Many teams in college baseball are happy to have one pitcher that they can call their ace, but Eastern is now able to say that they have three with the recent emergence of Nick Albu.

“I’ve always felt like I could be one of those three guys all season long,” Albu said. “I think that Scott (Metz), Pete (Martin) and I all have the abilities to be a No. 1, and hopefully we can all keep performing well.”

Albu, who is 3-3 on the season, has had two stellar outings last week, throwing 13 and 2/3 innings, allowing only two runs on 16 hits with 13 strikeouts, earning himself Top Cat honors for the week.

In his first game of the week March 28 he was the hard luck loser of a 1-0 game at Illinois State, but he said the outing was one of the best of his career.

“I thought the start I had in the Illinois State game was one of the best starts I’ve had all season,” Albu said. “It could have possibly have been one of the best starts I’ve ever had at Eastern.”

While in his second start of the week, which came in the series finale at the University of Tennessee-Martin, the lefty threw another complete game, going seven innings, allowing only one run on nine hits while striking out six batters en route a 16-2 blowout of the Skyhawks.

“Well, I thought the game was very important because I didn’t want us to go out and have a letdown after Saturday,” Albu said of his start Sunday. “I’m glad I was able to go out there on a day where we really needed a win and able to produce.”

The junior, who was slated to be one of the top pitchers in Eastern’s program this season, almost didn’t get a chance to pitch after an early season rotator cuff injury in his throwing arm almost sidelined him.

“It was really weird and I’m not sure if he lifted funny or what, but it got to the point where he couldn’t throw at all,” Eastern head coach Jim Schmitz said. “He wanted to keep throwing and he wasn’t happy when the training staff told him to slow down, but we finally got him to stop throwing for a while.

“You can’t say enough about the training staff and what they did for him,” Schmitz said. “He had it rough his first couple outings in relief, but he’s really in a groove now.”

Not only was Albu able to come back form the injury, but he learned a few things along the way.

“I think the injury helped me realize my role on the team,” Albu said. “With Pete and Scott pitching so well, it made me realize that I could fit right in that third spot on the weekends.”

“My arm is just now starting to come back, and I feel just as good as I ever have since I’ve been at Eastern,” he said.

Schmitz thinks Albu’s emergence really dates back to the beginning of last season.

“The big key to Nick coming out was last year where going into fall ball I had him in the No. 5 or 6 slot,” Schmitz said. “Then all of the sudden he’s a guy who’s pitching game two and is starting conference games for us.

“He’s really a neat story because of how far he’s come by continuing to work hard,” he said. “I really think his competitiveness is his best attribute.”

Albut’s competitiveness has shown in his performance in the past week, considering some of the hardships he’s been through.

“I’m glad that I have been able to come out and get some of the things done that I have,” Albu said. “I didn’t do very well in the beginning part of the season and I am glad that I have become a pitcher that the guys have begun to have confidence in.”

Many teams, including Eastern, have a goal to win at least two out of three games on conference weekends, which may make the pitcher who starts the third game the most important. So how does Albu feel about being the pitcher starts that third and rubber game of a series?

“We have always talked about winning two out of three games on the weekends,” Albu said. “And being the guy that the team is looking towards to get the second or third win on the weekend is something that I look forward to.”

One thing Albu has been able to look forward to all season that he has not done at times in the past is rack up the strike out numbers. With 13 punch-outs in his last two starts, he has started to rely on the more.

“I’ve never been a pitcher who gets a lot of strikeouts in a game, but I have been lucky enough to get some in the past two games,” Albu said.

What does the southpaw attribute his newfound ability to send hitters back to the dugout with their bats on their shoulders?

“I think a lot of it has to do with experience that I have gotten in the past,” Albu said. “Plus I think I have started to use different pitches in different counts. “And by that I mean trying to get batters to swing at my pitch and keep them off balance.”

Schmitz also thinks Albu has made some positive adjustments since last season.

“He’s really done a good job using his cut fastball so now right handed hitters can no longer lean over the plate on him,” he said. “Nick’s really pitching well rihgt now and we’re real excited for him.”