Josh Gardiner was a 2011 graduate of Eastern View High School in Culpeper, where he was an AA All State player. He also played for the Virginia Cardinals through 2010 and for part of the summer of 2011 before reporting to Radford, where he has been a fixture in the lineup his first two years.
Amsterdam second baseman found a way to produce in the clutch
Saturday, August 10, 2013 - Updated: 4:08 AM
Dave Wojeski / For The Recorder 8/8/2013 Amsterdam Assignment Mohawks batter Josh Gardiner high fives teammate Christian Bartholomew after scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning during the deciding game of the PGCBL championship against Elmira on Thursday night at Shuttleworth Park.
By MICHAEL KELLY - Recorder Sports Staff
Standing all of 5-foot-8, second baseman Josh Gardiner stood out amongst the trees all season for the Amsterdam Mohawks.
That was never more on display than in Thursday night's 7-3 series-clinching win in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Championship Series. After grounding into a double play in his first at-bat, Gardiner singled in each of his next three trips to the plate, scoring each time on an RBI single from third baseman Brian Ruby.
It was no surprise, though, for the smallest of the Mohawks to come up big. Gardiner had been a rock for head coach Keith Griffin all season, playing in 44 of the team's 48 regular-season games before playing every inning of each of the team's six playoff games.
"He's been our best player, there's no doubt," said Griffin, Thursday. "He's been an absolute all-star."
Gardiner was left out of the PGCBL All-Star Game, having gone through a slump right before the votes were cast for the roster. But the second baseman rode a second-half hot streak -- at one point, he went 14-for-18 at the plate -- to finish with a .327 batting average and a team-high 19 extra-base hits.
The rising junior from Radford University said his main goal for the summer was a simple one.
"I just wanted to improve from my spring season," he said. "I just want to get better all the time, that's just how I am."
Shortstop John Sansone, Gardiner's double-play mate, said that determination was always evident.
"He just never quits," said Sansone. "He never backs down. He's always going at the pitcher and always going after the ball in the field. He's just aggressive."
Gardiner had to be that way for the Mohawks. Batting fifth in the lineup, Gardiner routinely followed a foursome of players from the ACC and SEC. Directly in front of Gardiner in the batting order was usually designated hitter Dylan Smith, who said Gardiner proved himself early and often this past summer.
"He's just one of the guys," said Smith. "When he gets out there, he works hard and goes about his business."
When standing next to each other, Gardiner and Smith were quite the sight, as the second baseman stood seven inches shorter and weighed roughly 60 pounds fewer than Smith. The DH from Auburn laughed when asked if he could ever remember a smaller player providing protection for him in the lineup.
"Nah," said Smith. "It doesn't matter how big he is, though. He gets the job done."
Like he did all season, Gardiner came through Thursday. His 3-for-4 night with a pair of stolen bases and three runs scored capped a season in which he finished in the top-four in every major offensive category for the Mohawks.
Besides wanting to continue to improve each day, the soft-spoken Gardiner said his season's success had helped him reach his lone other goal for the summer.
"I did want to show I should be with the big boys, too," he said.
