Scott Effross entered the 2015 season with high expectations. After serving as the Hoosiers’ closer in 2014, he was transitioning into a different role with IU.
He was replacing Joey DeNato, IU’s all-time leader in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, as the No. 1 starter. After a summer spent in the Cape Cod League, where he was named an All-Star as a starting pitcher, Effross was ready to lead the Hoosier pitching staff.
“It’s really exciting just to know that I’ll be a starter,” Effross said in January. “It’s definitely a different role, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
IU Coach Chris Lemonis said Effross typified what a coach wants in a Friday night starter: someone who consistently turns in quality starts and sets the tone for the rest of the series.
And at the start of the season, Effross did just that.
On Opening Day at Stanford, Effross pitched six innings and allowed one run for his first win of the ?season.
In his second start against Presbyterian College on Feb. 20, Effross once again pitched six innings, allowing one earned run, but took the loss because of five Hoosier errors. But it was still another quality start for Effross.
Then, after taking his second loss of the season after allowing two earned runs in four innings pitched at the College of Charleston, he was shut down.
IU Coach Chris Lemonis said it was general arm soreness that kept Effross from pitching in his next two scheduled starts. He next started March 17 against Valparaiso, where he threw one scoreless inning.
“We were just trying to get him back out there in a game environment,” Lemonis said after the Valparaiso game. “I think he was up to 92, so that was good. He just looked fresh to me.”
He then started and pitched four scoreless innings against Louisville on March 24.
“I feel great,” Effross said after his start against Louisville. “I felt good the last couple of weeks, just working back from a little soreness. But I felt great today.”
But in Effross’ next start at Iowa in what was supposed to be his return to the weekend rotation, Effross struggled. He lasted 0.1 innings and allowed six runs. He next appeared two days later out of the bullpen against Kentucky and looked fine, allowing one run in 2.2 innings of relief.
Last weekend against Michigan, Effross battled and allowed two runs in six innings, a quality start. That dropped his season ERA to 3.90. But he still took the loss, his fourth of the ?season.
And Sunday, Effross took another step back. He was scheduled to start in IU’s game against Rutgers, but then something didn’t feel right as he was warming up. He told Lemonis, who immediately made a change.
“Like I told those guys out there, I just have a hard time pitching someone who doesn’t feel 100 percent,” Lemonis said.
Lemonis also said he’s not entirely sure what the problem is but emphasized he doesn’t think its anything serious.
He also said the injury is unrelated to the arm soreness problem Effross experienced earlier in the ?season.
“It was just something kind of freaky,” Lemonis said. “I don’t want to say it yet because we don’t know exactly what it is, but I don’t think it’s anything major.”
