Heading into Miami’s important weekend series against Virginia Tech, there may be no player on the roster in as much of a rhythm as senior catcher Garrett Kennedy.
In last weekend’s series against Duke, Kennedy went 8-for-11, helping the Hurricanes earn their second ACC sweep in four weeks. Confident and self-assured, Kennedy has risen to the top of the lineup and produced consistent results for Miami.
“You go out there, and you work hard every day, and, you know, things will fall into place. If you just keep working hard…that’s what I believe in. Be the first guy there, get your work in, and get your opportunities,” Kennedy said.
For Kennedy, hitting is all about confidence.
“You have confidence up there [if] you’re able to put good swings on pitches. If you go up there, you’re two-for-two, then you’re like, ‘Ah, I’m gonna go three-for-three right here,’” Kennedy said. “Hitting is something where you have to keep mentally strong up top.”
Despite how far Kennedy and the Canes have come, he knows that as a team – even as the top-ranked team in the ACC Coastal Division – they still have more work to do.
“We know we’re playing pretty well right now, but our goal is to be in the Top 8, and right now, we’re not in the Top 8,” Kennedy said. “So we have to keep working every day, day in and day out, to get to our goal, and then everything will take care of that,” he said.
Coach Jim Morris has been impressed at the resurgence of his senior catcher.
“[Garrett] stayed during the summer and worked very hard. No question about it,” Morris said. “Our expectations were that Garrett Kennedy, last year as a junior, would have a big year and sign pro.”