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05/19/2016 12:00 AMDan Petr put together solid careers as a pitcher with the East Haven High School baseball squad and the 89ers’ American Legion program. After completing his tenures with those teams, Dan decided to continue his time on the mound at Division III Lasell College in Massachusetts.
“I was never sure if I was going to play in school. I went to Lasell mainly for the education, but decided, ‘Why not try out?’” says Dan. “I made it as a freshman and he put me in one game. I did well and eventually became the No. 1 starter on the team.”
Dan began pitching in Little League when he was about 10 years old and he’s never looked back. Dan has developed a three-pitch arsenal as he features a fastball, curveball, and changeup—all of which he throws with confidence.
“I’ve thrown them all most of my entire life,” says Dan. “I’ve always wanted to pitch. Knowing you control the entire game, the whole game rests on you and everyone is watching you. Nothing can happen in a baseball game without you.”
It didn’t take Dan long to realize how much different college baseball is from the high school game. One thing Dan finds extremely helpful is that he gets to work with a full-time pitching coach.
“It was easier because he was always someone I could approach and know he’s just about the pitchers,” says Dan. ‘“We had that at the high school, but he was the pitching coach and JV coach, so he wasn’t always there. It’s a lot easier knowing you can approach him and his role is to be there watching you, as his life is being the pitching coach.”
Yellowjackets’ Head Coach Butch Johnson saw Dan develop for four years with his team and knew his hurler had what it takes to pitch at the next level.
“Dan has all the tools for a college pitcher,” says Johnson. “When Dan is on, he is extremely tough because he has three pitches that he can throw strikes with.”
Things started clicking for Dan in just his second game at Lasell. On March 19 against Purchase State, he received a no-decision after pitching six quality innings, allowing just two runs on three hits. Then versus Newbury on March 29, he pitched well in another no-decision by giving up just one earned run and three hits in 6.2 innings. After that, Dan really started to hit his stride by posting back-to-back complete-game shutout victories over Albertus Magnus and Anna Maria. He allowed three hits to Albertus and none against Anna Maria for his first collegiate no-hitter.
“I threw a no-hitter when I was 11, but obviously, this is a lot different. I wasn’t even sure I had it, but nobody was talking to me. When I got the last out, everyone rushed me, so I knew I had it,” says Dan. “I only threw 86 pitches through seven innings. My fastball location was working. I only threw six or seven curveballs since I didn’t need it much. I relied on my catcher and I was just hitting my spots. My location was on.”
Dan’s performance marked just the second no-hitter in Lasell history and he was named the Division III New England Eastern College Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.
“As a walk-on, that was pretty special to me because, when I went into tryouts, I knew the other recruits were pretty good. I just needed the chance. In high school, I didn’t put my name out much, but I was lucky to get the chance and put up the numbers I thought I could put up,” says Dan. “Being named the conference Pitcher of the Week was a real honor, especially since the coach didn’t know I was coming to school and I turned out to be a top-two pitcher.”
For the season at Lasell, Dan has thrown 46.2 innings, notched a record of 3-1 with a save, and has a 2.51 ERA in his 10 games, seven of which were starts. Dan has relied more on pitching to contact and believes that’s been the biggest reason for his success.
“It started to click against Albertus. I threw to contact and, after the first inning of the Albertus game, that carried me through the season. I’ve thrown 80 percent fastballs and let them make contact. In high school, I’d try to strike everyone out, but realized that it hurt me because my pitch count would go up and I’d have a lot of walks,” says Dan. “It was more mental when I realized it’d be more efficient and easier to throw strikes. If you keep it low, you’re going to get outs. It was just changing my mindset on how to attack hitters.”