Plum grad Sante expected to be big part of W&J baseball's PAC title defense

Evan Sante normally spent his summers playing a lot of baseball. But last summer, between his sophomore and junior years at Washington & Jefferson, the Plum grad decided to keep his baseball activity a bit more laid back.

While many strayed from home to play in college summer leagues, Sante stayed local and played in the Daily News League. It was a good way to keep his game in tune and a comfortable way to make sure he was all the way back from an ankle injury that dogged him at the end of last season.

It also afforded him time to further his academics. A biochemistry major who has gained early acceptance to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sante worked in Pitt’s Department of Orthopedics doing research on muscular dystrophy.

He is aiming at a career in sports medicine or, possibly, as an orthopedic surgeon.

“It (the research at Pitt) was something I had never gotten to do before,” he said, “and I’m extremely happy I did.”

He also is happy his ankle is back to 100% as the Presidents prepare to embark on their Presidents’ Athletic Conference title defense. Sante said he suffered the injury late in the regular season against Thiel when he stepped on a base awkwardly. He missed the PAC championship series but returned in time to play in the NCAA Regional.

The Presidents (37-3, 25-1 PAC), however, did not advance from there. Sante’s disappointment was double. He wasn’t at his best, he said, because he wasn’t completely over the ankle injury. In fact, he spent the entire summer doing physical therapy, finishing just a week before returning to W&J in the fall.

Now Sante is ready to build on his 2021 season, when he hit .314 with eight doubles, four homers, 19 RBIs and 27 runs. He also played error-free in the outfield. Those statistics earned him honorable mention honors in the PAC.

“I think there’s always room for improvement,” he said. “I think I performed well enough, but, obviously, I want to take the next step year after year like any other player does.”

Presidents coach Jeff Mountain said he has been pleased with Sante’s development. After getting over the shellshock of combining athletics and academics in college — common for freshmen, Mountain said — Sante adapted quickly and started all nine games of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

“He’s a mature guy. He just figured it out,” Mountain said. “I think he’s one of those guys who has the ability to be a five-tool guy. He can do all those things, and he’s a real smart player.

“He’s pretty tough on himself, a perfectionist, I would say. … But I think he has learned as he goes on how to deal with the pitfalls of baseball a little bit.”

That might be, but Sante hasn’t stopped working toward making those pitfalls fewer and further between.

As fine a season as he had in 2021, Sante led the Presidents in strikeouts, fanning 22 times in 86 at-bats. That has been an area of emphasis leading up to the 2022 season, which W&J was scheduled to open Sunday against Mount Union.

“Especially in today’s era, you see all the major leaguers trying to hit for power with a ton of strikeouts,” he said. “As college athletes, we don’t necessarily keep that same philosophy, so if I can cut down on the strikeouts and get the ball in play a little bit more, only good things can come from that.”

The Presidents are hoping more good things come from this season. They were picked to win the PAC in a preseason coaches’ poll, but Sante said the team aspires to bigger goals, such as the Division III World Series.

If W&J can get there, Mountain is certain Sante will be a big part of it.

“He’s kind of a unique guy, a unique skill set,” Mountain said. “He’s a bigger guy who moves pretty well. We need him to stay healthy because he’s a key piece for us for sure.”