{"id":1039,"date":"2018-05-18T20:59:51","date_gmt":"2018-05-19T00:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/?p=1039"},"modified":"2018-05-18T21:01:17","modified_gmt":"2018-05-19T01:01:17","slug":"from-walk-on-to-lockdown-matt-leons-pirate-voyage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/2018\/05\/18\/from-walk-on-to-lockdown-matt-leons-pirate-voyage\/","title":{"rendered":"From Walk-On to Lockdown: Matt Leon&#8217;s Pirate Voyage\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By: Nick Santoriello<\/p>\n<p>It is the summer of 2014. Matt Leon is finishing up his\u00a0senior\u00a0season at\u00a0Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A skinny right-hander, Leon has had his share of success at the high school level.\u00a0First Team All-Conference and\u00a0First Team\u00a0All-Area selections,\u00a0two career no-hitters, and a\u00a01.55 ERA with 85 strikeouts in only 54 innings as a senior, yet the\u00a0accolades\u00a0have not\u00a0translated into offers from any Divion I schools.<\/p>\n<p>Fast forward\u00a0to May 11, 2018.\u00a0Shinedown&#8217;s\u00a0&#8220;Black\u00a0Cadillac&#8221; begins to play from the speakers at Owen\u00a0T. Caroll Field. Matt\u00a0Leon\u00a0jogs\u00a0out from the bullpen down the left field line. He is fist bumping his teammates as he assures them.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Let&#8217;s win\u00a0one,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>As he nears the mound, Leon glances\u00a0to the\u00a0foul\u00a0pole\u00a0to\u00a0gather his thoughts\u00a0as he always does before toeing the rubber.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I like to look at the foul pole because every field has a foul pole and it helps me collect myself and realize where I am.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Leon is looking to do something no other\u00a0pitcher\u00a0has done in the history of Seton Hall baseball: record 10 saves in a single season.<\/p>\n<p>Coach Rob Sheppard hands him the ball and Leon\u00a0is\u00a0ready to roll. He gets the first batter to fly\u00a0out to\u00a0left field.<\/p>\n<p>One out.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">PIRATES WIN!!! Leon with a huge strikeout to strand two runners! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JJjfFe2Dwr\">pic.twitter.com\/JJjfFe2Dwr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Seton Hall Baseball (@SHUBaseball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SHUBaseball\/status\/967566900749271040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 25, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Leon was not always primed to be a Pirate, but rather, a\u00a0Panther.\u00a0After not\u00a0receiving\u00a0any DI offers, the Pennsylvania native sent in his deposit to attend the\u00a0University\u00a0of Pittsburgh in the fall.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I wanted to play Division I baseball or I wasn&#8217;t going to play.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Not quite ready to hang up the cleats, Leon emailed Sheppard and Seton Hall\u00a0asking for a chance to\u00a0try-out for the team. His request was\u00a0granted, and\u00a0so, Leon&#8217;s last chance was underway.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We met with Matt in the summer and told him in not so specific words that it&#8217;s going to be a\u00a0really hard\u00a0team to make. Even knowing that, Matt decided to come in and he was one of the last guys to make our roster that spring,&#8221; said Sheppard.\u00a0&#8220;Since then, that&#8217;s all he needed was\u00a0to\u00a0get his foot in the door and he took\u00a0care of the rest.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Matt Leon with the shutdown 9th and we complete the 3-game sweep of Villanova with an 11-2 victory! We&#39;re now 8-1 in the BIG EAST! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HALLin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HALLin<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZxTwX99bcn\">pic.twitter.com\/ZxTwX99bcn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Seton Hall Baseball (@SHUBaseball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SHUBaseball\/status\/990663104055861248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 29, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>For Leon, the process of making the team was one of\u00a0the most difficult years of his young life.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was so\u00a0miserable. I was sick\u00a0every week\u00a0because I was so stressed out,&#8221; said Leon.\u00a0&#8220;You&#8217;re in the dark the whole time.\u00a0I\u00a0didn&#8217;t\u00a0get gear until\u00a0maybe three quarters of the way through the fall,\u00a0I didn&#8217;t get t-shirts or anything. It was tough, it was probably\u00a0one\u00a0of the toughest years I&#8217;ve ever had.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Fighting an uphill battle\u00a0from the start, Leon was constantly unsure of\u00a0whether\u00a0there would be a jersey for him come opening day.