鈥淚 had no idea 鈥� It was pretty cool to find out after the game.鈥�
鈥� Cardinal pitcher Eric Nerl
A new name went into the Yorkton Cardinal record books Friday.
Eric Nerl went to the mound as the Cardinal starter with five Western Major Baseball League wins tied for the team season best first established in 2004 by Nick McMillan, then equalled in 2006 by David Parker and again in 2009 by Chris Byford.
Nerl would toss eight聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 innings, allowing only four hits, and one earned run for his record setting sixth win of the season. He struck out five in the process as Yorkton defeated Medicine Hat 4-1.
Nerl, who grew up just outside Cincinnati, Ohio sports a record of 6-2, and a slim ERA of 1.98.
The six wins is one behind Dylan Nelson of Okotoks who has the lead league with seven this season.
Cardinal head coach Kameron Mizzell said Nerl has pitched well all season.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been tough for us,鈥� he said, adding his starter has been tenacious pitching late into games with five starts of seven or more innings.
Mizzell said going into Friday鈥檚 game he 鈥渉ad a feeling it was close鈥� in terms of Nerl taking the record.
Nerl, a Junior at Eastern Kentucky University, said he was not aware he was pitching for a record.
鈥淚 had no idea,鈥� he offered after the game. 鈥溾�� It was pretty cool to find out after the game.鈥�
So what makes Nerl effective as a starter?
Well to start with Nerl did not arrive in Yorkton as a starter. A year removed from 鈥楾ommy John Surgery鈥� on his arm, Nerl had pitched out of the bullpen in college last season.
Nerl started as a reliever with the Cardinals, but was soon moved into a starting role.
鈥淚 prefer to start,鈥� he said, adding he hopes with his success with Yorkton, and a new coach at Kentucky he might get to start in college now too.
As for his success Nerl credits his ability 鈥渢o spot up the fastball鈥�. While noting he probably tops out at about 90 miles per hour. He said he has been hitting his spots, and that sets up his off-speed stuff well.
In that respect Nerl said his approach is a lot like that of former major leaguer Greg Maddux and current Cincinnati Reds starter Mike Leake, both starters who use control more than sheer velocity.
Mizzell went a different direction when asked the same question.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 his mental toughness,鈥� he said, adding his starter is able to get past a bad pitch, or a big hit.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been a bulldog for us.鈥�
Nerl said he played three sports growing up, basketball and football, in addition to baseball, and he believes that helped him develop the mental toughness to start. He said it鈥檚 important not to let a single situation take over a game, like the solo home run he allowed Friday.
Coming off Tommy John Nerl said he is feeling great.
鈥淢y arm definitely feels a lot better,鈥� he said, adding it is not just the surgical repair, but the near year off which has allowed his shoulder to rest.
