Henderson teaches Cats mental aspect of game

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After allowing a bunt to give the high-powered South Carolina offense a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning, hopes were dashed and a five-game losing streak was in sight. With one out down and sophomore shortstop Chris Wade on first base after getting hit by a pitch, the familiar dramatics were in place for the Cardiac Cats, but the potential for a double play was as well.

The crowd rose to their feet and freshman third baseman Andy Burns stepped up to the plate. The pressure of the at bat and the intensity of the crowd were palpable for the young Burns, but a calming influence from the dugout allowed him to be calm at the plate.

“Baseball’s the toughest game mentally there is,” Burns said after Saturday’s 5-4 victory over South Carolina. “… When you get in a situation like that, mentally you can’t get too excited, you can’t put any more pressure on yourself. We talk about that all the time and (UK head coach Gary Henderson) does a great job of coaching that.”

Gary Henderson is in his first year as head coach for UK baseball. He stresses a mental approach to baseball to keep his team composed in close games. Photo by Kristin Sherrard | Staff

Burns, who said he had been struggling lately, only waited for one pitch to knock the walk-off two-run home run just over the right field wall. The home run was the Cats’ third walk-off home run of the year and as junior catcher Marcus Nidiffer said, shows their mental toughness.

In addition to the mental toughness Nidiffer talked about the physical toughness he’s playing with. Nidiffer has been playing the last few weeks with a fractured catching hand. His hand aside, Nidiffer said he’s had coaches stress the mental aspect of the game before, but never to the degree that Henderson has.

“He makes you realize that baseball is almost 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical,” Nidiffer said. “You see guys all the time that get drafted in the first round that never make it to the next level. When the talent closes in and everybody has about the same physical ability, the mental part of the game kind of separates you apart.”

The Cats have been well documented throughout the season, are a very young team with only four seniors on the roster. Nidiffer said to have the mental edge on the diamond with a young team has been paramount.

“He does a great job forcing that mental game aspect and it kind of gives us an edge against every team we play,” Nidiffer said. “We do it as a group and it really works.”

Henderson teaches KHP 546-401 at UK, a class on managing baseball, in addition to his duties as the head coach. Henderson said the Cats’ ability to stay positive and not dwell on the negatives has meant everything for his club. He attributed Saturday’s late inning heroics to his team never quitting, and said their mental toughness has been the difference in this bizarre season.

“It’s not a substitute for playing well, there’s failure at every level in baseball,” Henderson said. “If you’re going to be someone who succeeds over time, you’re going to have to be positive and maintain an approach to the game that allows you to be successful even when things aren’t going your way.”

Henderson said he hasn’t stressed the mental part of the game more since his team is so young. Instead, Henderson said it’s just his style and it’s what he believes in the game of baseball. He said the game is pretty easy when the things are going your way, but it’s not always like that and you have to fight through those tough times.

The Cardiac Cats said they still get a little nervous when they’re down in the late innings, but it’s become something they relish and feel confident in.

“You kind of like those situations,” Nidiffer said. “That’s what makes the game fun, right there with our backs against the wall, I loved it. I love walk-offs.”