Christian Helsel tosses the ball to second for an out during Friday’s game against Kentucky. / (Ignacio Murillo)
BY MATT SIGLER
mcsigler@go.olemiss.edu
Freshman utility player Christian Helsel is a long way from home. The Altoona, Pa., native, however, has found a home on the diamond for the Ole Miss baseball team.
After entering college as a shortstop, Helsel has been thrown into action at four different positions so far this 2013 season: shortstop, first base, second base and third base. Helsel has become a regular in the lineup and has impressed the Rebel coaching staff in his short amount of time so far.
“He’s been terrific,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “Probably the thing that’s been said the least is how difficult it’s been. A kid that we throw in at shortstop because Austin (Anderson) pulls his hamstring and most of his reps since the beginning of the fall have been at second and third and really the only reps that have been at shortstop have been to fill in the lineups.”
Bianco said that there wasn’t really a vision for Helsel to play shortstop.
“He’s done whatever we’ve asked, and he’s been kind of thrown into the fire,” Bianco said.
In 22 games this season, nine of which have been starts, Helsel is hitting .263 with five RBI. Defensively, he holds a .914 fielding percentage with six errors. Although it took time for Helsel to reach the field, he said he really prepared himself for when the opportunity arose.
“I started off the year riding the bench, but I really prepared myself and knew at some point I would get an opportunity,” Helsel said. “Luckily now, I’m getting a lot of playing time, and I was prepared for that playing time and playing well, so hopefully I can stay in the lineup.”
Coming into Oxford, Helsel said he didn’t expect to see the field immediately, but knew that he would be ready and seize the opportunity, which is exactly what he has done.
“It’s not necessarily a negative that I was riding the bench,” Helsel said. “I think every freshman has to go through that. I didn’t necessarily expect to start because I knew we had an awesome team, but I knew that when I got my opportunity I could play.”
Helsel has pleased himself, as well as Bianco and the staff.
“I hate to say anybody is in the lineup that concrete, but he is certainly one of those guys,” Bianco said. “I’d be surprised if he isn’t starting at second base on Friday.”
