Hard work pays off for Easterling

Pea Ridge senior bolsters strength in off-season, changes up mechanics

Brandon Easterling, senior Blackhawk, tagged a Prairie Grove baserunner at third base in a home game Monday evening.
Brandon Easterling, senior Blackhawk, tagged a Prairie Grove baserunner at third base in a home game Monday evening.

— Brandon Easterling doesn’t mind a little hard work.

Easterling labored all summer and winter to alter his pitching mechanics to relieve stress on his elbow.

It’s definitely paid off for the Pea Ridge senior. He is 4-0 with a save for the Blackhawks, who are 10-2.

Easterling threw a complete game recently in a 4-1 win over Gravette.

Pea Ridge coach John King said Easterling has also gotten stronger with his off season work.

“He doesn’t play basketball, so he started working right after football ended,” King said. “His arm’s gotten a lot stronger. He’s gained a few miles per hour on his fastball. He’s not going to blow it by you.

“But he’s got a decent offspeed pitch, which complements his fastball.”

A little pain in his elbow early in the summer prompted the change in mechanics, Easterling said.

The alteration has also brought Easterling a lot more bite on his curveball. But it definitely didn’t come overnight.

“The first time you throw a new pitch it’ll go everywhere,” Easterling said.

It truly felt good for the first time after he came back from Christmas break in January, Easterling said.

King said Easterling may not appear flashy, but that doesn’t stop him from succeeding. “He’s a good leader, and he’s going to compete with you and keep you in any game,” King said.

One part of his game Easterling’snot happy with currently is his hitting. He’s batting just under .333.

“That’s not a good reflection of how good a hitter he is,” King said.

“He’s a slap hitter and puts it in play. He has very few strikeouts, but he’s just hitting it at people right now.”

That’s evident since he was an honorable mention all-conference selection as a second baseman last season.

But this year, Easterling plays third base when he’s not pitching.

That’s something else he likes.

“It’s mostly reaction,” Easterlingsaid. “I like to just react, not think about a slow roller. I like the hot shot to third. You’re throwing it before you even think about.”

King knew a little bit about Easterling’s work ethic a few years back when he and fellow senior Ethan Rhine came out for the varsity team as freshmen.

The problem was King had too many upperclassmen and decided not to keep the two newcomers.

That didn’t stop them, though.

Easterling and Rhine decided to continue to practice with the team,despite the fact they wouldn’t get to play in games. Easterling’s cousin, Matt, is an assistant coach, which helped with the motivation.

But Rhine and Easterling had played together throughout their youth.

“Oh, it was better with Ethan there,” Easterling said. “We kind of hold each other accountable for coming out here every day. Even if it’s 30 degrees, you still have to come out here and do it.”

Rhine said they definitely relied on each other.

Sports, Pages 7 on 04/14/2010