Welcome to the Bourne Braves Official Website
LePage powers UConn
Feb 13, 2010
Author: Ed Flaherty, BaseballJournal.com
It doesn't take long for the casual observer to draw the comparison between Boston Red Sox star Dustin Pedroia and University of Connecticut junior Pierre LePage.
Both are undersized second basemen, play the game with grit and determination and already have enjoyed a great deal of success early in their careers.
Focused, energetic and talented are terms that can quickly be applied to Pedroia, the patron saint of diminutive infielders. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Pedroia already has won American League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards and led the Red Sox to a world championship.
At 5-foot-7 and 157 pounds, LePage shares Pedroia's scrappy enthusiasm and will play a major role in determining the Huskies' success in the Big East and beyond this season.
UConn coach Jim Penders has no trouble noting the similarities between Pedroia and LePage.
"He's very similar in a lot of ways," Penders said of LePage, a 20-year-old from Wolcott, Conn. "He plays the game the right way. He plays the game hard, the way it's meant to be played. He's the real deal."
LePage is quick to deflect the comparisons to Pedroia.
"It's very flattering," he said. "It's a big motivational factor. It keeps me motivated because [Pedroia] pretty much shows that you can succeed no matter what's up against you."
Success is a common theme when it comes to LePage, who hit .341 as a freshman at UConn and .340 as a sophomore and carries a 3.644 grade-point average as he studies finance with an eye toward law school in the future. He was named to the Big East All-Tournament team in 2009 and has been a member of the Big East All-Academic team for the past two seasons.
"He's got that inner drive," Penders said. "He does nothing soft, he does everything hard. He studies hard and he plays hard. He's one of the most serious students we've had here."
Having already made his mark at UConn with stellar seasons in his first two years with the Huskies, LePage turned a corner with a spectacular summer playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
LePage made a brief appearance in the Cape League in the summer of 2008 but wasn't pleased with his performance.
"The first season, I was called up about halfway through and played for 2-3 weeks," he said. "It was nerve-wracking."
He earned a return trip to play with and against some of the best college talent in the country this past summer, however, and made the most of the opportunity.
LePage was an all-league second baseman, finishing third with 39 hits, fourth in runs scored with 26 and sixth with a .308 batting average while helping the Bourne Braves win their first-ever Cape League title.
"The fact that we won a championship was my favorite part of the summer," LePage said, adding it was his first title at any level. "It will probably be my best summer ever."
LePage's summer spoils were not limited to just the Cape League championship trophy.
In addition, he was named the 2009 recipient of the Daniel J. Silva Sportsmanship Award and the Manny Robello 10th Player Award.
The Silva Sportsmanship Award, voted on by league umpires, was especially meaningful to LePage.
"It was a great honor," he said. "I pride myself on playing the game the right way and dealing with failure and using it as an opportunity to get better."
Penders said he received calls and e-mails from Cape League fans who watched LePage play and came away impressed.
"He made us very proud." Penders said. "He made a hell of an impression up there. We can hold him up and say that's how a UConn baseball player should play."
LePage also volunteered with the Braves' summer reading program, an experience that was as rewarding to him as it was to the children who participated.
"Having the chance to put a smile on someone's face, I truly believe that's something you need to take advantage of," he said. "It's giving to the kids, but at the end of the day you get more from it yourself."
Besides LePage's smooth swing and solid defense, the intangibles the second baseman brings to the game will be just as valuable to UConn this season.
"He's the first one on the field and the last one off the field," Penders said.
LePage said he isn't necessarily a vocal leader, preferring instead to set a tone for the Huskies with his actions.
"My main role is to bring 100 percent energy to the game every day," he said. "I view myself as a leader by example. I think it's contagious."
Penders envisions having LePage at the top of the batting order even though the junior might not be the prototypical leadoff hitter.
Penders said LePage is an aggressive hitter who will gladly swing at the first pitch and drive it into right-center.
"He makes so much happen," Penders said. "He's got that great energy. He's one of the most focused kids I've seen in the batter's box.
"He rises to the occasion. When he's challenged, he responds. He makes us go; he's our sparkplug. He can flat-out hit."
With the Huskies advancing to the Big East Tournament title game in 2009 after missing the postseason in 2008, LePage has set the bar high for the upcoming campaign.
"I couldn't be more excited," he said. "From the top of our lineup to the bottom we have so much experience. Our goal right now is to not only win the Big East title and get 40 wins, but we want to win a regional and a Super regional and get to the [College] World Series. I think a lot of the guys think we can do great things."
If the Huskies reach those lofty goals, LePage certainly will play a leading role.
"He's a lot of fun to coach," Penders said. "He's just a heck of a competitor. He's one of those kids you root for because you know how bad he wants it. He might be undersized in height, but you can't see the size of his heart."
Article from www.baseballjournal.com
|
