Hoosiers find their ninth inning savior

The role of a closer has been one of the more ambiguous positions to define throughout baseball history. Major league closers of the past like Sparky Lyle and Lee Smith used to pitch three and four innings to rack up their saves. But ever since Dennis Eckersly redefined the closer's role in the late '80s as a one-inning stopgap, coaches and managers of every level have searched thoroughly for that ninth inning hurler to seal victories for their ball clubs. \nThe Hoosiers have found theirs. \nFifth-year senior Ryan Smith didn't always close games. He fulfilled a starting role throughout his career for coach Eric Lentz at Westfield High School in Carmel, Ind. \n"For the most part I was a starter, and I played other positions as well," Smith said. "I played third base and a little bit of outfield, but I was always a starting pitcher. I was never really a closer."\nBut after changing Smith's delivery and tweaking his mechanics, coaches at IU saw something different in him. \n"When he was throwing over the top, his fastball was very straight," coach Bob Morgan said. "After we switched him to a sidearm delivery, he was really able to get a lot more movement from all of his pitches, and that has made him an effective closer."\nThe change in Smith's delivery sparked rapid improvement in the reliever's overall performance on the mound. After appearing in 14 games and posting a lackluster 6.48 ERA in 2001, his junior year saw his ERA plummet to a superb 3.06. In 26 appearances, he also posted an IU single season record 9 saves and a solid 4-1 strikeout to walk ratio.\n"He lost some velocity on his fastball, but now he can make his pitches go where he wants," Morgan said. "He has confidence, and that's why he is such a good closer."\nConfident and composed on the field, Smith is caring and down-to-earth away from the diamond, his teammates said. \n"Ryan has a personality that doesn't come along very often," senior outfielder Kenny Marrs said. "He is the nicest guy I've ever met, and everyone on the team respects him."\nSmith said his goals for this year are to get back to the Big Ten tournament and lead his team to a Big Ten championship. Thus far, the senior has done his part.\nDuring the Hoosiers' 3-0 start, Smith has pitched five innings in two appearances without giving up a run and has struck out seven of the 16 batters he has faced. Smith earned a victory in the season opening extra inning win against Findlay and notched his first save of the young season last Monday against Boston College.\n"I think our success from last season and our quick start will carry through," Smith said. "Our success has made us hungrier, and we are going to work extra hard to get back to the tournament and win a championship this year."\nSmith will need to continue his prowess on the mound if the Hoosiers are to get back to the tournament. The team has already lost its top starter in senior Nick Vitielliss, who will miss the entire season because of a torn tendon in his elbow.\nBut Smith's teammates aren't worried.\n"Everyone respects Ryan," Marrs said. "For him to be our closer is the perfect role for him because he is so dependable"