2,075 MLB PLAYERS | 14,476 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
College  | Story  | 6/27/2016

Ramer sets pace for Cats in win

Nick Herfordt     
Photo: Arizona Athletics




2016 College World Series Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
2016 Perfect Game/Rawlings College Baseball All-Americans


OMAHA, Neb. – Cody Ramer had hoped that once his college baseball career at Arizona came to a close he’d continue to spend time on the diamond. However considering his .183, .146 and .178 batting averages his first three seasons in Tucson, it didn’t seem particularly realistic to think he’d be spending that time in between the chalked lines as a player. As a result, in the spirit of George Bernard Shaw who famously wrote, “He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches,” Ramer started plotting out a plan to join Arizona’s coaching staff as a volunteer undergrad assistant once his eligibility expired.

Part of the reason the coaching life spoke to Ramer was because he had seen the impact a coach can have on a player. When new UA Head Coach Jay Johnson saw a flaw in Ramer’s swing and helped him make adjustments, it make a mammoth impact in his ability to make contact with the ball. With a bit of fine-tuning the previously light hitting Ramer quickly became one of the most dangerous batsman in the nation.

Ramer started this spring with hits in eight in his first 16 at-bats and the base knocks kept coming all season long. Ramer wasn’t just making simple slap contact either, he was hitting with style. Coming into Monday’s title game tilt Ramer had 17 doubles, eight triples and a pair of home runs. He was second on the team with a .340 batting average – quite the turnaround for a lifetime Sub Mendoza Line hitter.

Ramer’s offensive outburst has made him an invaluable member of the Arizona offense, which has played its way into the College World Series Finals. When the Wildcats took the field against Coastal Carolina Monday in game one of the best-of-three series, Ramer would be in position to cement his upstart legacy at Arizona as the team’s starting second baseman and leadoff hitter, and that he most certainly did.

Ramer led off game with a ground-rule double and quickly advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. With a single by a fellow Johnson-resurrection project Ryan Aguilar (.190 in 2015, .305 this season), Ramer scored the game’s maiden run.

The ‘Cats threatened again in the third by filling the bases (sparked by another leadoff hit by Ramer), but Coastal’s starter Zack Hopeck somehow managed to escape the inning unscathed. From there it was a pitching duel as Hopeck and the Wildcat’s J.C. Cloney exchanged opportunities putting zeroes on the TD Ameritrade Park scoreboard.

It wasn’t until the seventh inning when someone was able to cross the plate once again.

Arizona’s Cesar Salazar singled to right center and made his way around the diamond another 180 feet following a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. Ramer then reached base for his fourth time in four plate appearances with a five-pitch walk to put runners on the corners. That brought up Zach Gibbons whose at-bat created one of the game’s most paramount and pivotal moments.

Gibbons hit a fly ball to mid-center field which allowed Salazar to easily tag and double the Wildcat lead. Meanwhile Ramer unexpectedly tagged from first and dashed to second. The move was such a surprise the Chanticleers defense wasn’t ready to make the play. Ramer’s lunge to the base dodged the tag and gave Arizona’s another in scoring position. Sure enough, the next pitch was rapped to left field and the fleet-footed Ramer was able to race home for the third run of the game.

Carolina’s Coach Gary Gilmore lamented that Ramer was a player in the opposing dugout after the game.

“He's that guy that he's a pain in your side, you know?” Gilmore praised. “The kid hit the ball. You tip your hat to him. That kid, he's one of the kids on their team that as the opposing coach you go: Man, I'd like to have that kid. He's a good-looking player.”

While Ramer was the ‘Cats player of the game offensively, it was Cloney’s composure which kept the usually power-infused Coastal Carolina offense at bay on the mound. He was quietly dominating, inducing ground ball after ground ball (13 total during the game) with few mistakes. Through the first eight frames he only gave up a pair of hits and no CCU runner managed to reach second base; however a hard liner and bunt single to start the ninth would make things interesting.

With two Chanticleers on base and Coastal’s top slugger Connor Owings at the plate, it seemed like a late rally was on the menu. Owings hit a hard ground ball to the right where it was fielded flawlessly by Ramer. After a zip to second and laser to first the CCU threat was deflated, but not extinguished. Nevertheless, the final out was made when Cloney’s froze the final batter to earn the strikeout.

With the win Arizona took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three finals, one win way from capturing the school’s fifth baseball crown in school history - and one win away from putting Ramer's coaching aspirations on hold as he pursues a professional baseball career.
PG Special Events
Travel, Lodging, Entertainment
PG Partners
Recommended
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2024 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.