Chris Haggarty Closing Things Down For Villanova
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Villanova right-handed pitcher Chris Haggarty has travelled quite the road to success during his career.
The fifth-year senior came to campus as a walk-on who played very little early in his career. He eventually worked his way up to become a key member of the pitching staff and now here in 2015 he has emerged as one of the top closers in the Big East.
"It's been a long, tough (road), I'm not going to lie," Haggarty tells KYW Newsradio. "The first year I didn't play that much and the second year I got sick. I had to work a lot to try and get my name in there, show myself that I could play. It's been really gratifying that I've been able to prove myself, at least I think I've been able to show I can play with these guys and do a good job. So it's nice to know that I have a position now where I'm kind of the guy at the back of the bullpen. All the hard work has paid off."
Listen to the entire interview with Villanova's Chris Haggarty
Haggarty, a right-hander from Valley Cottage, New York, features a fastball, a slider - which he calls his out pitch - and the occasional changeup. He breaks down how he ended up as the hammer at the back end of the bullpen here in 2015 for the Wildcats.
"At the beginning of the year we kind of didn't really know our starting rotation, so I was kind of in talks for that," Haggarty says. "But then, I think it was a week before the first game, my coach told me that I would be at the back end of the bullpen. Then I guess as the first two weeks progressed, I would come in at the end to shut it down and then I was doing well then. So it just kind of got to the point where anytime near the end of the game we had a lead I was the guy. Then it just kind of became I'm the closer."
Closing is a high-pressure role, but Haggarty says the hard work he's put in during his career over the years makes it much easier to deal with it.
"A one-run lead in one game doesn't seem quite as daunting as making the team and trying not to get cut for the first two years that you're there," Haggarty says. "So it helps a lot because it doesn't seem nearly as big of a deal as I've gone through. I feel like I've done it already, I've done all the things I needed to do to get there. I've proven myself, that I can do it, because I was able to make the team and get to this point. So it just gives me the confidence I need to know that I can get these guys out. One run lead . . plenty enough for me to shut the door."
Haggarty and the Wildcats open a three-game weekend series in Indianapolis against Butler on Friday.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
