Shutdown helped refresh Lane

NEW LONDON — When the news first arrived, Ryan Lane simply thought he missed out on a chance to see the Chicago area. But it didn't take too long to realize what was being lost. "It was an eerie feeling," said Lane, who was a redshirt sophomore starting pitcher for the Kent State University baseball team in the spring. "In the locker room, it was almost like someone died … like we were mourning someone or something." Lane, a 2017 New London graduate, was getting ready to board a bus with the rest of his Golden Flashes' teammates on March 12. The destination was a non-conference series with Northwestern University from the Big Ten. At first, just the trip to Northwestern was canceled as the result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. But as concerns were quickly amplified, and in an attempt to slow the virus spread, the NCAA soon made sweeping cancellations — including the remainder of the entire spring sports seasons for all schools. Lane had gone 14-plus months without throwing a pitch in a competitive game, sitting out the 2019 season as a medical redshirt as a result of reconstructive Tommy John elbow surgery. In the early going of 2020, he had already earned Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week honors. His earned run average was 2.31 in four starts when the pandemic hit. His fastball velocity increased to 93 mph, a number at his age and competition level that Major League Baseball scouts love. Now, Lane is starting over like everyone else. He may have an extra year of eligibility as a result of the canceled season, but so will others in the same situation. Things are admittedly still a jumbled mess when it comes to sorting out who is coming and going. And suddenly, a crucial year on the comeback trail was lost. But the injury the year before actually gave Lane a different perspective, however. "It's definitely a hell of a lot better than being hurt," he said of missing the rest of 2020. "It stinks I couldn't throw the rest of this year, but looking back, it's not the worst thing that's ever happened." That's because Lane has spent his entire youth growing up while living and breathing the sport of baseball. His parents, Dan and Julie, drove him all across the country on various travel baseball and recruiting trips. "I think spending time away from the game sometimes helps rather than eating, sleeping and constantly breathing baseball all the time," Lane said. "This could be good to teach myself and some of the other guys what it's like when you do have to step away from the game for a bit." And despite draft eligibility — or just his school eligibility — being somewhat up in air, Lane isn't all too concerned with that, either. "I'm more laid back about it … it sounds like we have a year back, but if not, I'll have two years, and if I do (have the extra year, then great, I have three," he said. "It still leaves you one possible draft year, but maybe two. And for me personally, it means I will be in the same class as my age, since I was always the youngest from an age aspect. A lot of teams will have a lot of good players to choose from." Lane initially was to open the year on a 75-pitch limit in each start until MAC play began. That was the case on Feb. 16 when he allowed three earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings against Saint Joseph's University. But in his next start one week later on Feb. 23, that all changed. In a game at Florida Gulf Coast University, Lane was dominant. He went 8 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out 10 with no walks on three hits in the game played in Fort Myers, Fla. After a first inning double, Lane retired the next 16 batters. The strong outing earned him MAC Pitcher of the Week honors. "Everything felt good each start with my health and my arm," Lane said. "In a situation like that, you just have to kind of turn it loose. I had full trust in my arm at that point, and what better time in Florida when you're feeling good to test it out?" Before the shutdown, Lane then allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings at Winthrop on March 1, then allowed one run in 4 1/3 innings at Liberty on March 8. "I think the only difference between that (FGCU) game and the other three was how I pitched with two strikes," Lane said. "From the other three starts, I needed to work on more balls in the count." Lane allowed 18 of his 28 hits in the two March starts. "I kept getting 0-2 and 1-2 and was throwing a pitch that was hittable — and that's why I gave up a lot of singles and not extra base hits," he said. "I definitely think it was going to keep getting better." A longtime MAC power, the Flashes were 7-7 when the pandemic hit, just three games away from league play. Lane finished the season with a 2-1 record and a 2.31 ERA, striking out 19 with just two walks in 23 1/3 innings. As a true freshman in 2018, he made seven appearances and finished 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA. In 11 career appearances, he is 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 48 innings for a team that won the MAC championship. Lane stayed loose, throwing with former New London teammate and recent graduate Peyton Wilson — soon to be pitching for MAC foe Bowling Green. "It's always nice to have someone else that plays at a high level to help keep you accountable," Lane said of Wilson. "It's good to have someone to give you feedback. If you're throwing into a net or someone who doesn't play, they don't know what to look for with break on the ball and the mechanics. "But having a like-minded worker like him keeps you motivated and you don't really slip away from the game — and it's just nice to have a friend while you're doing putting the work in." Lane threw up until June 1, but has shut it down this month. He'll return to throwing in the first week of July. There are some Kent teammates playing in the Northwoods summer League, but Lane again went back to the break from the game. "I've been throwing for 12 straight months since my elbow surgery," he said. "I would rather shut it down for a bit than throw, and work on the things I don't normally work on. That way I'm ready for the fall and next spring." Lane will start throwing to live hitters once he moves back to Kent in early August. "It's been a good way to get a break and refocus," Lane said. "But I'll find some people to throw to and start building back up next month and get into pitching shape and start the process for 2021. I'll be ready."