still be wearing No. 34 in orange and black as the team prepares for conference play.
“I'm feeling good right now,” Richmond said. “I'm just trying to take full advantage of my last year here.”
