Morehead State pitcher Luke Helton begins his windup during a game this season.
Submitted photo
If the past few seasons have confirmed anything, it’s that Morehead State right-hander Luke Helton is made for Fridays.
Tonight, however, sets up to be special.
Helton, a 2019 Whiteland graduate, will make his 48th collegiate start tonight at Tennessee Tech to surpass the school record held by former Eagles ace Luke Humphreys (2014-17).
Given the graduate student’s arsenal, Helton could opt to go fastball — usually clocked between 87-90 miles per hour — to put his name in the Eagles’ record book. Then again, he could prefer a slider or a changeup, the latter being his bread and butter pitch.
Helton typically takes the hill on Fridays to open each weekend series.
“For me, it’s a good thing to have the ball in your hand,” said the 23-year-old Helton, who received his bachelor’s degree in business administration in the fall. “When your team wins the first game of a series, it gives your team a lot of confidence.
“Our goal every weekend is to win two of the three games. If we win the first two games, then your goal becomes a sweep.”
Morehead State (14-11) and Tennessee Tech (13-12) are members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Helton, who is 4-2 this season, has pitched 36 2/3 innings thus far with 39 strikeouts and only nine walks.
Helton wasn’t able to bask in a traditional college experience, at least initially. His freshman baseball season was pared to 15 games by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he managed to make four relief appearances as a freshman and pitch a total of 5 2/3 innings.
He’s since upped his win total with three in both 2021 and 2022, and then sported a 7-2 mark and 5.10 earned run average as a senior last season to earn second team All-OVC honors.
Because players weren’t charged eligibility in 2020, Helton had another season in which to continue his time at Morehead State. He’s enjoyed his college experience, though like anyone new to a campus and baseball program, he had his occasional rough patches.
“I think it’s been good. I got thrown into a big role as a young player,” Helton said. “(Former Eagles pitcher) Jason Goe kind of took me under his wing, and helped me get to where I needed to be.”
Goe was a redshirt senior at the time — a player who, to say the least, knew his way around the Ohio Valley Conference and could instruct Helton on the ballparks in which he’d be pitching.
That first season proved important in shaping the career Helton has put together.
“We roll Luke out on Friday night, and actually, he’s led our staff for the past three seasons,” third-year Morehead State coach Brady Ward said. “When he’s on, he’s as good as anyone this league has to offer.
“Some of these ballparks, including our own, are not the most pitcher-friendly. Luke’s demeanor plays a big part in his success. He’s just kind of that one heartbeat all the time. He’s done a really good job of taking care of his body, and just his insightfulness.”
Helton’s college baseball career is rounding third base, but he wants to continue playing after he turns in his Morehead State uniform.
“I want to play some kind of professional baseball. If not an MLB team, maybe play in an independent league,” he said. “If I have the opportunity to play a little bit more, I might as well do it.”
Wherever that happens to be, Fridays will remain special.
