By Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer
Jake Dexter, a junior recreation and leisure studies major from Oakland, Maine has been a crucial weapon offensive and defensive weapon on the baseball team this season. He was honored as LEC Pitcher of the Week for the period of April 2-8 for his contributions to the team. At time of publication, the baseball program has won six games in a row, and nine out of their last 10.
Dexter earned his 20th career save on April 9 at home against Plymouth State, where the Huskies won 13-10. With the win, Dexter broke the school record for saves previously held by former All-American Andrew Richards (2013-2015).
According to the 2018 Official Rules of the MLB, earn a ‘save’, he must a) be the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team; b) not be the winning pitcher; c) be credited with at least 1/3rd of an inning pitched; and d) satisfies one of the following conditions: 1) he enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning, 2) he enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck, or 3) he pitches for at least three innings.
Dexter added that he doesn’t think too much of the title, noting that Richards had, “pitched over 100 games… I’ve pitched half that.”
Dexter ultimate motivation is his fellow teammates. “I don’t want to let them down,” Dexter stated. Prior to USM he had played on teams with almost half of his dugout mates, and even went to high school with a few.
Though he prefers to take life one day at a time, after graduation he wishes to continue to play ball, “’till my body can’t support me anymore.” Dexter adds, “It would be my dream just to get a chance to play [professionally],” but he added that he would be interested in coaching, as well.
Dexter has batted .346 this season and earned 15 RBI in addition to his pitching record. When asked about what he expects from the rest of the season, he replied that he does not think about it too much. “We have to keep self-evaluating our performance, improve when we’re losing, and tweak things a little when we’re winning,” Dexter said.
Dexter advised that youth aspiring to play at the collegiate level and above should, “Trust what you got. You gotta believe in yourself—let it go and see where it takes you.”
USM baseball travels to UMASS-Boston on Tuesday April 17 at 3 p.m. and returns home the following Wednesday to host Endicott at 3:30 p.m.