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If you go watch Nixa baseball play, you’ll see talent all over the field, but there’s one guy that leads the way on the mound.
“He’s definitely our dude,” said Head Coach Jason Daugherty.
He’s talking about Arkansas commit Isaac Mitchell.
The Nixa senior is among the best pitchers in the Ozarks, and the 6’4” lefty hurler has been a top guy since day one.
“As a freshman, he was a big kid throwing in the 80’s and he was our guy,” Daugherty said.
Now as a senior, his chance to compete means just a bit more.
Before the virus cost everyone the 2020 spring season, an elbow injury in the fall of 2019 took the year from Isaac.
“Before I even knew I was going to have to have surgery, it was still just like killing me on the inside just to want to play and be out there even for fall ball or working out in general, I couldn’t even do that,” Isaac said.
When rehab didn’t work, surgery was the only option.
That began the long, slow process toward a return.
“You’ve got to do what your doctor sets out for you, what you set out for yourself and stick to a plan, a protocol and do what you’ve got to do to get ready,” Isaac said.
Now, with Nixa holding high expectations, their ace is ready.
“My control never wavered,” Isaac said. “It never wavered, which I was really happy about. From the moment I started playing catch again, I knew I was back to where I was.”
That means Isaac will return to pitching in big games, something he did routinely as an underclassman.
“I don’t have to worry about being nervous, my nerves went away, all that,” he said. “There’s nothing in my head that made me think I couldn’t handle any situation.”
That mindset is part of why Isaac has been so good in big spots.
“They call him ‘Ice’ actually, that’s his nickname,” Daugherty said. “He’s had ice water in his veins since I laid eyes on the guy, so I’m not ever worried about him in a big game.”
It’s a peace of mind that resonates throughout the entire team.
“The kids know that he’s on their team, it’s a sense of comfort. When he’s on the bump, we have confidence,” Daugherty said.
It’s another reason why Isaac’s return means so much to the Eagles.
