Mary’s numbers eye-popping for Mt. Union baseball

He is not the biggest pitcher on the mound in NCAA Division III baseball.
But to opposing hitters this season, the University of Mt. Union sophomore Phil Mary looks like a beast.
His statistics and performance have been monstrous for the Purple Raiders, who begin play in the Ohio Athletic Conference playoffs today in Alliance, Ohio.
Mary, a Peters Township High School graduate, gets the Game 1 starting assignment for Mt. Union (29-9, 16-2 OAC) in the conference tournament, which begins at noon against John Carroll University at the Purple Raiders’ 23rd Street Field. Mt. Union defeated the Blue Streaks twice during the season.
The Purple Raiders, the OAC regular-season champions, are trying for their first conference tournament title since 2013 and third overall.
In addition to an excellent fastball, good curve and improving changeup, Mary has yielded just 54 hits in 72 innings, allowing just 12 runs – seven earned – while walking only 14 and striking out 53. He has a 9-0 record with a minuscule 0.88 earned run average.
Mary started nine games for the Purple Raiders, with three relief performances and a save.
He ranked first in the OAC in ERA with a 0.91 mark, first in victories with nine, and fifth in strikeouts. His overall ERA is the fourth-best in NCAA Division III.
Mary, 5-7 and 140 pounds, was huge in Mt. Union’s charge to the conference championship.
“It has been unbelievable,” Mary said. “The defense played behind me has been great.
“The start to the season we had was huge. Sweeping Baldwin Wallace did wonders for our confidence. We just had a good feeling about things.”
Mary credits Purple Raiders’ assistant coach Cory Douglass and head coach Paul Hesse for helping him develop a third pitch and bringing about his success.
“Coach Douglass is our new pitching coach and he taught me some things I needed to know,” Mary said. “He helped me develop my changeup, not to just be able to throw it, but to throw it for strikes.
“I’m a more complete pitcher now. I always tried to throw a changeup and it was never that good. Now, I am able to throw the off-speed pitch for strikes.”
Douglass said there was little doubt in his mind that Mary would be Mt. Union’s ace if he could develop the change. He added the intangibles Mary brings to the mound allow him to be a powerful force. “First and foremost, we got him going with the change,” said Douglass, who most recently coached at Hiram College and is a Mt. Union alum. “He worked very hard on the circle change during the fall. Phil was a little unbalanced at the balance point position.
“He was doing a lot more hard throwing than pitching. To be honest with you, we knew during the second or third week, he was our ace. We are willing to live and die with him.”
Douglass said Mary’s intensity and desire to be good also makes him a top-notch performer.
“He always gives himself as chance because he competes,” Douglass said. “He’s a wrestler. A lot of this is his wrestling background. He has that one-on-one mentality. He’s a really hard-working college athlete. His background taught him that lifting and running on his own was important.
“There’s no doubt, because he is 5-feet, 7-inches, he’s been overlooked. But he throws a great fastball and he will compete as well as anyone. Sometimes I think he takes it personally that there are those who might doubt him.”
Douglass will never doubt Mary. He said while the numbers are so good it would be almost unrealistic to repeat them.
“I don’t know if his numbers could be any better,” Douglass added. “He’s having one of those years. He’s just been really good all season and he will get better.”
Mary, who resides in Venetia with his parents, Beth and Phil Mary, would love for the Purple Raiders to win the OAC tournament and advance to the Mideast Regional, which will be hosted by Washington & Jefferson College next week at Ross Memorial Park.
The winner of the OAC will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Teams can be sent outside their region in the tournament.
Mary is holding out hope.
“We were and are excited because we believe we have a chance to do something special,” Mary said. “It would be really cool to win the conference and get to play in the regional in Washington. To have the chance to pitch in front of family and friends and 20 minutes from my house would be something.”