Courtesy photo
Weston Allen, center, signed his letter of intent on Friday to pitch for Asbury University (Ky.). Mother Mandy and father Byron were on hand sporting Asbury gear in support of their son.

BY COREY STOLZENBACH
sports@dcherald.com

Like many seniors, Southridge pitcher Weston Allen didn’t get to have a senior baseball season.

Not to fret in his case, though. The right-hander signed his letter of intent on Friday at League Stadium to continue his baseball career at Asbury University (Ky.), where he’ll hope to continue his winning ways. He’s been a two-time state runner-up with the Raiders, and now he’ll be joining a team that went 14-4 before the shutdown due to COVID-19.

“It’s just awesome to think that I’ll be entering into a team that is supposed to have a lot of success in the upcoming season and seasons to come,” Allen said.

Allen’s heart goes out to his friends and other players in the country who aren’t able to continue their career after this season was taken away from them. It was tough for him, but he knows he needs to put the work in to get better for college baseball.

He’s focused on lifting weights and going to pitching lessons at the Complete Game Baseball Academy in Evansville, which the virus does not interfere with. Allen throws a fastball, both a four-seam and two-seam, a curveball and a changeup.

His pitching coach at Asbury will be Brandon Mattingly, who is no relation to Southridge coach Gene Mattingly. He said Brandon wants him to work on the mental side of the game and controlling his emotions, which Allen admits he hasn’t always been the best at.

“I think that that is one of the things that I’ve struggled with the most through high school,” he said. “It’s really good now that I’ll get to work on it. I think it will help me improve tremendously.”

Allen sees it as a compliment to pitch under Brandon, as he knows the latter doesn’t just hand out spots on his pitching staff, and is careful who he recruits.

He’s currently undecided on his major, but baseball-wise, he knows he’s going to give it everything he’s got, day in and day out, for his teammates and his team. Allen is looking to improve himself as much as possible, and get playing time as a regular in the Eagles’ rotation, once things return to normal after the virus.

“I’ve thought about this quite a few times,” Allen said. “It’ll be a relief, definitely, for sure. It’s exciting to think about being able to go out there and step on the field again, but I’m sure the nerves will be there just because I haven’t stepped on the field in so long, and stepping onto a new field at that. So, I know there will be a lot of nerves involved in it.”