'Born' hitter Morozowski has big season for UMO

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on May 14, 2015 1:46 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- One trip to the mound -- just for fun as he recalls -- was all it took for Jason Morozowski to earn himself a scholarship to Florida International University as a pitcher.

At a workout with the FIU coaches, Morozowski jumped on the mound as a joke -- after never pitching in high school -- and just started winging it.

"I guess they saw once I was hitting 91, 93 (miles per hour) that I could actually help them," Morozowski said.

So, off he went to pitch for the Panthers.

But shortly into his career, Morozowski realized something was missing.

At heart, Morozowski knew he was a hitter. He coped with missing hitting until his junior year, when he just couldn't take it anymore. He talked to his coaches about getting some reps as a hitter.

"They told me I didn't really fit into their plans as a hitter, so we parted ways, no hard feelings," Morozowski said. "It was all good."

After he found out he wouldn't fill a hitter role, Morozowski decided to transfer and found his way to the University of Mount Olive.

"We had to lie to him," UMO coach Carl Lancaster joked when asked how he lured Morozowski to the program. "We had him up here for a visit and we liked what we saw and thought he could help us."

The senior outfielder came into the program expecting to both pitch and hit. But the truth was, Lancaster wasn't sure he was going to be able help the Trojans at the plate, either.

He was.

And the Trojans -- and the rest of the country -- quickly found out just how good Morozowski was at the plate.

He's done nothing but tear apart opposing pitchers all season to the tune of a .426 batting average with 78 RBI and 20 home runs. He ran away with the top numbers in RBI and home runs in Conference Carolinas, finished second in batting average and is a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award -- given to the best Division-II player in the country.

The only thing Morozowski hasn't done this year, is what people thought he was best at -- pitch.

He came into the season penciled in as the closer, but an early-season arm injury took him out of that role. He says he's ready to pitch and smiles at the notion that he might be a secret weapon as the Trojans start the NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals today in Thomasville.

"I'd like to think I could come out there in a tight situation for an inning and shut the door if we need it," he said.

After a midseason stretch where the Trojans struggled to win games, teammates started looking to Morozowski for answers. As one of the best hitters on the team, players expected him to know how to get them out of the rut. This pressure got to Morozowski and often warranted phone calls to his dad and brother -- who each played Division-I baseball.

"They really helped me through a lot of this just being there to tell me to keep doing what I've always done to be successful," Morozowski said.

As good as Morozowski has been, Lancaster thinks the senior has a long way to go.

"We certainly didn't expect him to do what he's done for us," Lancaster said. "And he's still really green in my eyes, but he's just so doggone athletic."