Get to Know Your Raiders: Josh Scott

 

Senior Josh Scott is a rare sight: a physics major who doubles as a pitcher on the Shippensburg University baseball team.

Throughout his career on the diamond, Scott, a York native, has pitched in 38 games and made 14 starts serving as a reliever and spot starter for the Raiders.

He’s recorded 10 victories – including a win over No. 12-ranked Tusculum last season and a PSAC playoff-clinching win over Mansfield in the 2011 regular season finale – and struck out 50 batters during his time at SU.

Scott and his teammates get back on the field this weekend in their 2013 season opener at Barton from Wilson, N.C. Shippensburg will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday against the Bulldogs.

Get to know Josh Scott…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

I have a couple good-luck rituals that I do before a game. I take off my wristband and put it into my back pocket, and I never step on the lines of the field. I always jump over them.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

My favorite part of Shippensburg would have to be Sheetz. I live on Fort St. so it’s just a short walk, and they have everything there.

If you weren't majoring in physics, what would your major be?

I love physics, but if I had to choose another major it would either be astronomy or some discipline of engineering. 

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

My favorite day of the week is Friday because it marks the end of the school week as well as the beginning of our weekend series.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

I like competing against Millersville, West Chester and Kutztown. Those are the schools that have had the strongest programs in the Eastern Division while I’ve been here so there is always a little more intensity and energy for those games.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

That’s a tough question, but they would probably tell you that I’m a nerd, which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, being a physics major that pretty much comes with the territory.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of two games in particular that I started. The first is when I pitched against Mansfield my sophomore year and got the win that solidified our spot in the PSAC playoffs. The other was last year when we went to Tusculum, which was nationally ranked [No. 12], and I beat them to end their winning streak.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Missing class for games. Our spring schedule is pretty hectic so we miss a lot of class, which makes it difficult to keep up at times.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

The most important thing I’ve learned is how to be organized and to have good time-management skills. If you manage your time appropriately it makes catching up on the material you missed so much easier.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My dad always tells me that you have to “pick the low-hanging fruit.” This manifests itself in school, baseball and life in general. It means that you have to take advantage of what is easy and not let those moments slip away. Whether that is a general education class or a team with a poor record, you have to take care of business and not look past those moments.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in baseball, what would you tell them they should focus on?

They should focus on the love of the game. Baseball is a game, and games are supposed to be fun, so if you aren’t enjoying the game then you will never get any better no matter how many reps you take in the cages or on the field.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

I guess the legacy that I’d like to leave is that I was hard-working and loved the game of baseball.