Backer the Bulldog, NUHS senior chooses UMD
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NEW ULM -- New Ulm High School's Tanner Backer has committed to play baseball next season at DII University of Minnesota Duluth.
Backer, a senior at New Ulm High School, said that his decision to choose to play with the UMD Bulldogs came from past visits.
"We have had team football camps there," said Backer, who is a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball at NUHS. "And it was a really nice campus. And I liked the head coach [Bob Rients] and his staff that he has. And I have family that lives up there, so it is a great location."
Backer had also looked at St. Cloud State and Southwest Minnesota State, along with Bethel University and St. John's University.
"But I knew from the start that UMD was really a good school and that was where I wanted to go," he said.
Last season, Backer pitched 49 innings and posted a 3-2 mark with 56 strikeouts and ended with an ERA of 1.43.
For his career, the left-hander has pitched 114 innings and has a record of 10-5 with 133 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.33.
His high school head baseball coach Jeff Ferrell said that Backer is a fastball-changeup pitcher and throws them well for strikes.
"He is hard to beat and we will work on his curveball this winter -- it was very effective last year," Ferrell said. "But if he can throw his changeup and fastball for strikes and keep them down, he is very good. He is a mid to low 80s fastball and he throws a lot of strikes with good movement on his fastball, but he needs better feel for his curveball. But for a high school kid to have three pitches -- that is pretty good."
Backer said that going into his senior season, he wants to work on his velocity and off-speed pitches.
"When I get to college, the hitters are better, so you need to throw harder and get more spin on the ball," he said.
One adjustment that Backer will make for college baseball is basically playing the sport 12 months a year.
"That will be a big adjustment," he said. "Right now I am a three-sport athlete, but when I get to college it changes and it is focused on one thing. But I think that it will be a positive experience."
Backer said it is the little things that matter to achieve success.
"Doing stuff when people are not watching is what gets you better and giving 110 percent every time," he said.
Ferrell said that Backer can be effective in college baseball.
"Once he gets there, all he is going to do is baseball," Ferrell said. "He handles tough situations very well and he always wants the ball -- I think he will be successful at UMD."
In his final season at New Ulm, Backer has high hopes for the team.
"This year I have a team goal of getting to the state baseball tournament," Backer said.