MATT SMITH ACCEPTS SCHOLARSHIP AT ROANE STATE C.C.

Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

London Badger left-handed pitcher Matt Smith has accepted a baseball scholarship from Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tennessee, where he will be headed in September to continue his education and further his baseball career.

Smith was a member of the London Badger Midget team that won a Gold Medal at the 2011 Baseball Canada Midget Championships in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Head baseball coach at Roane Sate David Lane says that the coaching staff at Roane State is very excited to have Matt as a new member of their team, "We have been fortunate to have some quality players from Canada. Canadian players work hard and have a great understanding of the game. When we began working on our pitching staff for next year we checked our contacts to find the best personnel we could find. One of our catchers, former Badger Brady Stafford suggested that we take a look at Matt Smith to fill our left-handed pitching needs. Matt and his family were able to visit Roane State and he was able to workout with the team. We were very impressed with his command and pitch quality."

Raider pitching coach Zach Sterner who pitched in the Philadelphia Phillies organization commented on Matt and what he sees for the future, "I think he has more in his tank when we tweak some things, but overall I like him. When Matt reports in August we will be working to make him a weekend starter for us. The Fall season is the time when we work to determine if a pitcher is a conference starter, reliever or a weekday guy. We only go after the best so the competition is constant. That's what makes you better, and we are sure that Matt will compete well." 

Matt says that he wants to focus on training and commitment this summer, "I also feel I need to work on my command of the strike zone. I have been working on it indoors, but I still need work. That is what I want to do this summer."

Matt and his family visited several U.S. schools before settling on Roane State and he commented on what he likes about the school he chose, "I feel Roane State is a good fit for me athletically because it fits right into what I want to do as a baseball player, and that is a starting position in the pitching roster. I love to pitch and start games, and that's just what I can do down there. Academically the school is just like all the other Junior Colleges I visited."

Matt attends Sir Frederick Banting S.S. in London, and is the son of Cam and Janice Smith. Matt's older brother Aidan was a member of the 2009 Badger Midget team that won Gold in Fredericton.