Jackson Memorial High School graduate Bryan Soloman is a key cog in the lineup for the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team. He is getting set to lead the Colonels into the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference tournament. PHOTO COURTESY OF EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Bryan Soloman went from being an anemic hitter in March to a terrific one in May for Eastern Kentucky University, much like last year when the Jackson Memorial High School graduate earned Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honors and a Louisville Slugger Freshman All American selection.
It wasn’t a change in mechanics that boosted Soloman’s average to .270 after he was batting .213 in late March — nothing different about his stance or swing. It was just the mental approach, much like last season when he started all 57 games at third base as a true freshman.
“He started off like that last year. He started off this year batting about .180 in the beginning and in the last 27 games, batting over .300 and producing more runs,” said coach Jason Stein, whose 28-20 team took a six-game win streak into a May 15 game againstWestern Kentucky.
Last year, Soloman bottomed out at .223 early and ended up hitting .310 with nine home runs, a team-high 17 doubles and 40 RBIs at the Richmond, Ky., school.
“It’s just mental. Last year it was mental toughness. This year he was just putting too much pressure on himself,” Stein said. “But the difference is that in his freshman year he would get down on himself. He was overthinking [earlier this season]. You’ve got to keep the game as simple as possible.”
Despite his struggles, Soloman stayed around the heart of the lineup all season, batting cleanup most of this year, and he made his presence felt in a couple of conference victories over Tennessee Tech last weekend.
On May 12, Soloman belted a two-run homer to left field in the fourth inning after Tennessee Tech had grabbed a 3-0 lead. Eastern Kentucky rallied from a 5-3 deficit and went on to a 6-5 victory in 11 innings.
The following day, Soloman belted a two-run homer, his third round-tripper in the last four games, for the insurance runs in a 4-0 victory over Tennessee Tech on Senior Day.
Soloman shares the team lead in home runs with 13 and his 44 RBIs is just two shy of the team lead. He lined his 14th double over the weekend, just three behind the team leader.
It’s the degree of power Soloman showed at Jackson Memorial High School when he hammered home runs in nine consecutive games, a national high school record that was subsequently eclipsed by a player in Tennessee who homered in 10 consecutive games. Soloman went on to earn New Jersey Gatorade Player of theYear honors and lead Jackson Memorial into the NJSIAA Group IV final where the Jaguars lost to Randolph.
Soloman agreed with his coach about the mental side and about living up to his recognition from last season.
“It’s definitely a mental thing,” he said. “I knew I could succeed and do things on this level. I knew I could do so well and I was not doing well. Then I realized I could do this, and just kept going. I got home runs and got my confidence back, and now I’m mentally stronger. Now I feel like a totally different ballplayer.”
Soloman’s spirit has been contagious.
“We’re pretty hot right now. Offensively, we’re on fire,” he said, as the Colonels’ 64 home runs in 48 games leads the nation.
The team is in the top 10 in doubles in NCAA Division I with 113. The offensive output has helped the Colonels all but clinch an Ohio Valley Conference playoff spot, where they hold a second-place conference record of 16-7.
“It’s just hitting the ball hard and trusting your swing and using your body,” Soloman said.
But it’s not easy, because unlike last season when he was new to the league, Soloman is now a known player to opposing teams in the conference.
“I feel that,” he agreed. “I don’t get the first pitch. I get a lot of 3-2 counts. When I see eight to 10 pitches, five to seven are offspeed, so I’m not too geared up for the fastball.”
Soloman credits a more mature approach and not being too eager at the plate.
“I’m still missing a few pitches. I’m still young; I just have to wait for a good pitch,” he said.
Soloman is continuing to develop on the defensive side at the hot corner.
“He’s gotten a bit better,” Stein said. “He has good hands and is making the plays with a good arm. His only knock is his lateral movement. He’s a big guy [6-4] and he has trouble moving to his left. But overall, he’s pretty solid defensively.”
Soloman said if he has a tough day with the glove or bat, he goes into the weight room for a hard workout.
“I feel I’m playing solid defense at third base with six errors all season [coming into this week] and last year I had a bunch (13) as a freshman,” he said. “It’s a defensive game. If you get solid pitching and defense, you can stay in the game.”
Soloman is hoping his team will stay in the running in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament that begins on May 25. The winner of the conference tournament is assured of a berth in the NCAA Tournament.