He has progressed from walk-on to all-conference pitcher and modest — but most interesting — major league draft prospect.
Creighton's Pat Venditte put together an 8-2 record, four saves, a 32 2/3-inning scoreless streak and a 1.83 ERA in 36 regular-season appearances.
Five of those he made as a right-hander. Three he made as a lefty. And in 28 games the 6-1, 190-pound junior threw from both sides.
Right-handed hitters batted .196 against him, lefties .178, as college baseball's only known ambidextrous pitcher helped 22nd-ranked Creighton (40-14) to its second NCAA tournament berth in three years.
Venditte, who turns 22 on June 30, less than a week after the College World Series wraps up in his hometown of Omaha, has been throwing with both hands since he was 3, most famously since he started doing it as a Creighton long reliever a year ago.
He wears a glove with four fingers and two thumb holes and switches hands effortlessly. Rules require him to commit to one hand before starting a pitch count; he can't change mid-batter.
As a righty, Venditte complements his fastball and change-up with a curveball. From the left side, he goes with a slider.
In essence, he's two pitchers in one for the Bluejays, able to work more often than normal pitchers because the use of both arms divides the stress and reduces necessary rest. Venditte appeared in nine games in 16 days as Creighton closed its regular season; he threw from both sides in all but one.
He was named most outstanding player of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament Saturday as Creighton claimed its first MVC tournament title
Creighton's Pat Venditte put together an 8-2 record, four saves, a 32 2/3-inning scoreless streak and a 1.83 ERA in 36 regular-season appearances.
Five of those he made as a right-hander. Three he made as a lefty. And in 28 games the 6-1, 190-pound junior threw from both sides.
Right-handed hitters batted .196 against him, lefties .178, as college baseball's only known ambidextrous pitcher helped 22nd-ranked Creighton (40-14) to its second NCAA tournament berth in three years.
Venditte, who turns 22 on June 30, less than a week after the College World Series wraps up in his hometown of Omaha, has been throwing with both hands since he was 3, most famously since he started doing it as a Creighton long reliever a year ago.
He wears a glove with four fingers and two thumb holes and switches hands effortlessly. Rules require him to commit to one hand before starting a pitch count; he can't change mid-batter.
As a righty, Venditte complements his fastball and change-up with a curveball. From the left side, he goes with a slider.
In essence, he's two pitchers in one for the Bluejays, able to work more often than normal pitchers because the use of both arms divides the stress and reduces necessary rest. Venditte appeared in nine games in 16 days as Creighton closed its regular season; he threw from both sides in all but one.
He was named most outstanding player of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament Saturday as Creighton claimed its first MVC tournament title
