Boston Globe: "(Westfield State's) Lyons Wins State College Player Of Week Honor"
Imagine what Kevin Lyons could do at the plate if he didn’t have a bad back. As it stands, the Westfield State College senior has put himself among the nation’s best in two hitting categories this spring
Lyons wins state college player of week honor
Imagine what Kevin Lyons could do at the plate if he didn’t have a bad back. As it stands, the Westfield State College senior has put himself among the nation’s best in two hitting categories this spring.
The Braintree High graduate has 16 doubles and a school-record 49 RBIs through 31 games this season, ranking him 10th in Division 3 in RBI per game (1.58) and tied for 11th in doubles per game (0.52). After a four-homer, four-double, 13-RBI week, Lyons was named the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
“Kevin Lyons is the best hitter I’ve ever had,’’ said Ray Arra, who’s in his sixth year as head coach of the Westfield baseball program and 40th overall as a coach. “He can hit with anybody in New England. The only drawback with Kevin is he has a bad back. If he didn’t have that, he’d be a pro prospect.’’
As the Owls’ designated hitter, the former first base/outfielder has put together a phenomenal senior season. The left-handed swinger ranks second in MASCAC slugging percentage (.748), third in batting (.417) and is tied for third in home runs (6).
“I think I’m a little healthier and a little older,’’ said Lyons, who was batting fifth for the Owls even as a freshman before moving into the cleanup spot. “It’s a different mindset — you want to win that much more when you’re older. It’s your last season playing.’’
The 6-foot, 220-pound Lyons discovered he had a bulging disc and degenerative disc disease before the start of his junior year. “Before home games I’m in the hot tub,’’ he said, “and usually when I get a chance, I go into the cold-water whirlpool after any activity.’’
As a result it sometimes takes a little while for Lyons to get into stride. In the first game of a doubleheader at Bridgewater State, he grounded out and struck out in his first two at-bats.
“They were pitching me inside and my back was tight,’’ Lyons said. “Sometimes it’s hard to swing like I can, so my timing’s all off. After the second at-bat, I was thinking, ‘I need to speed up my bat.’ I was seeing the ball well. In the third at-bat, he came inside again and that’s when I hit the homer. My back might have warmed up.’’
In the second game, Lyons hit a home run in his second and fourth plate appearances.
“He works awfully hard,’’ Arra said. “Every day he gets treatment because he’s in some sort of pain, but he comes out and does the job. A lot of kids probably would have stopped playing because of his back.’’
With two RBIs on Thursday, he broke the single-season RBI record of 48 set in 1984 by Braintree native Greg Fulton. At 107 RBIs, Lyons is six away from tying the Owls’ career mark.