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t know what the deal was, so I was going in\u00a0and\u00a0trying to talk to the coaches\u00a0and they\u00a0were\u00a0like, &#8216;We don&#8217;t have any spots for you right now, but you can keep working out with us until the end&#8217;, so\u00a0I just kept showing up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For Sheppard, it was Leon&#8217;s drive to keep showing up day in and day out\u00a0that set him apart from other players trying to make the team.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What makes Matt, Matt is that he&#8217;s stubborn. He&#8217;s a stubborn kid in a good sense. He is very persistent in what he wants and if he has his mind on something he&#8217;s going to work\u00a0really hard\u00a0to achieve it,&#8221; said Sheppard. &#8220;He&#8217;s the kind of guy that you can&#8217;t say no to because he&#8217;s going to try to prove you wrong. I think that&#8217;s been a chip on his shoulder mentality and I think that&#8217;s why he&#8217;s had the\u00a0success that he has had.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LOCK DOWN LEON gets the final two outs and preserves a brilliant outing by Billy Layne, Jr.  Pirates win, 3-0!!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HALLin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HALLin<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OCzwyhLxbj\">pic.twitter.com\/OCzwyhLxbj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Seton Hall Baseball (@SHUBaseball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SHUBaseball\/status\/993210129481789440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 6, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>After months of arduous training and uncertainty, Leon was finally assured he would be on the team in the spring.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It was awesome, it was the best moment I&#8217;ve had in recent memory,&#8221; said Leon. &#8220;I was able to give my dad a call on the\u00a0way to class and\u00a0I\u00a0remember I started tearing up a little because I was just so\u00a0relieved\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0out of the dark and to be able to make the team.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Seton Hall is up on the scoreboard 4-3 after scoring the go-ahead run in the\u00a0bottom\u00a0of the seventh. Leon gets the second batter to strike out on a full-count offering for his 30th\u00a0strikeout in 26 innings this season.<\/p>\n<p>Two outs.<\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0four-year\u00a0starting\u00a0pitcher\u00a0in high school, Leon was quickly forced to make the adjustment to coming out of the bullpen in college.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I like it. I like the pressure. The biggest thing as a reliever is that you\u00a0have to\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to get\u00a0yourself\u00a0motivated, up, and ready every single game,&#8221; said Leon.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">PIRATES WIN!!<\/p>\n<p>Matt Leon retires all nine batters he faced to pick up the win in relief as The Hall edges Hawaii, 9-8, in 11 innings!!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HALLin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HALLin<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CNGiex7wwE\">pic.twitter.com\/CNGiex7wwE<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Seton Hall Baseball (@SHUBaseball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SHUBaseball\/status\/977761675171454986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 25, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>After serving as a standard relief\u00a0pitcher\u00a0for three years, Sheppard and the rest of his staff felt Leon was ready to make the jump to closing games out for the Pirates in his senior season.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;To\u00a0be in\u00a0that position where your team trusts you in a tie game or with a one-run lead, that&#8217;s the role you dream of as a reliever. All the pressure is on you\u00a0and everyone\u00a0looks toward\u00a0you in that spot when they need\u00a0something\u00a0big,&#8221; said Leon. &#8220;The way I look at it, it&#8217;s\u00a0the ultimate compliment like, &#8216;We&#8217;re giving it to him, we trust him to get the\u00a0job\u00a0done.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Leon has more than just gotten the job done this year. He leads the team\u00a0with a 1.37 ERA and has been a consistent force out of the Pirates&#8217; bullpen with opponents hitting a lowly .196 against him.\u00a0For his efforts this season, Leon was awarded his very own hashtag: #LockdownLeon.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is my last go-round. I&#8217;ve got nothing to lose. When you&#8217;ve got nothing\u00a0to\u00a0lose\u00a0it&#8217;s\u00a0kind of scary for the other team because you&#8217;re going out there with everything you got,&#8221; said Leon.