Just by the looks of Nate Bumstead on the mound, one could not tell he was any less experienced than other Tiger starters.
But if things today were as they were two years ago for Bumstead, he would be at the hot corner of third base rather than dusting off the pitching rubber.
After playing third in the 2001 season for Oklahoma Christian University, a tiny NAIA school outside of Oklahoma City, Bumstead ventured to the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Idaho.
“I didn’t even pitch [at Oklahoma Christian],” Bumstead said. “Last year I moved to the pitching role [at the College of Southern Idaho]. I just kind of got on the mound and threw it.”
That mindset lead Bumstead to a 13-2 record with a 2.06 ERA at Southern Idaho. Hitters only batted at a .182 clip off him.
It has been quite a journey for Bumstead, a Las Vegas native who was second-team all-conference designated hitter at Durango High School in Sin City in 1999.
Although the size of his workload has increased, pitching was not foreign to Bumstead. He said he pitched 20 innings his senior year of high school.
The idea that Bumstead has only been a full-time pitcher for just two seasons caught his catcher, freshman Matt Liuzza, by surprise.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard of that,” Liuzza said. “I didn’t know anything about it. I thought he had been pitching his whole life. He feels comfortable up there and looks comfortable.”
Added pitching coach Brady Wiederhold: “Seems like he’s been doing it his whole life. You look at the guy in junior college, and it looks like he’s been doing it his whole life, and he’s a natural. I’m glad he’s a Tiger.”
While Bumstead is 6-1 on the season and riding a five-game winning streak, he struggled in the early stages of his LSU career.
He lasted only 2 2/3 innings against Kansas in February, allowing eight earned runs, seven of which came in the third inning with two outs.
Another dubious outing from Bumstead was March 11 against Tulane. Appearing in relief of starter Justin Meier and given a bases loaded situation, Bumstead walked two consecutive hitters and was pulled from the game.
“When I pitched against Kansas, I didn’t really feel the hitters out,” Bumstead said. “Now getting into the SEC, I’ve learned to use all my pitches a lot more. I think I’m showing the hitters something they really haven’t seen before.”
In Southeastern Conference games, Bumstead, who became the Sunday starter in LSU’s second SEC series of the year against Georgia, has a 5-0 record and a 3.69 ERA. This is in comparison to his overall ERA of 4.39.
LSU coach Smoke Laval said there has not been any big changes in Bumstead.
“I don’t think he’s really been any different,” Laval said. “If you take away one inning against Kansas and seven pitches at Zephyr Field – he gave up seven runs on 13 pitches. Take away [those] 20 pitches this whole year [and it’s a different story].”
Bumstead said there is a difference from early in the year as far as the smaller aspects of being a pitcher.
“My confidence is definitely up,” he said. “I’ve gotten a lot more repetitions. Also run support — everytime I pitch, we’re scoring 10 to 12 runs.”
A good cook never reveals a secret recipe. Likewise, Bumstead would only say his best pitch, a change-up, is gripped as his own “customized circle change.”
“I work off my change-up,” Bumstead said. “Most people work off their fastballs. Lefthanders have a hard time picking up my change-up.”
Liuzza agrees the change-up is Bumstead’s best pitch. He said the pitch sinks and moves away from lefthanded hitters and move in on righthanders.
“It’s been working so much against lefthanders that we’ve been trying it against righthanders,” Liuzza said. “It’s been working against both sides.”
Outfielder Ryan Patterson said the fact that Bumstead is a quick worker on the mound keeps the defense on its toes.
“He gets up there, gets going and doesn’t take a lot of time in between pitches,” Patterson said. “That keeps you into the game and moving around. You like to play for a guy that goes out there and battles. It’s a lot more fun when you’re out there and that’s going on.”
Probably how a former third baseman would like it, too.