Walther the Lions' Most Versatile Player

In a training room within the recesses of Dodge Fitness Center lies a community bin containing a small five-pound weight. Worn out with use, it is imprinted with the number 19, the mark of its rightful owner. The weight has been the one constant in the collegiate career of Andrew Walther, co-captain of the Columbia baseball team.

"It's been with me for four years, so we have a special connection," he said.

Throughout the years, the senior has had to adjust to changes in everything from head coaches to situational pitching. But after a breakout junior year in which he led the pitching staff with 21 appearances, Walther has emerged as a force the Lions can rely on.

"Wally's a dynamic kid," head coach Brett Boretti said. "He's able to do some things for us that we can utilize in several different ways."

The Lions benefit from Walther's ability and willingness to fill any role needed. It is a willingness borne out of a dedication to hard work rather than a reliance on natural talent, a willingness projected by a man who is happy to be able to play the game he loves.

"I know that I'm not a natural all-star player," Walther said. "I never have been. So I always am open to doing new things, to filling in places where I'm needed that are maybe not in my comfort zone. I just try and make the best of it, whatever is asked of me."

Walther's compliance to adapting was prevalent in the early stages of his baseball career. He began playing in the backyard of his Gambrills, Md., home, thanks to the urging of his father, Mark, who bought Walther a left-handed glove when he was 4-years-old. "My dad was always in the backyard," Walther said. "He would leave work early and come and throw with me. He talked me into being left-handed."

"I don't think I'd be where I am right now if I wasn't left handed," he added, "because the natural movement that I have really helps me."

That movement has given rise to Walther's circle changeup, a pitch he first started throwing when he was 14. As a freshman at DeMatha Catholic High School, he pitched a little on the varsity team. But an injury sophomore year opened the door to his hitting talent. "From then on, I was just a hitter," Walther said.

Every Saturday morning his father would drive him for an hour to see his hitting instructor, who taught him his unorthodox stance. "I attribute my success to him, because his hitting style was very controversial to my high school coach," Walther said. "So when I'd struggle, I'd come under some heat from my coaches. But when I was hot I was hot."

The techniques paid off, as Walther hit .472 his sophomore year as a designated hitter. As a senior, he hit five home runs with 33 RBI and a .773 slugging percentage. But his heart was still in pitching. When he recovered from his injury, Walther starting pitching in baseball camps during the summer. It was there that he realized just how valuable a left-handed pitcher could be. "I knew that being left-handed was a real plus for me," Walther said. "So when I'd go to camps, I'd hit and I'd play first base, but I'd also pitch, and that's why I got a letter from Columbia."

Walther's participation in a camp in Virginia is ultimately what brought him to New York. After seeing him pitch, Columbia invited him for a recruiting visit. It didn't take long to convince Walther and his father, a New York native, that Columbia was the right college for him. "That morning I'll never forget," he said. "I told my parents, 'Hey, I want to go here.' It all unfolded so quickly, but once it was done it was such a relief because I knew it was going to be a good fit for me."

Having rarely pitched in high school, Walther came to Columbia with a blank slate and plenty to prove. "I knew coming here it would take me a couple of years to develop and really get the experience that I needed," he said. "I knew it was going to be an uphill battle. That was a huge hurdle for me to get over."

Walther's work paid off, culminating in his junior year, his self-proclaimed "make-or-break season." From then on, he established himself as someone the team can depend on in any circumstance.

"Wally stepped up in the first weekend that we played last year," Boretti said. "We found out very quickly that he was a guy that we could depend on. We're looking forward to depending on him again this year."

The southpaw has been called upon by his teammates to fulfill yet another role this season. Walther was voted co-captain along with fellow senior and roommate Andrew Ward and relishes the opportunity to lead younger team members. "I've always wanted to take a leadership role in the team, because I appreciate what others have done for me," Walther said. "I love all my teammates, and it means a lot to me that they would vote for me."

Walther's goal as co-captain is to instill the confidence in younger players that most only develop after experiencing collegiate success. He believes that this attitude is the only way to win a championship in an Ivy League.

"That's half the battle," he said. "The Ivy League is such an even playing field that it just goes to the person that believes in it the most and who executes when it's necessary. It's just a matter of believing."