Bell baseball player goes from serious injury to college scholarship

Nathanial Bassett isn’t one to take no for an answer. The senior outfielder for the L.D. Bell Blue Raiders baseball team overcame a knee injury, being a junior varsity backup, and a lack of power in his first varsity season to become a college player starting next season.

Bassett recently signed to play with Saint Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Okla.

“I want to inspire players on the JV White and JV Blue and show them that if you just keep working and keep focused, you can play at a high level,” Bassett said.

Bassett had surgery to reattach his kneecap as a sophomore, which set him back some on the JV. Then, last season, his first on the varsity, he split playing time on a senior-laden team.

He rarely got into a rhythm last season, finishing with a .217 batting average. Then, he made a promise to himself.

“My goal was to raise my batting average 100 points,” he said.

At one point this season, his average was a team-leading .350. At the press deadline, he was batting .316, still tops on the team, and had five extra-base hits (three doubles, two triples).

“I focused more on contact. One of the coaches told me the power is there, that I just needed to focus on going up there and making contact, getting on base,” Bassett said.

“Last year, I felt I had to get a hit every time, and I’d make a mistake and get out.”

Bassett spent countless hours between the end of the 2015 season and the 2016 campaign hitting as many baseballs as possible. If he wasn’t studying or sleeping, he was likely working on his swing.

“He stayed and hit after school just about everyday in the off-season,” said Bell coach Paul Gibson, adding that Bassett is also an “extremely hard worker in the classroom (and) baseball field and is also an Eagle Scout.”

Along with his improved hitting, Bassett takes pride in his defensive play.

“I love playing in the outfield. You’re all alone, the last line of defense,” he said. “There’s not much prettier than a strike (throw) home to nail a runner trying to score.”

Also as a result of his injury, Bassett has a more clear vision of what he might do for a career. He wants to be an orthopedic doctor and surgeon.

“Working with my doctor really intrigued me,” he said. “I learned a lot, and this year I’m taking IB (International Baccalaureate) biology higher level and honors anatomy and physiology.

“I like the thought of helping others who might be where I was.”

This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 12:49 PM with the headline "Bell baseball player goes from serious injury to college scholarship."