March 10 - Michael Smith is back to being Michael Smith again.
George Mason University’s junior shortstop carries himself with a quiet demeanor, and when playing to his potential, wields a smooth left-handed swing and fluid mechanics in the field.
That wasn’t always the case last year, when the South County graduate was asked to shuttle back-and-forth between shortstop and second base - where he started as a freshman in 2015 - after starting shortstop Brandon Gum suffered a season-ending injury.
The Patriots’ lone player to appear in all 54 games last year, Smith started 29 games at second base, 23 at shortstop and one at third base, which George Mason coach Bill Brown admitted may have affected him at the plate.
“Going from second to short is an adjustment, and at this level it’s a big adjustment,” Brown said. “He is obviously more than capable of being an outstanding Division I shortstop, but sometimes that takes away from your mental focus from an offensive standpoint.”
The drop in offensive production was significant. After hitting .315 with a .399 on-base average in 47 games and earning Atlantic-10 Conference All-Rookie Team honors as a freshman, those numbers dropped to .241 with a .364 on-base average last year. Brown stuck with him and he led the team with 48 hits, but it was apparent that Smith wasn’t the same player.
“It sounds crazy, but sometimes you get a little bit of that ‘sophomore slump’ in you,” Brown said. “We had a couple of guys that went through it last year. It happens sometimes, but Michael has bounced back nicely.”
Through 13 games, Smith has returned to form, hitting .311 with five extra-base hits and enters this weekend’s home series against Cornell carrying a team-high .492 on-base average. He says the difference has been refocusing his approach and letting the game come to him.
“Just trying not to do too much,” Smith said. “I think last year I tried to force everything and obviously this year it’s helping to stay loose … Just trying to stay short and simple. Trying to hunt more fastballs and to get into good hitters counts and hopefully square up the ball.”
He did a lot of that while playing in high school for his father, Robbie. Smith was the 6A Conference 7 Player of the Year and an all-state selection his senior season for the Stallions. And he regained some of his confidence last summer during a short stint with Bethesda Big Train in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League, hitting in all seven games he played in.
Once back on campus for the school year, he went to work with the George Mason coaches, focusing on making solid contact and eyeing a bounce-back campaign.
“This year, now that he is entrenched as our everyday guy he is going to be able to relax a little bit more,” Brown said. “He knows what he’s got when gets to the ballpark.”
“I feel comfortable over there,” Smith added.
The Patriots (5-8) will continue to lean on Smith to spark the offense, whether from the leadoff spot or hitting in the two-hole. He’s been able to consistently set the table for the middle of the order - both freshman Logan Driscoll (Lake Braddock) and junior Tyler Nelin are also off to good starts while hitting behind him - and Brown hopes to see that continue.
“He is a top of the order guy for us,” the coach said. “And he has got to be a catalyst.”
Photos by Josh Belanger and courtesy of George Mason Athletics
