by Chad Vignes
LSU Sports Information
With LSU trailing 9-7 in the seventh inning to South Carolina in game 2 of a 2008 SEC series, pinch hitter Nicholas Pontiff stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run homer to tie the game at 9-9. The Tigers would go on to win the game 11-10 in 11 innings; the fourth straight win in an eventual 23-game winning streak.
The reaction from the crowd after Pontiff’s homer seemed to have a little more enthusiasm than usual. Maybe it was because the Gamecocks were ranked ninth in the country and LSU was struggling to maintain a .500 record in the SEC, or maybe because it meant LSU was poised to win its third SEC series of the season.
If you’ve been around the LSU baseball program for the past decade, you know the enthusiastic reaction to a Pontiff homer was not for either of those mentioned reasons.
The name Pontiff has been synonymous with LSU baseball since the early part of the decade when Wally Pontiff Jr. donned the purple and gold. After Wally’s tragic death in 2002, the name has lived on with senior outfielder Nicholas Pontiff.
Embraced by all LSU supporters as a “fan favorite” for his friendly, unselfish attitude, Pontiff has made more than a baseball impression on the program in his last five years on the team. Though he hasn’t had very many starting opportunities, Pontiff is comfortable with the role he does have.
“I knew coming in here that I didn’t have all the talent in the world,” Pontiff said. “So my role at LSU is to come off the bench and go wherever coach needs me to go and maybe ignite a spark or get a hit that we need.”
In addition to the big homer against South Carolina last season, Pontiff also played a major role in the Tigers’ game 2 win against UC-Irvine in the 2008 NCAA Super Regional to keep LSU’s Omaha hopes alive. Pontiff delivered an RBI groundout in the ninth to cut the Tiger deficit to 7-6. LSU went on to score three more runs to win 9-7 and force a third game of the series, which they would go on to win 21-7 and advance to the College World Series.
It’s off the field, though, that Pontiff makes his strongest contribution. Along with other seniors Buzzy Haydel, Chris McGhee and Nolan Cain, Pontiff provides the dugout with vocal leadership and positive reinforcement.
“I think one of the biggest things about baseball is the intangibles that each player brings that a lot of fans and a lot of people don’t realize,” Pontiff said. “Me, Buzzy, Nolan and McGhee pride ourselves on being positive reinforcements. If any of guys on the team are struggling, we bring a leadership role to them. If someone has never been in a certain situation before, we give them a little whisper like, ?Hey, this is what you have to do against this guy, or this is what it’s going to be like at this SEC park.’
“Like I said, me, Buzzy, McGhee and Nolan Cain, we’re not the best players in the world, but I think we offer a lot as far as intangibles to the baseball field.”
Pontiff’s humble arrival at LSU came as a preferred walk-on, meaning he had a spot on the team, but was not on scholarship. After red-shirting in 2005, Pontiff’s determination and hard work was put into effect as he competed for a spot in the outfield.
“I knew I had to fight for everything I wanted to get,” Pontiff said. “I was told I’d never see the field and I would just be a bench guy that played in mop-up situations.”
Pontiff wasn’t discouraged by early prognostications and followed his own motto and was able to make 39 appearances in 2006, including 14 starts.
“I’m a firm believer in if you can believe it in your head, then you can make it come true on the field,” Pontiff said. “I’m a firm believer in dreams and my dream was to always to get to play in big situations.”
Another one of Pontiff’s dreams, he admits, was to put on an LSU uniform. He said growing up an LSU fan, coupled with his brother’s impact on the program made his decision to sign with the Tigers an easy one.
“When I was growing up, guys like Warren Morris and Russ Johnson were my heroes,” Pontiff said. “Professional players and major leaguers weren’t my heroes because you didn’t have any access to them, but you had access to LSU baseball players.
“Wally was my role model. When you finally hear that your brother signed with LSU, you’re like wow, ?he can be my hero too.’ I was probably 14-16 years old watching him play here and I looked up to him in everything he did. Once I saw all the success he had here and how much people embraced him and how much he got to change people’s lives, I knew that there was no question that I wanted to do the same thing.”
As far as living his dream goes, Pontiff said it’s all gone according to plan, even though his on-field appearances have been limited.
“I feel like I’ve played in a few big situations, not a lot, but enough for me,” Pontiff said. “If my career ended today, I would have no regrets. I’ve accomplished more than I ever thought I would accomplish here.”
Pontiff’s humble attitude is only scratching the surface of his admirable, selfless personality. His hard work and determination earn him playing time on the field, but those same qualities earn him respect off the field. The mark he hopes to leave will no doubt precede him when he leaves LSU.
“As far as a mark I hope to leave, that’s hard to say,” Pontiff humbly said. “Most of all, I would want people to know that I went about my stuff the right way and I played for the love of the game.”