Ryan Smoyer Ready To Lead Irish On The Diamond

Junior pitcher Ryan Smoyer will attest to the theory that success happens when preparation meets opportunity.

After only mostly brief appearances as a freshman, the Bowling Green, Ohio, native grew into a midweek starter as a sophomore and then eventually slid into a weekend role to finish with a stunning 9-1 overall record in 2015.

“For me, it’s about going out there and giving ourselves a chance to win,” Smoyer said. “If I can just keep getting better every day, along with the rest of our team, we’ll be in a very good spot.”

The right-hander’s rise to success begins all the way back in his days at Otsego High, where he played basketball and football in addition to starring on the mound. Coincidentally, Smoyer faced current Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer — representing Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic — in a matchup on the diamond, a game Smoyer said Otsego lost 2-1.

He still hasn’t let it go.

“I knew him more for football than I did for baseball, but I remember him being in the outfield,” Smoyer said. “I know his running back from high school was from my area, and he hit a go-ahead double to beat us.

“That’s one game I wish I had back from high school.”

Several Mid-American Conference and Big Ten schools gave Smoyer a look early during his prep career, along with the Irish. In the spring of his junior year, though, Smoyer suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand, limiting his in-person exposure to college scouts during a crucial recruiting period.

Notre Dame and Bowling Green were the only two schools that had seen him play by the start of the summer. He visited the South Bend campus and committed just a few days later.

“I actually wasn’t a huge fan of Notre Dame; I grew up a Buckeye,” Smoyer said. “But I saw the place, and it was beautiful.

“I fell in love as soon as I saw it, and from there I was all Irish.”

Like many star athletes that make the jump to Notre Dame from the high school level, Smoyer struggled both on and off the field early in his career with a role coming out of the bullpen. In his first career start — against Youngstown State on March 1, 2014 — he only lasted one inning, giving up four hits and three runs.

“Taking that bench role and understanding that it’s better for the team for you to sit and work on yourself and get better individually, that team-first mentality, it’s hard to understand right away,” he said. “You feel like the world is against you in some aspects.”

However, a turning point in his career came when then-senior Sean Fitzgerald sat Smoyer down for a confidence-boosting chat in the team’s hotel after a series in which the Irish really struggled.

The rookie took Fitzgerald’s advice to heart.

“He basically came up to me and said, ‘You’re here for a reason, and no one expects anything more than going out there and giving it your all,’” Smoyer said. “He said, ‘We need you to produce for this team, but no one expects you to be anyone that you’re not. We’re not expecting you to go out and strike 10 guys out in five innings, we’re expecting you to go out and just pitch. Do the best that you can within the parameters that your body lets you.’

“He wasn’t going off on me, he was trying to help me realize there were bigger things ahead and that past failures would lead to future successes. He said he didn’t even plan it, he just saw me and knew something was going on. It was a huge help.”

Smoyer kept working, despite totaling only 11 appearances as a freshman. He picked up his first career win in an 8-3 midweek triumph over Central Michigan on March 18, 2015, and the victories kept rolling.

There were wins over Western Michigan March 25, Eastern Michigan March 31 and at Pittsburgh April 5, improving his sophomore year total to 4-0.

Then, the highlight of his season came. Smoyer earned the Friday night starting nod against No. 7 Florida State, after usual starter Scott Kerrigan was unable to go due to injury. The righty scattered five hits over seven innings, allowing just two runs in a 5-2 victory.

It marked the highest ranked opponent Notre Dame had beaten since a 16-6 triumph over No. 7 Nebraska in 2007, and the Irish went on to sweep the series.

“It was a great feeling to leave the game ahead when you’re up on a team like that,” Smoyer said. “You feel like you got the job done.

“It was even more satisfying, though, to get the next two wins. It’s one thing to get a Friday night win, but when you can sweep a team like that our entire squad played great that whole weekend.”

Smoyer kept rolling, finishing the regular season and ACC Tournament with an unblemished 9-0 record before finally suffering a loss at Illinois May 31 in the NCAA Tournament.

“We played really well that series, but just didn’t have the timely hitting that we needed,” Smoyer said. “Our defense played great, too, but they just found holes.

“It’s one of those things where you go an entire offseason and the only thing on your mind is that last game. Yeah, you had a great season, but it’s a reminder of the work that’s still ahead, that’s unfinished and what we have to accomplish this season.”

Notre Dame entered this preseason ranked No. 24 nationally by PerfectGame.org, and began the year by winning six of its first 11 contests before a suffering a sweep at No. 4 Louisville. Smoyer is the designated Friday night starter and had posted a 1-2 record with a 2.30 ERA in 27 1/3 innings pitched through March 16.

“We set the standard pretty high this season and we know there’s work to be done,” Smoyer said. “I think our culture is to win championships, both at the ACC level and the NCAA level.

“I think on a day-to-day basis, we’re just trying to get a little better each day.”

Just as Smoyer has already done throughout his collegiate career.