Parrett proves lineup change good call from Gilmore

As he finished answering a question about the efforts of the bullpen Thursday night, relief pitcher Mike Morrison turned the conversation to senior catcher David Parrett while needing no prompting to make sure he got a chance to share the spotlight with the offensive hero of the game.

“This guy right here, I’m sorry I’m talking, but this guy right here works harder than anybody on this team,” Morrison said. “... I know you all were commenting last week about how good he received and how he was blocking all those balls, he brings it every day and he’s one of my best friends in the world. I couldn’t be happier for him on this stage.”

On a team that has produced feel-good stories all season long, Parrett added another one Thursday evening while going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two stolen bases out of the nine-spot in the order to help Coastal Carolina to a 7-5 win over Texas Tech in a College World Series elimination game.

After hitting 10 home runs last season in his debut with the Chanticleers as a junior college transfer from Iowa Western Community College – less than 10 miles from TD Ameritrade Park – Parrett struggled from the start this spring and was batting less than .100 until starting to pick things up in the middle of May.

He came into the game Thursday night with just nine hits and 10 RBIs for the season, but he took full advantage of his opportunity with coach Gary Gilmore looking to shake up the lineup.

“All season I’ve just been staying working hard, and not getting the time I wanted I just knew that I had to keep working hard and keep with the process so it was awesome to see that come to fruition tonight,” Parrett said.

Awesome for him and the rest of the team, for that matter.

“I’ve been waiting for that all year,” third baseman Zach Remillard said. “When I heard his name in the lineup I was very, very excited for him. That kid works hard and worked hard to get here. It was a great opportunity and he took full advantage of it.”

Said Gilmore: “I tell you what, there’s not a finer young man in this program or any I’ve ever coached. He’s one of the most unbelievable selfless young men I’ve ever, ever coached, and the good Lord was shining on him tonight because that young man definitely deserved that outcome of the way things worked for him. We’ve needed him all year, and this guy is – if not the hardest worker – has got to be one of the two or three hardest workers on the entire team. And as far as 31 years [of coaching], he’s got to be one of the top 10 hardest workers. It’s awesome to see him get the hits to help propel us to a win.”

Parrett was making his 22nd start so he’s had playing time, but not the role he might have earned had he not endured those offensive struggles at the start of the spring.

He was batting just .078 with no home runs before picking up two hits, including his first homer, on May 14 at Charleston Southern. Starting with that game he’s now 7 for his last 20 with two homers and six RBIs.

“It was very tough. It was definitely a struggle, it was definitely a fight. I learned a lot about myself as a person and a baseball player through that,” Parrett said. “[Former Chants catcher and current student assistant] Tucker Frawley, I was able to spend a lot of time with him. He really worked with me catching, and honestly he’s been a mentor to me this year. It’s just been a blessing to work through all that.”

Parrett gave Coastal Carolina a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning Thursday night on a two-out RBI single through the left side.

In the fifth, he delivered again with two outs while smoking a two-run single to left-center to make it a 7-3 game at that point. He proceeded to steal second and third base that inning as well.

“I’ve definitely felt better in the box. I went from an open stance to a closed [one], which was what I was last year,” he said. “I felt good these last few days and definitely had a good feeling about today.”

As the Chants now advance to a rematch with TCU on Friday night, Parrett was excited to go up against his former Iowa Western teammate Ryan Merrill, the Horned Frogs’ shortstop, again.

And, of course, to keep this incredible run of Coastal Carolina’s going a little longer.

“I’m so excited. I just want to keep hanging around these guys for a few more days,” he said. “My teammates, honestly, that’s what I’m playing for right now. I just want to stay around them and hopefully win a national title.”

This story was originally published June 24, 2016 at 2:37 AM with the headline "Parrett proves lineup change good call from Gilmore."