Sports

A real Zell for the game

By Charley Miles
The Daily Cougar

Cougar Baseball is back on track. Houston has done well in Conference USA play over the past few weeks. Despite a sweep by Tulane in New Orleans over the weekend, the Cougars have sufficiently rebounded from their slow start to get back to .500.

UHis bats remained quiet and All-American pitcher Brad Sullivan struggled to regain last yearis form. But the team was still able to keep its head above water, largely because of a long, lanky lefty named Danny Zell.

After pitching a complete game with six strikeouts in Saturdayis loss, the junior has a 7-3 record. During UHis early troubles, Zell was a stabilizer for the pitching staff, maintaining an ERA of less than 2.00. Now that Sullivan is throwing like the All-American from last season, he and Zell can provide an effective one-two punch in the starting rotation.

"Bradis back to his normal stuff; heis ready to go; weire ready to get on a nice little roll to get ready for postseason play," Zell said. With two sure things in the rotation, the Cougars will be a dangerous team come tournament time.

The Cypress native is in his second year at UH after attending Angelina Junior College for one year. 

"I knew most of the people here, most of my teammates," Zell said. "I liked the people. I heard good things about the program so it was an easy choice."

As a prospective major-leaguer, Zell looks to some fellow left-handers as his influences.

"People that I look at when Iim watching the game will be Randy Johnson, since heis a lefty, and Tom Glavine, to see what they do with the ball, how they hit their spots, stuff like that," he said.

Among Zellis interests outside of baseball is a strong love for computers, a field he will pursue if he doesnit go pro. Heis majoring in technical supervising leadership.

"I figure since Iim a pitcher on the baseball field, Iim the center of attention," Zell said. "Basically, I take the lead out there, so I might as well bring it to the workforce."

He brings the poise and confidence of a leader every time he takes the mound. That is something he said he hopes takes him far in his other professional ambition.

Zell has an intimidating presence on the mound, but he is not a power pitcher.

"I mostly try to get ground balls, quick innings, get the hitters back in," he said. "If I get a strikeout thatis OK, but itis more about getting outs and victories here at UH."

Zell has a full array of pitches. He throws a fastball, curveball, slider and a change-up, relying on a devastating sinking fastball as his out-pitch.

"Pitching is like an art, almost," he said. "Youire trying to get outs and trying to make hitters look bad. Thatis the most fun you can get out of pitching: making a hitter look real bad up at the plate."

Zell began playing when he was 5 years old and started pitching after a growth spurt during his sophomore year in high school. These days, Zell is motivated by the same thing that motivated him as a young child: love of the game.

"If I didnit love it, then I wouldnit be out here," he said. "I just enjoy being out here, being with all the guys. Itis a great sport. You get to be outdoors. What more could you ask for? Thatis why Iim hoping to make it my profession."

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