Despite coaching change, Alliance native Gavin Bruni remains committed to Ohio State
In an age of college athletics where change has become even more frequent after the advent of the transfer portal, former Alliance standout left-hander Gavin Bruni remains committed to his original choice.
Following a sub-par first season in limited opportunities as a freshman on a team which finished 21-30, resulting in the firing of veteran coach Greg Beals, Bruni enjoys college life in Columbus and is challenged on becoming a better pitcher under new coach Bill Mosiello.
"I feel bad for Coach Beals, because we didn't have the type of season we wanted to have this spring, but I love it down there at Ohio State," said Bruni from his home in Alliance. "I have no plans on transferring. My goal is to become a better pitcher and help the team have a better record."
More: Alliance pitcher Gavin Bruni named to all-american team
Bruni, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 215 pounds — about 10 more than during his senior year at Alliance — saw sporadic duty for the Buckeyes in his first season, appearing in eight games, including three as a starter without recording a decision. He worked 9⅔ innings, allowing 10 hits and nine earned runs while fanning 13. Control, however, was an issue which hampered him. He walked 13, which played a factor in his 8.38 ERA.
Those numbers were a stark contrast to what he produced in his final year at Alliance, where he posted a 3-1 record and held opponents to a microscopic 0.19 ERA before his season ended prematurely when he suffered a broken arm.
"The college strike zone is different than in high school," Bruni said. "It's smaller and tighter, and I have to adjust. I need fill up the strike zone more consistently."
Alliance pitching standout Gavin Bruni ready for sophomore season with Ohio State
Bruni met with Mosiello, who landed his first collegiate head coaching job after spending his career as an assistant or associate head coach at eight schools, starting with Cal State Fullerton in 1991 and most recently at Texas Christian University, where he spent the last nine seasons (2014-2022).
Mosiello, who also served as an assistant at Tennessee (1993-94, 2012-13), Mississippi (1995), Oklahoma (1996-2000), Arizona State (2001-02), Southern California (2007) and Auburn (2008), with several stops in the minor leagues as a manager and hitting instructor before landing at TCU, carries an impressive resume.
"He coached at some great colleges, he's coached 90 players who've made the major-leagues, he's been everywhere and he's had a lot of success," Bruni added.
Bruni and the rest of Ohio State's returning players met with the new coach.
"He was intense which I think will be good for the program and good for me," Bruni said. "We talked for a half-hour. He didn't say that much about baseball. It was more of a personal meeting. The one thing [referencing baseball] that he said was his goal was to bring out the potential in all of us."
Bruni, who is majoring in Sports Industry, confided Mosiello's message is every Ohio State player, both veterans and newcomers, will be given a clean slate. Bruni's routine includes throwing three bullpens a week. His summer plans include participating in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a summer collegiate wooden-bat tradition-rich program founded in 1885 and located in Massachusetts.
"The league has a great reputation and I'll get a chance to pitch against some great prospects," Bruni said.
While Gavin Bruni focuses on improvement, Marlington graduate and Buckeyes' standout Zach Dezenzo looks to MLB Draft
Bruni is one of two Alliance-area players who played for the Buckeyes this spring. Marlington High graduate Zach Dezenzo, who became a starter his first season in 2019 and helped the team qualify for the NCAA tournament, had a breakout season this spring, recording a team-leading 19 home runs, 56 RBIs and 54 runs scored while posting a .319 batting average, third-highest on the team.
Dezenzo still has one year of college eligibility left, but he could be drafted in the July Major League Baseball Draft, based on his Ohio State season and what he shows while playing for the Mahoning County Scrappers in the Major League Baseball Draft League this summer. He belted three hits, including a double and home run during a recent 15-8 win over Williamsport at Niles.
"He doing great up there, just like he did for us," Bruni said.
Bruni, meanwhile, is focusing on college baseball and becoming more consistent, although there were times when he flourished this spring, striking out the side against Youngstown State in two innings of scoreless relief and also earning three starting assignments.
"The best I pitched was against Youngstown State, but the highlight was getting those starts, including one against Michigan State," said Bruni. "I just need to keep continuing to grow as a pitcher, which includes filling up the strike zone and helping us finish with a better record."
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Sophomore left-handed pitcher sees program on upswing under new coach
