Dave Martin a leader on the mound for baseball squad

What may seem like a basic pre-game ritual for any pitcher may actually be a key component to the success of senior Dave Martin -- tri-captain of the men's baseball team and currently the team's number one pitcher.

"I jog, stretch, warm up with the catcher, take a drink of water, and go out to the mound," Martin said. The right-hander continued, explaining that, "Pitching is all about getting into a rhythm. You have a routine, so you get into that rhythm before you even get on the mound."

With three wins already under his belt this season and a 16-5 career record to back him up, it would appear that Martin's jog-stretch-warm up-water routine is effective in establishing his game rhythm. His coach, John Casey, also noted his consistency.

"He's the same, and that's probably the biggest compliment," Casey said. "Every time we give Dave the ball, we feel like we can win. With him on the mound, it gives the guys a tendency to play harder."

In his four years at Tufts, Martin has earned the team's confidence with his performance on the mound. He has accrued a career ERA of about 2.5, and thrown seven complete games in 143 innings.

According to Martin, his .84 ERA last season is the highlight of his baseball career thus far. That statistic placed him second in the nation for Div. III pitchers and earned him a spot on the all-NESCAC first team.

Martin was also named the Jumbos' Most Valuable Pitcher last spring. He has continued to lead the team's pitching staff this season with the support of senior Jon Lee and junior Randy Newsom, who complete the starting rotation.

"I think three of the best athletes we have on our team are our pitchers," Casey said. "People don't always appreciate how athletic pitchers are because they only see them doing one thing."

Casey said that Martin is also a strong fielder, and he hopes to give him an opportunity to hit later this season if a nagging hamstring injury will allow it.

"He's so important to us on the mound that we have to make sure we don't risk that," Casey said.

As the Jumbos' ace, Martin generally starts in the first of each weekend's three-game series. Last Friday, he helped to defeat Bates, and this weekend he will square off against Wesleyan.

"The first game [in a series] is a tough one mentally because you're pitching against their best too," Casey said. "Dave's someone who's going to fight them the whole way. He's a big strong pitcher who wears you down. He just keeps coming at you."

Casey also called Martin someone who will "do everything in his power to win."

"He's very competitive. He's not going to let you win," Casey said.

According to Martin, he enjoys competition, and said that he likes his position because "the pitcher competes in just about every play."

"I like pitching because I feel like everything revolves around you," Martin said. "It's at your pace. You're almost in control of the game. You begin every play with the ball in your hand and you end every play with the ball in your hand."

The right hander should be well accustomed to the feel of the ball by now, as he's been playing baseball for over 15 years. He began playing tee-ball when he was five years old, following in the footsteps of his father and his older brother, both lifelong ball players.

Along with baseball, Martin played football and basketball at Arlington High School in Arlington, MA. He still takes part in pickup basketball games and said that he enjoys watching sports.

"My biggest hobby is athletics in general," Martin said. "I'm a huge Red Sox fan."

Martin has spent the last few summers on local diamonds, playing for the Inner-City League. He will do so again this year, but is unsure of other post-graduation plans. He said that baseball will certainly be part of his future, though.

"On some level, I always want to stay involved in baseball," Martin said. "I'll probably be one of those guys who teaches my son's Little League team."

Unfortunately, Martin would have to wait a while to share his greatest expertise, since there's no pitching in tee-ball.