Missouri Baptist fireballer getting a close look from scouts

For the record, Nick Vichio's grades weren't at all the issue with his eligibility at Saint Louis University - he was doing well in school.

"But something happened with his credit hours," Missouri Baptist baseball coach Eddie Uschold said, "and he ended up one hour short."

Which led to a chain of events: Vichio transferring to NAIA Missouri Baptist this spring, and perhaps not coincidentally, Missouri Baptist making it to the small-college World Series for just the second time in school history.

Following the Spartans' Series-opening win against Oklahoma Wesleyan on Friday, Eagles coach Matt Parker wanted to focus his postgame comments on one opposing player, Vichio.

But the most important pair of eyeballs at Harris Field probably belonged to someone with no dog in Friday's fight - a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Of course, the scout was enamoured with Vichio's four strikeouts in 11/3 innings, but the number that also caught his eye was the one appearing on his radar gun: 96 miles per hour, the speed of the fastest of Vichio's pitches in his team's 5-3 win over the Eagles on the biggest stage in the NAIA.

How might his 14th save translate to Vichio's baseball future? Particularly since it made him co-leader for saves in the country?

"I can see him going definitely on the first day of the (Major League) draft," Uschold said. "And if he keeps doing what he does here, he could go in the first 10 rounds."

As for how Vichio's presence affects his team's title hopes in the series, Uschold used two words to sum up his impact: difference maker.

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Edelman may be contacted at bedelman@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2277.