A three-hour day at Joe Miller Ballpark is drawing to a close. The alumni have long since departed following their annual game against the collegians. McNeese State’s newest pitcher ambles to the mound to close out a 3 ½-inning intrasquad game in front of a handful of onlookers.

Grant Ashcraft’s first pitch pops the mitt for a called strike. Matt Gallier, who to this point had already smashed two home runs, lifts the 0-1 pitch into right field for a flyout. Ashcraft runs the count full against his next hitter, Nate Fisbeck, before losing him on a high fastball — the only baserunner he’d allow in this half-inning.

“After the season, I just was really missing baseball and I would have regretted not doing it,” Ashcraft the American Press following his outing. “Having the feelings I had about playing, if I had not played I would have really regretted it.”

Ashcraft, the Cowboys’ quarterback who entered fall practice as the starter before Arkansas State transfer James Tabary outdueled him, has joined the baseball team.

A pitcher at Atascocita High School who placed more emphasis on football during the all-important summer baseball circuits — when most college recruiting takes place — Ashcraft began throwing a baseball again two days after the football team’s 41-10 season-ending win against Lamar.

“Even in my early years in college, baseball was always a thought in my head that if things didn’t go the way I planned (in football), go back to baseball,” Ashcraft said . “We had a great season. Offensively, we had a really good season and I was extremely happy to be a part of that.”

“But at the same time, I’m a competitor. I wanted to compete and this just gives me the opportunity to do that.”

Surprised at how good he felt following those early throws, Ashcraft approached McNeese baseball coach Justin Hill, inquiring about the process to join his team.

“It wasn’t something we sat there and sought out,” Hill said Friday. “We let him take ownership of it and it means a lot when kids take ownership of things. It was something he really wanted to do … I put the ball in his court and said ‘Hey, if this is what you want to do, let me know when you can throw a bullpen.’”

The two agreed on a date and a tryout was set. Admittedly overcome with adrenaline, Ashcraft remembers the ball jumping from his hand during the bullpen session.

“I just didn’t know where it was going to go,” he quipped. “But once I calmed down and started getting more comfortable throwing in front of the coaches and to a new catcher, it went fine.”

Listed at 6-foot-6, Ashcraft is two inches taller than any of his fellow pitchers. He’s gained about 30 pounds since the last time he threw competitively, necessitating a change in his delivery to ensure he doesn’t rely solely on his arm strength.

His frame can be imposing and his arm angle deceptive. As it did in that early bullpen, the baseball jumps out of his hand and sneaks up on hitters who try to pick up the release point from such a wiry right-hander.

“The ball kind of gets on you a little bit,” Hill said. “He’s still not where he can be just because he hasn’t been playing baseball. But you can see the aptitude, because of the position he plays in football, you can see that he picks up on things … He’s going to pick up on things quicker. He’s picked it up, he’s one of the guys and stuff like that. He’s been a model teammate.”

Both Hill and Ashcraft consulted with football coach Lance Guidry prior to Ashcraft’s switch. Ashcraft remains on the football team, he said, and was given Guidry’s full blessing to pursue his baseball career.

There was, of course, precedent. Ashcraft joins tight end Austin Nelson, who garnered all-Southland honors as the Cowboys’ designated hitter last season, on the baseball team.

“He was really supportive,” Ashcraft said of Guidry. “He said he wanted to see me go out and succeed. Me and coach Guidry have a good relationship so he was really supportive. He even told me, the first game I pitch in at home, he wants to be there. So he’s been really supportive of me doing this.”

If or when that comes is unknown. Projecting a role for Ashcraft is almost impossible given his long layoff. He arrives at the ballpark every day hoping to better refine those pitching rusty mechanics, which he says is going well. Though he possesses four-pitch capability, he’s working solely on perfecting a fastball and curveball before moving to other secondary pitches.

“My thing when I came here was that all I wanted to do was contribute,” said Ashcraft, who played in eight football games last season. “Wherever you think you can utilize me in the pitching staff, feel free to do that. I’m not worried about what number I get, when I pitch or where I pitch. I just want to contribute to the team.”

McNeese State pitcher Grant Ashcraft throws in an intrasquad game Jan. 28. (Rick Hickman / The American Press)

Rick Hickman