The Bowling Green State University baseball team recruits in its own backyard to breed success.

Andrew Kuns (Clay, medicinal red-shirt sophomore), Patrick Martin (Clay, junior) and Charles Wooten (Woodmore, senior) all play for the BGSU baseball team and all have grown up in the Toledo area.

Kuns plays first base and suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him most of the season. He was a medicinal red-shirt this season making him a sophomore for the next season. At Clay High School Kuns was a multi-sport athlete. Baseball was always the number one choice for him because he was simply more in love with baseball than any other sport he played.

Andrew Kuns	Patrick Martin	Charles Wooten

His biggest strength he brings to the team is hitting as he is a mix between a power and batting average hitter. However, he would like to be more consistent with the average and limit the slumps throughout the season. While Kuns has only played in eight games this season he is hitting .286 in those eight games with two doubles and four runs batted in.

Making the adjustment from high school to college was not easy for Kuns. “Pitching was the biggest difference for me. It was a big step up in college because not only do you have to be a good hitter but you have to know what the pitcher will throw to get you out,” says Kuns.

Kuns feels right at home playing in his backyard at BGSU. “It felt like the right fit for me. I came for a visit it just felt right.

Kuns is a player that should be in the lineup every day, according to head baseball coach Danny Schmitz. “Drew is a kid we need in the regular lineup. He suffered a bad ankle sprain and will be in a boot for three weeks to a month, but we are counting on him big,” says Schmitz.

Patrick Martin is a defense specialist in left field. He is a duel athlete being able to pitch and play left field with effective production at both positions. BGSU was always a great fit for Martin from the very start of his freshman year. “BG had the best atmosphere out of all the places I visited, not only for baseball but for academics as well. Schmitz is a great baseball coach and I could compete for playing time my freshman year,” says Martin.  

“Pat is a good enough athlete to both pitch and play left field. Outstanding defense and covers a lot of ground by getting good jumps on the ball and taking good routes,” says Schmitz.

Like Kuns, Martin went to Clay High School. He found the biggest transition from high school to college is the speed of the game. “The top kids you see in high school you play everyday in college. The talent level is higher and every kid in the lineup can hurt you.”

Martin does not only bring a glove in the field and stick at the plate, he brings both leadership and work ethic. While not being the most vocal on the team Martin leads through example. The younger players can observe his work ethic and pattern their work ethic after his. “I am no the most vocal guy, a lot of younger players look up to me and I believe I should them hard work on and off the field,” says Martin.

Martin is .245 with five extra base hits and nine runs batted in while yielding a high .945 fielding percentage.  When he gets on base he can wreak havoc by being a perfect seven for seven in stolen base attempts.

Next season Martin would like to become more vocal and more consistent. The team will lose some players next season and he feels the need to step up and fill that leadership void.

Charles Wooten has been one of BGSU’s  most consistent pitchers. He has tallied four wins to six losses and carries with him an earned run average of 3.65 which leads the team’s starting pitchers.  

Wooten came out of Woodmore high school and has played on the BGSU baseball team all four years he has attended. He was came from the bullpen in his first three years on the team and made the transition to starter for his senior season. According to Coach Schmitz he saved his best year for his last year and has been the most consistent starting pitcher on the team. “If we are going to qualify for the conference tournament we need to beat Buffalo in this next series. Charles will have to be a big factor in that,” says Schmitz.

Schmitz recruited these hometown boys because they were both fine athletes and good students. They are all from winning programs and they have done a lot of winning in their careers. Schmitz believes that winning breeds winning.

He loved the way that all these guys work habits and he noticed how they just love to play the game of baseball. Schmitz believes that recruiting from around the area is better not only for the players but for their families and their team.

“Someplace close was important. I wanted family and friends to watch me play when I made my college decision. My philosophy is recruit in your own backyard. It is a plus for everybody,” says Schmitz.

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