Cornell Flourishes into Eagles’ Top Dog
April 6, 2004

By Joe Monaco, AU Sports Information

When senior Brandon Cornell (Columbus, OH/Bishop Watterson) first became a member of the Ashland University baseball team, he quickly earned the nickname “B-Pup” from his teammates.

The veterans saw the freshman outfielder as a young pup looking to claim his spot among the elite dogs on the squad. From the very first moment that he stepped on the field, Cornell was looking to find a way to make his mark on the lineup.

The funny part of his arrival was veterans like Nathan Moore, Corey Christopher and Shad Conn knew that this raw, athletic newcomer was going to end his career as one of the best players to roam the outfield of Donges Field.

Cornell’s senior mates understood that he possessed unbelievable talent, but it was their job to teach and groom him before unleashing him and allowing him to run. Once the leash was abandoned, Cornell flourished into one of the most fearsome hitters in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He had become that elite dog that his teammates had first envisioned.

“I spent a lot of time with that group of guys because we were always doing outfield drills or hitting together. They were all hard workers and good guys on and off the field. They taught me how to play consistent day in and day out and how to be ready to play everyday during the course of a long season,” said Cornell.

During that first season, Cornell made a great impression by batting .406 with 28 hits in 69 plate appearances. He added 24 runs and knocked in 23. What was most impressive about his batting was the power that he displayed. Cornell cracked six home runs as a rookie, including one dinger every 11.5 at-bats.

Since his freshman campaign, Cornell has never batted lower than .376 and has been a catalyst for an offense that is nationally-ranked. He possesses the rare combination of power and speed along with a desire to succeed that is unmatched.

In 2002, he was a legitimate candidate for GLIAC Player of the Year as he nearly missed out to teammate Josh Gaub (Brunswick, OH). As a junior, he ranked in the conference’s top 10 in 10 different offensive categories. He also earned first team All-GLIAC and Great Lakes Regional selections that year.

“He has turned into the player that we thought he was going to be. We knew we were getting an athlete, but he really made himself into the great player that he is today,” added head coach John Schaly.

There are so many adjectives that can be used to describe Cornell’s style of playing, but the one that comes to mind of a lot of people around the AU baseball program has been consistent. He is considered by many to be one of the most consistent players to have ever donned the Purple and Gold.

“Baseball is such a mental game. I learned that you can’t let one game or one at-bat affect the way that you play the game. I know that I’m going to catch a hot streak along with a cold streak because that’s part of the game. To be consistent and successful at this level, you have to have confidence in your ability,” replied Cornell.

The Columbus, OH, native has found his name scattered throughout the AU career record books. He is currently ranked in the top five in nine categories, including batting average, at-bats, runs and hits. He’s on pace to become the program’s all-time leader in hits, runs scored, triples and total bases. His career average of .389 puts him one-tenth of a percentage point ahead of his roommate Gaub.

Cornell and Gaub have both set the career records on fire since their arrival and remain the only two players remaining from the 2001 recruiting class. They are the team’s lone two four-year seniors on the squad. With the two of them in the lineup, the Eagles are 146-58 (.716) and have captured one conference and regional championship.

“It’s funny to think about being the old men on the team. The good thing is that we have a good group of seniors so there is not a whole lot of pressure on us to be the only leaders,” Cornell said.

At the beginning of the season, there were a lot of question marks surrounding the Eagles. How would the loss of the team’s top four pitchers affect the squad? Would the newcomers be able to step in and make an immediate impact? How would the offense handle the departure of three of the team’s top six hitters? Could the Eagles make a repeat performance in the regional tournament?

These questions were quickly answered as the Eagles won six of their first seven games and have continued to roll through their schedule. Currently – the Eagles are 23-7 along with 7-1 mark in the conference. AU won three out of four games from Grand Valley State, who was predicted to win the GLIAC, and swept four games against Hillsdale. The Eagles currently sit atop of the conference and are ranked seventh in the country.

“I think we’ve shocked a lot of people about how well we’re playing. We have a good mix of players between the veterans, junior college and high school players. There have been some guys who have stepped up and began to roll,” replied Cornell.

Cornell has also enjoyed the fruits of the season as he is once again a top contender for conference Player of the Year honors. He ranks in the top 10 in 13 offensive categories while leading the GLIAC in plate appearances (123), at-bats (107), total bases (83), hits (45), RBI (43), runs scored (36), home runs (8) and slugging percentage (.776). He is second on the team and third in the conference in batting average (.421).

“I’m having a lot of fun this season. I really don’t pay attention to stats, but I’m trying to do what I’ve always done by being consistent and confident every game. All I can do is my best and try to have the best year I can,” added Cornell.

Voted as a team captain at the beginning of the year, Cornell finds himself in the role of a leader on and off the field. Ironically – he is now wearing the same shoes that were once occupied by the players that he looked up to as a freshman. However – this season it was especially critical for him to step up to that role with the amount of new players on the squad.

“I tried to set an example at the beginning of the fall season by working hard and showing the new guys how we do things around here. Winning is expected around here and it’s important to help guys adjust and understand their roles on the team,” Cornell said.

There isn’t a person associated with the AU baseball program that is surprised by the type of player and leader that Cornell has become. He has achieved great individual success, but more importantly has played a major role in the greater success of the team.

It’s that same vision that his elder teammates held for him four years ago when he first stepped onto the outfield grass of Donges Field.

All they had to do was take off his leash and let him run.