Kings' Shepherd shines in return from injury

By Aaron Arnstein / NJ College Baseball Nation

After starting the year 5-10, the South Jersey Kings needed a spark plug to turn their season around.

They found one in Matt Shepherd.

Since June 26, the Kings are 13-3, highlighted by a 12-game win streak that ended Thursday. During that stretch, Shepherd, a catcher, is hitting an eye-popping .722 (13-18) with 8 RBIs. On the season, he leads the team in batting average (.559), on-base percentage (.605) and OPS (1.223).

Shepherd attributed his recent success to a slight change in his plate approach. “I opened up a little bit with my shoulder to help me see the baseball a little bit better,” he said.

Shepherd’s “really aggressive” approach has paid off. When he gets ahead in the count, he looks for a pitch, typically a fastball, out over the plate that he can make solid contact with.

Kings’ head coach Myles Taylor is not surprised by the catcher’s mind-boggling season. “This is just what he does,” Taylor said. He does this on a regular basis, the Matt Shepherd I know. He’s a force to be reckoned with.”

A strong performance at the plate is nothing new for the rising junior who played the last two spring seasons at Cumberland County’s Rowan College of South Jersey (N.J.). Shepherd hit .373 with 24 RBIs and 26 runs in 32 games last spring but was sidelined for nearly an entire month back in March.

During the team’s second game of the spring season, the catcher broke his thumb on a throw down to second after getting his thumb caught in his mask. His love of the game made it tough to watch from the dugout.

“I was itching to get back on the field,” he said. “It’s where my happy place is. Once I get on that field I forget about everything else and just go to work. I think getting back on the field almost brought me happiness, in a sense.”

As a catcher, Shepherd plays a significant role on defense, acting as the field general and working with the pitching staff. His offensive approach is key to juggling the various responsibilities as catcher.

“No matter what side of the plate I’m on, whether it’s defense or catching or hitting, I’m always playing offensive,” he said. “I’m always trying to make that extra play.”

Shepherd embraces the challenges that come with being a catcher. “It’s what keeps me going when I’m playing baseball. It gives me motivation to do better and be better,” he said.

With Shepherd fully healthy, the Kings have caught fire at the plate, averaging over eight runs per game during their 12-game win streak. He said the Kings’ recent offensive success is a huge confidence booster for the entire team.

“It gives the team and I a huge jump,” he said. “It’s contagious. As I’m hitting, more people are hitting. As more people are hitting, I’ll start hitting as well.”

The key to continuing the team’s recent success is communication, Shepherd said. “The more we talk about things, the more we let each other know what’s going on during the game, if you communicate a little bit better I think everybody gets in a better position to do better.”

A showdown with the red-hot Quakertown Blazers awaits. Shepherd and the Kings look to continue their winning ways as they take on the division leader and winners of 10 straight for a crucial 5:30 p.m. doubleheader Sunday at Union Field.