<\/p>\n<p>St. John&#8217;s is down to their final out. Leon looks in for his sign, winds, and delivers. A soft ground ball to second and the\u00a0subsequent\u00a0throw over to first hands the Red Storm just their second Big East loss of the season.<\/p>\n<p>Three outs.<\/p>\n<p>It is now the Pirates and Red Storm who hold a share of the Big East lead after Leon shuts the door for his 10th\u00a0save of the season.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BALLGAME! Matt Leon shuts St. John&#39;s down in the top of the 9th and earns the save as we take the first game of the series 4-3! Doubleheader tomorrow scheduled for 12:30 PM, Senior Day Ceremony at 11:50 AM! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HALLin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HALLin<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JI7v4jSC1J\">pic.twitter.com\/JI7v4jSC1J<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Seton Hall Baseball (@SHUBaseball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SHUBaseball\/status\/995074129626783744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 11, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The save also propels Leon into second place all-time in Seton Hall history with 14 career saves and 84 career appearances, something Leon could have never imagined just four short years ago.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There was a time where I didn\u2019t even really think I could play here. Even when I was here it took me a while to convince myself that\u00a0I could play here,&#8221; said Leon. &#8220;I used fear as a motivator.\u00a0I don&#8217;t want to sit on the bench. I&#8217;m here now I might as well play.\u00a0To see that I&#8217;ve contributed this whole time is nice to look back on.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">PIRATES WIN!!<\/p>\n<p>McCarthy, Politi and Leon limited St. John&#39;s high-powered offense and Leon broke the Pirates&#39; single-season record for saves.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HALLin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HALLin<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/48TGLNUIJN\">pic.twitter.com\/48TGLNUIJN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Seton Hall Baseball (@SHUBaseball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SHUBaseball\/status\/995093459685044224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 12, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our Seton Hall baseball\u00a0tradition is really strong. There&#8217;s so many guys that have worn the uniform before Matt and have laid the\u00a0groundwork\u00a0but it&#8217;s\u00a0tremendous\u00a0to have his name up there with so many of the guys that were here before him,&#8221; said Sheppard.\u00a0&#8220;It says a lot about him\u00a0taking\u00a0advantage of\u00a0the\u00a0opportunities\u00a0that he had.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Coming up on the end of his collegiate career, Leon has his sights set on one last goal: winning a Big East Championship. The idea of winning it all is so engrained in Leon&#8217;s mindset that he dreams about the\u00a0opportunity\u00a0to close it out for what could be the Pirates first Big East Championship since 2011.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I had a dream last week that we were winning the Big East Championship.\u00a0I was on the mound and I\u00a0threw\u00a0my glove up in the air. It&#8217;s\u00a0literally\u00a0the moment you dream\u00a0of to just toss your glove up in the air and have everyone come out and dog pile,&#8221;\u00a0said Leon.<\/p>\n<p>Leon and the Pirates will look to bring home a ring when they travel to Mason, Ohio for the Big East Championship from May 24-27.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If we win this,\u00a0then\u00a0every\u00a0single\u00a0year we can get\u00a0together\u00a0for dinner and talk about it. It\u00a0brings that one team together. That&#8217;s all I\u00a0want to do at this point,&#8221; said Leon.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s been a long journey for a skinny pitcher from\u00a0Bethlehem, Pennsylvania\u00a0with no Division I\u00a0offers,\u00a0but &#8220;Lockdown Leon&#8221; is set to lead as\u00a0the anchor of the Seton Hall Pirates bullpen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By: Nick Santoriello It is the summer of 2014. Matt Leon is finishing up his\u00a0senior\u00a0season at\u00a0Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A skinny right-hander, Leon has had his share of success at the high school level.\u00a0First Team All-Conference and\u00a0First Team\u00a0All-Area selections,\u00a0two career no-hitters, and a\u00a01.55 ERA with 85 strikeouts in only 54 innings as a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4142,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1039"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1039\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1042,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1039\/revisions\/1042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}