Bearcats' Gilroy has devastating 0.00 ERA thanks to array of pitches

Two years ago, Michael Gilroy was a freshman on a Brookland-Cayce team that won its ninth state championship. He admits he was just glad to be along for a magical ride to the state title.

Now he is the driving force for a Bearcats team that has its eyes on a 10th state title.

A dominating junior, the left-hander is 2-1 this season with a 0.00 ERA. In 18 innings, he has struck out 29 and walked three and is everything coach Brian Hucks expects.

"He's a field general and a leader. He has a lot of intangibles that separates him outside of averages and stats," Hucks said. "We often talk around here about how you want to be remembered. If he keeps doing what he is currently doing, he will be remembered as one of the best to ever play here."

Kip Bouknight, Steven Whetstone and Adam Westmoreland are Brookland-Cayce pitchers who have gone on to the next level in the past decade. Gilroy hopes his name can be remembered with that group.

"I try to follow in the footsteps of some of the guys that have come through here," Gilroy said. "I look up to those guys that played here before I did."

Gilroy is not a dominating presence on the mound. He is around 6 feet tall and his fastball tops out at 83 or 84. He can reach 86 on the gun but his fastball has lively movement.

His curveball breaks late and sharp to go along with a good change-up.

"I have confidence when I get on the mound to throw any pitch at any time," Gilroy said. "I have a great team behind me. It's easy to pitch when you have that behind you."

He used those tools to go 8-0 last year with four saves. He pitched 61 innings after not seeing any action as a freshman. He struck out 71, walked eight and had a 0.57 ERA.

Putting up those numbers has had little impact on Gilroy.

"Last year, I was never worried about numbers," Gilroy said. "I was just glad to get my chance to pitch as a sophomore. The fact that I got to be there with the team that won state the year before taught me a lot.

Hucks believes people may unfairly label what Gilroy does on the mound.

"I don't like the label that he's a crafty lefty," Hucks said. "That gives the opinion that he's a soft thrower and he's not. I can tell you that I don't worry about what we're going to get out of him. He brings his 'A' game every time out."

The lone loss in Gilroy's career was a 1-0 setback to top-ranked South Aiken a week ago. The lone run was unearned due to a couple of Brookland-Cayce errors.

"He competes like no other," Hucks said. "The situation doesn't faze him. It doesn't matter who the opponent is, he's going out to do what he does."

Gilroy is hearing from many Southern Conference and Big South schools with hopes of getting offers from SEC or ACC schools down the road. Last summer he played with a travel team in Virginia and plans to do the same again this year.

Being able to pitch beyond high school is important to him. He relishes when scouts are in attendance.

"I've talked to a lot of colleges and that motivates me when I know a lot of people are watching me," Gilroy said. "The dream is to ultimately get drafted, but I would love to be able to pitch somewhere in college."