Senior Spotlight: Ryan McLaughlin

The time has come to round out one of OAOTD's newest programs - highlighting the gentlemen that have donned the Purple and Gold for going on four years now. In order to finish up the Senior Spotlight segment we had to get the Sheriff on the phone. The last spotlight is taken up by the long arm of the law round these parts. Ryan McLaughlin is a Monroe, MI native and RHP for the Jackets. Ryan, a Criminal Justice major who graduates this May, has seen his role on the team and on the pitching staff fluctuate over recent years.

This includes the transition into a starting role for the 2012 season in which McLaughlin recorded six starts, ten appearances, two wins and 37.1 innings pitched. This marked career highs for the righty in all four of those categories. He did this while serving as the team's midweek starter and ranked fourth on the staff in wins, innings tossed and starts. In his first career start, Ryan hurled five shutout innings in a 7-2 win over Lourdes College - ultimately leading him to a 2-0 record accompanied by a 1.04 ERA and .063 WHIP in games he started that led to Yellow Jacket wins.

The Sheriff recently sat down with OAOTD for an interrogation:

OAOTD: What is your best memory of DC in the past three years, On the Diamond?
RM: Sweeping Mt. St. Joseph last year to finish the season and earning my first collegiate win as a starter (2012 Home Opener v. Lourdes)

OAOTD: What is your best memory of DC in the past three years, Off the Diamond?
RM: Having the opportunity to build relationships with the people I call my closest friends, not to mention all the road trips we take as a team.

OAOTD: Going into your final season, what is the biggest improvement you've made since freshman year?
RM: My knowledge of the game, and when you're a freshman - you're intimidated by everyone. Now I feel the intimidation factor is on my side.

OAOTD: What are your expectations for the 2013 season?
RM: To set a new career high in innings pitched and be much more dominant as a starter for us.

OAOTD: After your time at DC is up, what do you plan to do?
RM: Get into the Michigan State Police Academy, or start my job search for a career in the federal government.

OAOTD: What is one life lesson that being a Defiance College Baseball player has taught you?
RM: You need to support others, and that you (as a single person) can make an entire team or community stronger.

*Thank you for tuning in to this series of interviews - for continual updates on DC Baseball's senior class and the rest of the squad, follow OAOTD on Twitter and check in on the Defiance Athletics website!

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