Milligan College Buffaloes

Freshman pitcher Keith Fenner can relate to Milligan College head baseball coach Nathan Meade.

"He always kids with me and says I'm a good ol' Southwest Virginia boy and that we have to stick together," Fenner said. "Some players make fun of our accents, though."

With his southern drawl intact, Fenner is the latest player from Southwest Virginia to make an impact at Milligan. The right-hander from Chilhowie has emerged as a steady performer as part of the Buffaloes' pitching staff and is 1-0 with a 4.75 ERA in 12 appearances.

"We've had some success with guys out of Southwest Virginia," Meade said. "In the past, we haven't had a lot of quantity, but definitely had a lot of quality. One thing I like about guys from Southwest Virginia is most of the kids are hard-nosed. They get after it.

"They do what you ask of them and you know they are going to bring it every day. Not just on game day, but practice and every day."

Meade was one of those players. He was a star at Lebanon High School under the direction of head coach Doc Adams and eventually landed at Milligan.

He earned honorable mention status twice on the All-Appalachian Athletic Conference team as an infielder with the Buffaloes and was on the 2003 Milligan team that won the AAC tournament.

He took over the Milligan program prior to the 2007 season. He's also kept close tabs on the area from which he came.

"My family still lives in Lebanon," Meade said. "The kids down that way; there is just a sense of pride that you can just see when they play the game. They play as hard as they can play and that's all you can ask for. The guys we've had from [Southwest Virginia] the last five years have done that."

The latest find is Fenner.

Milligan recruited Fenner and teammate Adam Clampitt last season during Chilhowie's run to the Hogoheegee District title.

Fenner had an impressive senior season, going 9-1 with a save and a 2.11 ERA on the mound while hitting .333 with 12 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

When he arrived on Milligan's campus this fall, he was originally pegged as a shortstop. However, that changed after the coaches saw him on the mound.

"We thought he may throw a few innings," Meade said. "But he worked his tail off every single day and he developed quicker than we anticipated … He got bigger and stronger and picked up 2-3 miles per hour on his fastball. The thing about Keith is that he recognizes his strengths and weaknesses.

"He pitches toward his strengths. Plus, he just battles."

It didn't take long to Fenner to get tested. He pitched three solid innings of relief in Milligan's season-opener on Feb. 1 against nationally ranked Trevecca Nazarene University. Two weeks later, he made his first collegiate start against Virginia Intermont and got the win.

"Coach gave me a shot early in the season," Fenner said. "I really went in and got the job done. The main thing is just letting the guys work behind me I just have to throw strikes … Now, I'm just starting to settle in as a pitcher and getting to know my role. Whatever I can do to help the team win."

Fenner's freshman season has been full of learning experiences. In a conference full of big hitters, the newcomer has had to make some adjustments.

"I've still got a lot to learn," Fenner said. "I'm starting to be not as much as a thrower, but starting to really acknowledge the whole pitching aspect – working ahead, hitting spots and keeping the ball low."

As Milligan enters the stretch run of its schedule, Fenner has entrenched himself as the latest player from Southwest Virginia to become a regular contributor at the school in Northeast Tennessee.

Just like his coach before him.

"I like playing for Coach Meade," Fenner said. "He's a good guy and a good coach."