Flat-seam baseballs expected to restore offense to college baseball

NORMAL, Ill. – College baseball removed some offense from the game when the NCAA changed bats for the 2011 season. This season, offense may get a boost with new baseballs.

All NCAA and NAIA schools are using flat-seam baseballs this season, a move the NCAA hopes will revive scoring. Wichita State started using the new balls in fall practices. According to the NCAA, the flat-seam ball has a seam height of .031 inches, compared to .048 inches. The new ball is comparable to those used in the minor leagues. The seams on balls used in the major leagues are lower.

“The fastball seems like it kind of jumps out your hand a little more,” pitcher Sam Tewes said. “Initially, it was a little shaky. Now, everyone’s 100-percent comfortable. You ask any of the guys to hold an old ball and it’s like they’re holding a foreign object.”

The difference doesn’t appear to be dramatic. Several of the Shockers waffled on if the new ball helps hitters or pitchers.

“I don’t know who it affects more,” outfielder Daniel Kihle said. “Tewes, his slider has gotten a lot sharper. The ball moves more from a pitcher. But if you hit it, it goes further.”

According to research done by the Washington State University Sport Science Laboratory for the NCAA, the flat-seam balls traveled 387 feet when launched by a pitching machine, 20 feet farther than the old baseballs.

“We have to see in the game environment, but the lower seams is going to produce more home runs from what I’m being told,” WSU coach Todd Butler said before the season. “It seems like the slider is elevated in velocity, maybe because of the lower seams. The breaking ball is maybe not as sharp. The ball seems to slide more, maybe move a little bit more with the fastball.”

Offensive numbers declined starting in 2011 when the NCAA, citing safety and performance, switched to bats that perform more like wood bats. Batting average dropped from .305 in 2010 to .270 in 2014. Home runs fell from 0.94 a game in 2010 to a record-low 0.39 in 2014. Runs dropped from 6.98 to 5.08.

“We anticipate that this will moderately increase scoring but not take it back to the days where we were dealing with outrageous scores that looked more like football scores,” Dennis Farrell, Division I Baseball Committee chair, told NCAA.com. “We want to get the game back to what is a reasonable amount of scoring and defense.”

Brown recovering — WSU forward Zach Brown is targeting next Sunday’s basketball game against Evansville for a return from a concussion.

He must continue to make progress for that to happen. Brown has missed three games since he took an unintentional elbow from teammate Bush Wamukota to the back of his head during practice.

“I’m getting much better,” he said. “I’m able to withstand light and noise now. Hopefully, my symptoms die down.”

Brown is taking symptom tests and must pass those. Then he will try physical activity and see how he reacts.

Brown, a 6-foot-7 freshman, averages 2.9 points and 1.3 rebounds.

Three on their way — Former WSU athletes Mike Drumright (baseball), Kelly Broussard (volleyball) and Shannon Armstrong (track and field) will be inducted into the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame at halftime of the game against Evansville.

On Saturday, they will be honored at a dinner at the arena. Tickets to the dinner are $30 and the deadline for purchase is Wednesday. They are available at goshockers.com or at the Koch Arena ticket office. For information call 316-978-3267.

Drumright earned multiple All-American honors and Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year honors in 1995. Broussard received American Volleyball Coaches Association honorable mention All-American honors and MVC Libero of the Year in 2008. Armstrong earned All-American honors in the 2004 NCAA indoor championships in the 60-meter hurdles and won MVC titles in sprints and hurdles six times.

This story was originally published February 14, 2015 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Flat-seam baseballs expected to restore offense to college baseball."