BVA’s Lind headed to Kent St.
Another Belle Vernon Area baseball player has made a commitment to play at the next level.
Senior pitcher Parker Lind announced last month that he will continue his athletic and academic career at Kent State Universituy in Ohio.
Lind finished the 2024 season with a 2-1 record and a 2.80 ERA, helping lead the Leopards to a section title, the No. 1 seed in Class 4A and a 13-4 overall record.
“It means a lot to me to be able to play at the next level because I feel it’s well deserved for the hard work I’ve put into this sport,” Lind said. “At the same time, I know it’s going to be a lot of work ahead and the idea of playing baseball everyday as a job in college is amazing and a dream.”
Kent State finished 27-27 in 2024 and was 17-13 in MAC play. The Golden Flashes are coached by Jeff Duncan and associate head coach Mike Birkbeck – who caught the attention of Lind.
Birkbeck, who pitched in the major leagues, is considered to be one of the best pitching coaches in the nation.
“The reason I chose Kent State was because of Coach Birkbeck,” Lind said. “He’s a pitching legend. A lot of Kent State pitchers have made it to the majors. The staff talked a lot about what it means to play at Kent State and I really liked the drive, the competitiveness and the heart in the team. There was a lot of comraderie there.”
Lind chose the Golden Flashes over Seton Hill, Pitt-Johnstown, Mt. St. Mary’s and West Liberty.
“When I went on my visit, the best part of the campus I would have to say is when you first walk in the locker room,” Lind said. “On one side of the wall are all the players drafted and on the other side is all their trophies. It gives a good feel of the atmosphere and what it means to be a Flash.”
Lind, the son of Eric and Shannon Lind of Washington Township, said one of his strengths is his ability to keep his composure on the mound. He thrives on making batters miss pitches.
“The coaches at Kent State said I was projectable and more than just a pitcher,” Lind said. “They liked how I go out on the mound and just do my job. They said they like how I handle myself in tough situations.”
Lind said he’s glad he was able to get the recruiting process over with now that he’s committed to play at Kent State. It’s going to allowing him to focus on his senior season with the Leopards, hopefully to improve on last season’s disappointing season in which they lost in the first round of the playoffs.
LIND • B2
Mike Darnay / MVI Sports “Now I don’t have to constantly contact colleges and send out video. There’s no more worrying about if I am going to find a team,” he said. “I can’t be comfortable where I’m at though. I want to continue to get better because college is not the end goal. I have to keep pushing.”
One of the things Lind vows to continue working on is being able to command his offspeed stuff in the strike zone.
“That’s probably what I want to work on the most,” he said. “It’s one thing I need to do. I want to start as a freshman there and my longterm goal is to win championships.”
While Lind has done the work, there are many around him that he’s thankful for in the process of helping him develop into a Division I baseball player.
“I’d like to thank all of the coaches from Belle Vernon baseball for helping me along my way and teaching me the sport. Thanks to Coach (Tony) Watson – a section champ coach and just a great person to be around. I’d like to also thank my fall coach, Coach Fred Albert for giving me the opportunity to pitch in front of the Kent State staff,” Lind said. “I’d also like to thank Coach Daryl Hixenbaugh for talking to Coach Birkbeck for me.
I’d like to thank my family for their commitment in taking me to games and always supporting me along the way. My dad is my personal pitching coach and helped correct my mechanics every day since I was a little kid. He’s always been my coach and my biggest supporter. He’s the reason for who I am today.”
