CASEY BACK AT THE BAT MULLIGAN PUTS HITTING SLUMP BEHIND HIM.Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer Casey Mulligan mul·li·gan n. A golf shot not tallied against the score, granted in informal play after a poor shot especially from the tee. [Probably from the name Mulligan.] Noun 1. never asked to be a ``phenom phe·nom n. Slang A phenomenon, especially a remarkable or outstanding person. .'' Such a tag came naturally for the Valencia High infielder in·field·er n. Baseball A player assigned to the infield. Noun 1. infielder - (baseball) a person who plays a position in the infield two years ago after he batted .447 with three home runs and 14 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in in just 38 at-bats as a varsity freshman - the only non-senior on one of the Southland's winningest teams in 2003. The next season came the dreaded dread v. dread·ed, dread·ing, dreads v.tr. 1. To be in terror of. 2. To anticipate with alarm, distaste, or reluctance: dreaded the long drive home. sophomore slump A sophomore slump or sophomore jinx (U.S. English) refers to an instance in which a effort fails to live up to the standards of the first effort. It is commonly used to refer to the performance of students (sophomore year), baseball players (second season), bands (sophomore . Mulligan batted just over .300 - and it took a hot streak at the end of the season to do so after hovering hov·er intr.v. hov·ered, hov·er·ing, hov·ers 1. To remain floating, suspended, or fluttering in the air: gulls hovering over the waves. 2. in the low .200s for much of the year - with one home run in what amounted to a disappointing season from just about everyone's vantage point. ``It wasn't a good year last season,'' Mulligan readily admits. ``I think when I was a freshman, nobody really knew who I was, so I saw a lot of fastballs. Then last year, pitchers kind of pitched around me a little bit more.'' Always one of the hardest working players on the team, Mulligan continued to take extra batting practice but simply couldn't find his groove. Eventually, coach Jared Snyder benched him for a few games. ``The good thing was Casey never really got down on himself, or if he did, you certainly couldn't notice,'' Snyder said. ``I think the problem was, Casey had never been a slump before and just didn't know how to get out of it.'' The dry spell continued during the first part of this season. But the good news is the junior is breaking out - big-time - and the timing couldn't be better since Valencia, fighting for a playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. spot with one week remaining in the regular season, needs Mulligan the most. Valencia (14-11, 8-5) has won five of its past seven, including a two-game sweep of Foothill League rival Hart. Mulligan played a key role in both victories. In a 3-2 win Tuesday, he went 1 for 2 with a double, and accounted for all of Valencia's runs with two RBI and a run - plus, he ended the game dramatically by snagging Snagging is a term used in the construction industry in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Snagging is the production of a list of quality defects at the end of a build process/phase/stage (a "Snag List" or "Snagging List"). a ball up the middle at shortstop and making a double play to save the win with a Hart runner at third base. Then Mulligan went 3 for 4 with a double and three RBI in a 19-6 victory Friday, boosting Valencia into a tie for second place with two relatively easy games remaining against Burroughs of Burbank (12-12, 3-10). Casey Mulligan has returned. Batting .304 with two home runs and 24 RBI, he's once again among the league's most feared hitters. ``Casey has actually been playing very well for about the last month or so. He's really driving the ball,'' Snyder said. ``Plus, defensively he's always been the same. He's been playing infield like a senior ever since his freshman year.'' One of the keys for Mulligan has been a decision to switch hit this season, and he's batting better than .400 from the left side. ``One day during the summer, I just tried it out batting lefty during batting practice, and I hit three home runs in a row,'' Mulligan said. Can the big hits continue? Or more importantly, is Mulligan's prolonged pro·long tr.v. pro·longed, pro·long·ing, pro·longs 1. To lengthen in duration; protract. 2. To lengthen in extent. slump over for good? Those are the key issues during Valencia's final stretch run, and one thing is for sure: Mulligan sure looks like his old self again. Gerry Gittelson, (661) 257-5218 gerry.gittelson(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Valencia junior Casey Mulligan's decision to switch hit has helped him overcome a season-long hitting slump. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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