Bryan Fuller pitched 21 shutout innings in 26 hours to send Campbellsville University (Ky.) out of the losers bracket and into the NAIA World Series for the first time ever, ESPN reported Saturday.
Needing three straight victories to reach the Series, Fuller came to the rescue. He told his coaches that he had no plans to play professionally, and instead was going to be an accountant, so he was willing to sacrifice his arm, ESPN said.
The sidearm-pitching Fuller toss the final three innings for the save as Campbellville beat Lindenwood on Thursday. Fuller's coaches started him in the following game, which began 25 minutes later, and he responded with a complete-game shutout for a 11-0 victory that ended Kentucky Wesleyan's winning streak at 26.
"We were nearly out of pitching and he looked comfortable," said assistant coach Jake McKinley, who added that Fuller had only started once in his four seasons. "We told Fuller we would need him to make his second career start and if he could give us three or four innings, that would be great, and it was in the biggest game in the history of our program against a team that had won 26 straight games."
Then, in the final the next day, Fuller shut out Kentucky Wesleyan again 4-0, needing only 77 pitches, ESPN said.
"We told him no way, because we didn't want to hurt him ... He just threw 12 innings the day before," McKinley said. "He told us that he was a senior that will never play pro ball and he was going to be an accountant in just a few weeks. He said he didn't care about his arm and told us he will give us a chance to win.
"We're not sure yet, but we are not opposed to using him in any role," McKinley said. "At this point, we'd be fools not to start him."
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