Ethan Hindle celebrated scoring for Kentucky against Morehead. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Junior infielder Ethan Hindle of Wisconsin played in just 25 games — with 22 starts — last season before suffering a foot injury that ended his sophomore season when he knocked in 15 runs, scored 18 runs, walked 13 times and got hit by a pitch 19 times to fit in perfectly with the way coach Nick Mingione likes to play. He also had a game-tying ninth inning homer in a win over Texas.
Hindle believes he has learned what it takes to be a good SEC baseball player.
“A guy with a lot of resiliencies, grit. The games are hard. It takes one pitch or it takes one event to happen,” Hindle said. “You have to stay super focused and super locked in, and you have to be a guy that once you pull away with that lead, you have to keep going and put your foot down.”
Hindle is hitting .455 after UK’s first four games with nine runs scored and five RBIs. He’s also walked six times, been hit by a pitch one and stole five bases on five attempts.
Hindle said there is a major difference in this year’s UK team that will be best tested with preseason All-American shortstop Tyler Bell out indefinitely with a shoulder injury suffered diving for a ball in UK’s first game.
“The looseness and the grit that we’ll play with,” he said. “We’re a very close team, but we’re all very similar in that we have a lot of guys who are very tough, very talented, and they love baseball. Guys like having fun together but also playing super hard.”
Mingione wants Hindle to work more on “hitting my pitch” and being more consistent doing that.
“I was kind of inconsistent in everything I do. So, I brought that (being consistent) into my habits daily, and it’s translated to the baseball field,” Hindle said.
He’s also learned from watching Bell, one of the nation’s best players and a preseason All-American.
“He’s a guy that while he’s working hard, he’s not just there for himself. He’s a very selfless guy. He’s always texting other guys trying to bring them along and help them get better, too,” Hindle said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that other guys are better just because of his work ethic and the example that he has shown. He’s so humble. He’s all about us, all about the team.”
Hindle shifted from third base to second base after Bell was injured and Luke Lawrence moved from second base to shortstop.
Kentucky plays at Evansville this afternoon at 4 and then has a doubleheader Saturday.
