MORGANTOWN — Save for the cleanup crew and a few others still in the press box, Mon County Ballpark is nearly a ghost town as Tevin Tucker walks back on the field.
Along with his devoted girlfriend, the two set up the pitching machine and batting cage for some late-night batting practice that goes past 11 p.m. on this night.
The Mountaineers had just wiped out rival Pitt with a 9-1 victory, but Tucker was 0 for 3, with his only offensive contribution coming on a walk, a stolen base and a run scored.
“I told my girlfriend, “Look, we’re going back out there,’ ” Tucker said. “I was frustrated. She’s pretty good (on the pitching machine). She’s actually done it a couple of times with me.”
There was good reason for Tucker’s frustrations. His 0 for 3 that night brought his batting average down to .162 on the season.
He’s played and started 129 career games as West Virginia’s shortstop going back to his freshman season of 2019, when the Mountaineers hosted an NCAA Regional.
He’s never finished a season with a batting average higher than the .199 he had as a freshman, not exactly what he had in mind after once being ranked the No. 2 shortstop in the state of Virginia coming out of high school.
Yet, there is little to no chance at all that Tucker will be out of West Virginia’s lineup on Wednesday, when the Mountaineers (33-20) play Oklahoma (33-20) in the first round of the Big 12 tournament in Arlington, Texas.
“If he’s able to flip the lineup, then that puts so much pressure on the other team,” WVU head coach Randy Mazey said. “With the way he runs, if he’s on base with (Austin Davis) and J.J. (Wetherholt) up, we’re probably going to score a lot of runs.”
In an era of power baseball, where runs are scored at break-neck pace and ERAs have begun to skyrocket, Tucker is a throwback to a different time.
His range and defensive capabilities at shortstop are applauded by teammates.
“Tevin is going to make plays on defense,” WVU pitcher Aidan Major said. “If he can get a glove on it, he’s usually making the play.”
When Tucker does get on base, his 21 stolen bases — third on the team — are enough of a factor to draw the attention of opposing pitchers.
He’s not just a student of the finer points of the game, but one hell of a student, too.
Tucker, a member of the dean’s list, earned his college diploma last Saturday with a degree in sport and exercise psychology.
If he could only hit …
“My teammates believe in me and my coaches believe in me,” Tucker begins. “I just keep going every day and try to get better.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs for me. Some days it goes well, some days it doesn’t. My dad has always told me to stay level-headed, so that’s what I try to do.”
He admits that’s not always easy, but like he has throughout his college career, Tucker somehow manages.
“It is hard to deal with some days,” Tucker said. “Sometimes you have a bad day. I have to remind myself just to keep going. Things will get better.”
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