As soon as St. John’s baseball coach Ed Blankmeyer named his closer, Craig Hansen, to start yesterday’s NCAA tournament opening-round game in Corvallis, Ore., against Virginia, teammates began approaching the junior from Glen Cove with the same question: “How long can you go?”
“I’ll go as long as they need,” said Hansen. “If they need nine, I’ll go nine.”
Hansen, arguably the best college closer in the country, was pressed into starting when the Red Storm learned ace Anthony Varvaro of Staten Island would not be ready for the opening round of the tournament.
Varvaro did not pitch last week in the Big East Conference tournament because of what the staff has termed a tired arm. Sources said he might have a more significant injury and might be done for the season even if St. John’s advances.
“Anthony is a tremendous pitcher and for something like this to happen at this time is disappointing for him and the team,” said Hansen. “Everyone has to step up because we don’t want to go two and out like we did in the Big East. The records don’t matter now. Everyone is 0-0.”
With Hansen having to start, James Lally of Floral Park, a Molloy grad whose mother, Kathy, is basketball coach Norm Roberts’ secretary, moves into the role of closer. The redshirt freshman turned down a scholarship from Adelphi to walk-on at St. John’s, where he has three saves this season.
Jim Wladyka of Rutherford, N.J., will start today’s game in the double-elimination tournament. Wladyka was 7-2 with a 3.05 ERA this season. He could take the mound with the fate of the Red Storm season in his hands. Unless, of course, Hansen shut down the Cavs.
His last start was in 2003 against Notre Dame when he got shellacked for 12 earned runs on 10 hits. Since then Hansen moved to the pen, where he developed into a dominating closer. He’s expected to be one of the first players taken in the amateur draft.
“I have so much confidence on the mound,” said Hansen. “I don’t even remember what happened the last time I started. I’m a different pitcher. I pitch to my strengths.”
Stamina, not strength, was the issue yesterday. In an age when athletes often put themselves before their team, Hansen’s willingness to start and risk injury by going “as long as they need,” is admirable, especially when a lucrative pro contract is on the horizon.
Hansen, a junior, has never worked more than six innings.