
DATE: Sunday, June 29, 1997                 TAG: 9706290100

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:   69 lines

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME TO BUILD PLAYER'S CONFIDENCE

In some ways, 1997 is a year Matt Meekins would like to forget. In others, it's a year he'll file in the back of his mind for future reference.

In 1996, Meekins, a Wanchese native, was on top of the world. He was a major part of the 2A state championship team at Manteo High School as a pitcher and third baseman. He was getting ready to play ball at East Carolina University.

Then came 1997 .

While running in the spring, Meekins sustained a stress fracture in his shin. He pitched just three innings all season. Worst of all, he didn't get redshirted, so his lost freshman season gobbled up a year of NCAA eligibility.

``I went from the top of the world to the bottom,'' Meekins said. ``It was bad but I learned a lot. My confidence was shot.''

Meekins has licked his wounds and returned to the site of his past glories to regain that confidence. And he's making a comeback this summer with the Outer Banks Daredevils, a team in its inaugural season in the Coastal Plain League.

As of Friday, Meekins was 2-0 on the mound with a 3.18 earned run average and 18 strikeouts in 17 innings of work. Although he has been pitching mainly middle relief, Meekins did have a start against the Wilson Tobs. He fared well, picking up the win in six innings of work.

Meekins is still working himself back into shape after a long period of inactivity. He wasn't able to run or throw until May 1.

``I didn't have my best stuff against Wilson. But the guys played great behind me,'' he said.

Kenny Meekins (no relation to Matt), coached Matt at Manteo High School, and is an assistant with the Daredevils this season. He credits Outer Banks Manager Jayson Nave with boosting Matt's confidence. Nave is an assistant coach at Old Dominion University.

``Coach Nave has put him in some tight situations. This has helped his confidence level go up,'' Kenny Meekins said. ``He also has the comfort of home where I and others have been on his side for a long time.''

He said he felt like Matt may not have been prepared for some of the things that freshmen face.

``It's a matter of `freshmanitis.' He was a little fish in a big pond,'' Kenny Meekins said. ``It brings you down to Earth. I tried to prepare him for some of it.''

After the Daredevils' win Friday night over the Raleigh Redwolves, Matt Meekins stood down the third base line at Coy Tillett Sr. Memorial Field and reminisced about the glory days at Manteo High School. At the same time, he contemplated his future.

``We will have a new coach at ECU and people are expecting a lot of things (ECU lost the conference championship to Richmond in 1996). Maybe he'll come in and give me a shot,'' he said. ``It's a different world. I hope to work my way into the rotation. Maybe I can swing the bat a little. Maybe he'll give me a shot at third base.''

For now, Meekins is home with the Daredevils.

``I love this league,'' he said. ``It's great. It's a great atmosphere. The fans have started showing up. It reminds me of being back at Manteo High School.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

BACK INTO SHAPE

Just over a year ago, Matt Meekins was part of Manteo High

School's championship team, but this spring a stress fracture

altered his baseball career. Now he's making a comeback with the

Daredevils. ``I went from the top of the world to the bottom. It was

bad but I learned a lot.''

Matt Meekins

Daredevils pitcher