Bynum’s bat looms large with homer, intentional walk in game

May 7, 2018

Scooter Bynum baseball

Scooter Bynum

Scooter Bynum of Fairbanks intimidated plenty of opponents in Alaska. Now the senior at Northern Illinois University is doing it in the Mid-American Conference.

Coaches at the University of Toledo opted to walk the former 18th-round MLB draft pick rather than pitch to him, a moved that paid off as Toledo won 6-3.

Earlier in the game, Bynum did most of the heavy lifting to help NIU built an early 3-0 lead thanks to his solo home run in the second inning and his speed in the fourth inning, when he walked, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly.

It was only last month that Bynum stole home and hit a home run in the same week.

And yet he’s not having a very good season.

His batting average is down, but his confidence is high after raising his average 24 points in the last three weeks.

He has three home runs this season and 12 for his college career – 5 with NIU and 7 with Arizona Western College.

Bynum, of Monroe Catholic High fame, is the newest member of the 200-hit, 100-RBI, 100-run club among college players from Alaska.