A Will and a way
Mulligan consummate team player for 11-1 St. Dominic
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| Bill Barrett photo St. Dominic junior Will Mulligan has played a big role in the Crusaders' 11-1 record this spring. |
Within that group, however, Will Mulligan stands out. A powerhouse at the plate, hitting .388 with a .656 slugging percentage, the junior third baseman leads the team in total bases (26), plate appearances (44), and RBIs (16). During Thursday's game against Borgia, Mulligan had four of the team's five RBIs, including a three-run homer in the first inning.
In the field, Hoover couldn't create a better vacuum than Mulligan. If a ball is hit near third base, there's a pretty good chance it won't make it to the outfield. In 11 games so far, Mulligan has one error.Mulligan, a two-sport athlete who plays fullback and outside linebacker on the St. Dominic football team, said working on defense is just as important to him as perfecting his swing.
"I don't just focus on hitting at practice," he said. "If I stay after, I hit in the cage and get as many ground balls as possible. Even at home, I do as much as I can to help both (offense and defense)."
Pfund agrees, saying Mulligan is a complete player.
"Will's been on varsity since he was a sophomore," he said. "He's worked very, very hard in the off-season. He's in that weight room five days a week, he's hitting three days a week, taking extra ground balls.
"There's a case in point where hard work pays off. That's a tribute to him."
In addition to the dinger against Borgia, another standout play for Mulligan this season came in a recent game against Timberland. He dove for a one-hop scorcher, jumped up, and launched the ball to the catcher for the first out of a 5-2-3 double play. He said it was close as to which play he was most proud of.
"They're both pretty exciting," he said with a grin, "but I think to save that run, that diving catch was pretty nice. I liked that. Anything to contribute to my team is fine with me."
Mulligan shrugged off most of the questions about his homerun and his hitting this season, talking more about a recent slump and his desire to get out of it in order to help the Crusaders win.
"I was 0-for-7, so I was just looking for a good hit to get out of the slump and help my team out as much as possible so we can get better for districts," he said.
Mulligan has a deep respect for Pfund. The long-time coach has inspired the Cruaders to excel by focusing on their work ethic. It's paid off, as the team is currently 10-1 and ranked in the top ten in Missouri.
"I love him as a coach," Mulligan said of Pfund. "He knows everything about the game. He really helps us. He'll stay after practice an hour, an hour and a half, to throw to us in the cage to help us hit. He's the one who hits me ground balls. He helps me out and helps our team as much as possible."
When it comes to personal goals, Mulligan's response is simple.
"Help my team as much as possible," he said. "That's all I think about. If there's guys on base, I have to drive them in."
