McGee Making Instant Impact for Monmouth University Baseball

Too often, pitchers adjusting from high school to the Division I collegiate level change their approach out of fear of the higher caliber of hitter they will be facing.

Whether it’s nibbling around the edges where they used to attack, or throwing more breaking balls on the outer half rather than busting hitters inside, that lack of confidence at the next level can lead to a bumpy ride as a freshman.

That is what has separated former Toms River South star Andrew McGee from many others before him as a freshman pitcher at Monmouth University.

“As a young pitcher, we always thought he could pitch inside,’’ said Monmouth coach Dean Ehehalt, an 18-year veteran who is the Northeast Conference’s all-time winningest coach. “That gives him an advantage from the start.’’

McGee was brilliant as a senior for Toms River South, setting a school record for wins without a loss by going 12-0 and leading the Indians to division, county and Shore Conference titles. The lefty led the Shore in wins, and had a 1.07 ERA. He struck out 104 in 84 2/3 innings, allowed 72 hits and walked only 13 while opponents hit .224 against him. In his last two seasons in high school, he walked only 19 batters in 145 2/3 innings.

He took that confidence to pitch to his strength, his fastball, to Monmouth and has been an early-season revelation. McGee is 4-1 with a 1.26 ERA and a team-high four saves in 15 appearances out of the bullpen, and his four wins rank second on the team. He only has walked five in 28 2/3 innings despite the adjustment to the higher level.

“The hitters are better, so I have to be better at executing pitches and hitting spots,’’ McGee said. “If I make a mistake, I am going to pay for it.’’

In the fall, Monmouth pitching coach Jim Belanger had McGee develop his cutter into more of a strikeout pitch and incorporate more changeups into his arsenal, but mainly encouraged him to pitch to his strength.

“I just keep doing the same thing as in high school – attacking with the fastball,’’ McGee said. “One of the main things coach Belanger stressed to me in the winter was to remain confident. I’m a good enough pitcher, so just keep pitching the way I’ve been pitching.’’

“Some guys have electric breaking balls, some have great velocity on their fastball, but he just competes so well,’’ Ehehalt said. “He's a bulldog out there.’’

Another adjustment McGee has had to make is coming out of the bullpen. He was primarily a starter for the Indians last season, although he did have multiple appearances out of the bullpen in big games against state-ranked opponents. He also served as the starter for the Jersey Shore team this past summer that won the championship at the Carpenter Cup, a 16-team tournament of all-star teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

At Monmouth, he has shown the ability to pitch on consecutive days and remain effective.

“The only adjustment out of the bullpen is coming in with runners on base,’’ McGee said. “When you’re warming up in the bullpen, it’s a different mentality.’’

Ehehalt considered him one of Monmouth’s top six pitchers coming into the season, so when the Hawks were playing three games over the weekend early in the season, he wanted to find a way to get McGee some work. His role as a bullpen stopper quickly evolved when he showed the versatility to pitch on back-to-back days.

“The role just kind of developed because he was successful in that role in the first game,’’ Ehehalt said.

He was knocked around a little bit in a series against Central Connecticut State earlier this season but overall has been outstanding. Earlier this season, he was named NEC Co-Rookie of the Week after allowing one run in seven innings in a three-game series against a strong Sacred Heart team. During that run, he illustrated his value as he closed out a 5-3 victory on only nine pitches in one inning of work, then only allowed one run in six innings of relief to hold the fort before the Hawks could pull out a walk-off win in the 12^th inning.

“The one thing with McGee is that he throws strikes,’’ Ehehalt said. “It’s never an issue of control. He can also move the ball to both sides of the plate, which really made him successful right away.’’

Ehehalt added that McGee is also an excellent fielder, which comes in handy when an opponent might try to drop a bunt down in a crucial spot late in the game.

All of it comes from the confidence he forged at Toms River South, where he had some tough outings against top teams as a junior but roared back to dominate those teams as a senior, including three wins over NJSIAA Group IV finalist Jackson Memorial. He took that mentality to Monmouth and has not looked back.

“The one thing coach Belanger drilled into me is that I’m here for a reason,’’ McGee said. “If they didn’t think I was good enough to pitch here, they wouldn’t have recruited me.’’