Bucknell University Athletics
Robb Scott Looks to Continue Steady Improvement Entering Senior Year
2/18/2013 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 18, 2013
By Todd Merriett, Bucknell Athletic Communications
Whack! A hard-hit line drive that is snared by the fleet-footed shortstop.
Whack! A scorching grounder that the third baseman miraculously guides into his glove and then quickly fires across the diamond for the out.
Whack! A deep fly ball that pushes the center fielder back to the wall before settling into his mitt, allowing the go-ahead run to score from third.
Whack! A hard-hit grounder to the right side that advances the runner from second base to third base.
At one point in his career Bucknell baseball senior shortstop Robb Scott would have walked away from the above offensive performance hanging his head. No more.
The two-year starter more than doubled his batting average last season thanks to a simple change in mindset. He decided to completely ignore his batting average and judge his offensive performance on quality at bats, hitting the ball hard and helping the Bison win games. He knew improved production would come, and it did.
After serving as an understudy to veteran All-Patriot Leaguer Ben Allen on the 2010 NCAA Tournament team as a freshman, Scott moved into the starting lineup in 2011. While his defense at shortstop was outstanding, he accumulated just 16 hits in 119 at bats.
"My sophomore year was the most adversity I have ever faced," remembers Scott, a native of Clemmons, N.C. "This game is so mental. It's so much about confidence and approach. I was lucky to still be part of the lineup thanks to my play in the field. I put in a lot of work and didn't necessarily see the results that season, but I relied on my coaches and teammates, who continued to support me."
Scott, who would often be seen taking extra cuts in the empty batting cage as the rest of the Bison scattered after a long weekend doubleheader, saw his hard work pay off last spring when his batting average more than doubled to .282 and he was among the squad's leaders in runs scored, triples and RBIs.
"My biggest change last year was feeling comfortable in the box and having a plan that meshed with our offensive game plan," comments Scott, who enters his senior campaign three starts shy of 100 for his career.
The offensive improvement should only escalate this spring as Scott, who is still looking for his first home run as a Bison, hit nine round-trippers last summer while playing with the Southampton Breakers in the Hamptons League. His performance garnered him all-star honors for a second straight summer and some attention from professional scouts.
The eyes of a few professional scouts will certainly not rattle Scott, who has already played baseball in front of millions of eyes. As a 12-year-old, Scott was fortunate enough to participate in the 2002 Little League World Series just a few miles up Route 15 in Williamsport.
"That was an incredible summer," beams Scott, who was the starting shortstop on the squad that was undefeated when it arrived at Williamsport's Lamade Stadium. "We were a close-knit team. We would practice all day and then go to each other's houses at night. We came into it as best friends who were just getting the opportunity to play baseball together all summer. We didn't expect to make it to Williamsport."
The team was unable to make it out of pool play, but that did not diminish the experience for Scott, who pulled the tapes of the ESPN broadcasts out of storage when friends were visiting this past summer.
The team certainly felt like pros. Motorsport legend Richard Childress is the grandfather of second baseman Austin Dillon and he flew the traveling party to Pennsylvania on his private jet. Scott and his teammates shared dorm space with the Venezuelan team and had the opportunity to meet ESPN broadcasters and former Major League Baseball players Harold Reynolds and Tom Candiotti.
"Anytime you get thrown on a stage with the whole world watching is incredible," describes Scott, who has volunteered with the Little League World Series Challenger Division in recent years. "Getting to play on TV and having that experience is something I'll always remember and it's still a cornerstone of my baseball career. There probably isn't a time baseball has been as pure and fun as it was then."
To this day Scott is still amazed at the amount of support he and his teammates received. They were like little celebrities. He remembers looking up in the stands and seeing faces from his hometown that he didn't even know made the trip north and they were there to see him.
Scott remains good friends with many members of the Little League World Series team, but he is the only one still playing baseball. Standout pitcher Alex Robertson did play at Appalachian State for a short time, but Scott remains the last one standing.
"When we play at Duke this year, I will have a lot of support from them," says Scott. "They haven't lost the passion for the game. I'm very lucky to still be playing, especially at a great place like Bucknell. I'm also very thankful I had that time to play with those guys from home."
Scott played with his Little League World Series teammates for a couple more years on AAU and travel teams, but departed North Carolina prior to high school. He made the decision to attend Deerfield Academy, an independent, co-educational boarding school in Western Massachusetts, for all four years of high school.
As a self-proclaimed momma's boy and homebody, Scott struggled with the decision to leave home, but followed in his older sister's footsteps and decided it would be best for him academically, athletically and as preparation for college.
"When I told people I went to boarding school, they would ask what I did to get sent there," laughs Scott, who was a freshman at Deerfield when his sister was a senior. "I responded that it was my decision. It turns out it was an incredible four-year experience. I was so lucky to have gone there. I loved every second of my time there. Being away from my parents was tough, but they were able to be at most of my football and baseball games."
Scott's parents have continued to support him at Bucknell. They are in attendance at the vast majority of Bison games and even make the journey to Florida for the annual Spring Break trip. This coming spring they will see Scott team with senior second baseman Travis Clark to once again form one of the top double play combinations in the Patriot League.
"I have never had the kind of relationship I have with Travis with another second baseman," explains Scott. "Travis is one of my closest friends and I couldn't have picked anybody I would rather play with. Being strong up the middle will be a key to our success this year."
Scott, Clark and the other five Bison seniors will be challenged to not only perform on the field, but to also serve as leaders for a squad that features 12 newcomers and a first-year head coach in recently elevated Scott Heather.
"I learned a lot from the seniors like Ben Yoder, Ben Allen and current assistant coach B.J. LaRosa when I was a freshman," comments Scott. "We're going to try to use that knowledge and be great senior leaders this season."
An enthusiastic and grateful Scott is counting down the days until the season starts. Fans will just have to remember to look at the Bison win total and not his batting average. He certainly won't be taking a peek at it.
Note: This story appeared in a recent edition of the Bucknell Basketball Gameday Program.
