ANGOLA — Micah Steury has become a big bright spot for a rebuilding Angola baseball team, especially when he toes the pitching rubber.
He hopes to carry on that success to a Saint Francis baseball program on the rise as he signed with the Fort Wayne NAIA institution on Wednesday afternoon.
“I have a sister that went to St. Francis, so there is a connection there,” Steury said. “And Coach (Dustin) Butcher has done such a good job down there and with developing talent.”
Steury is 2-1 so far this season with the Hornets with a 1.04 earned run average. in 27 innings, he has allowed 11 hits, struck out 47 and walked 14.
Last season, Steury was 3-2 with a 2.93 ERA. In 28 and two-thirds innings, he allowed 22 hits, struck out 49 and walked 17. That included throwing a five-inning no-hitter in the Hornets’ 11-0 victory at West Noble on May 4, 2023, with 10 strikeouts.
Butcher looks forward to bringing Steury into the quality culture in the pitching staff that pitching coach Connor Lawhead established and developed
“He has ton of potential,” Butcher said of Steury. “His offspeed and breaking ball are college-ready pitches.
“He just has to take ownership in his development,” Butcher added. “We’ll give him all the resources he needs. He gets to drive the car, so to speak.”
His offseason work on his arsenal has taken Steury to higher levels. He has taken a lot of pride and commitment in the changeup, and is working on developing his slider.
Steury is ready to take on any pitching role with the Cougars. “Wherever I can fit to help the team,” he said.
Steury will also look to earn his bachelors degree toward being a physical therapist assistant at USF.
Steury played a lot at quarterback over the past three years for AHS. He really provided a spark with his feet last fall in place of injured starter Hawkins Hasselman.
Steury would have like to won more games on the gridiron and the diamond, but cherished his athletic experiences at Angola.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Steury said. “I had fun doing it. It not only made me a better player, but also made me a better man.”
The Cougar baseball team is 35-15 so far this season after defeating Huntington 7-6 in 11 innings in a second-round game of the Crossroads League Tournament Thursday night at Taylor University in Upland. That 35th win set a new single-season program record for victories.
Third-seeded St. Francis played No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan in a winners’ bracket third-round game Friday night. The Cougars placed third in the Crossroads regular season standings at 24-12.
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