D2 SE REGIONAL: Lang becomes Trojans' 'Iron Man' behind the dish

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on May 18, 2016 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

bdavis@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez crouched behind home plate in 142 out of 162 games during the 2015 season.

Sounds pretty grueling -- especially for an under appreciated position.

Perez's biggest fan, University of Mount Olive catcher Brett Lang, balanced on his toes for nine innings during 42 games 2015.

He didn't have a backup this year.

Then again, Lang didn't need one.

"I think I got to credit the pitching staff," said Lang, who started in 49 and played in all 50 games for the Trojans this spring. "They throw strikes, and it definitely makes it easy for me. Throwing strikes such as (Austin) Hutchinson, Bruce (Zimmerman) and (Brighton) Hudson.

"You're job is to study them (pitchers) and know what makes them click, so there's a relationship on and off the field. I think we've definitely got a lot closer throughout the season. You're catching every game, so you kind of know what's going on. That's coach (Jason) Sherrer has taught me -- basically know you're pitcher."

Lang also praises Sherrer -- the UMO pitching coach -- for conditioning him to remain in the catching position for an entire game. Sherrer, the starting catcher for the Trojans' 2008 national championship team, understands the pressures -- and the pain -- of catching nine straight innings.

But Lang doesn't show any pain.

The Kansas native fights until the third out of the last inning just as Perez did for the Royals in their 2015 World Series victory over the New York Mets in 12 innings.

"There's definitely some pain," he said. "There's some aches and bruises, but I don't show it."

The bruises resulted over a 50-game period, and they will continue this week as UMO begins play Thursday in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at Columbus State (Ga.) University. The Trojans (31-19) overall face Lander (S.C.) in opening-round play at 3 p.m.

As long as Lang drinks his very-much-needed, confidence-inducing Monster drink before every game, he'll be ready to catch against the Bearcats.

"We played Lander (during) the first series of the year," Lang said. "The first two games, we went down there and played them, so that definitely helps out to kind of know what we need to work with. We'll definitely have scouting reports and stuff. It's going to be a good rival."

"I think they (pitchers) trust him...that's the key with the pitching staff," said UMO head coach Carl Lancaster. "You've got to know that you can throw the ball in the dirt in a certain situation...because you want to see if you can get a batter to chase in a certain situation, ahead in the count or with two strikes.

"And bless his (Lang) heart, he's caught every game this year."