Hadley’s Beau Elson thriving in first year as Fordham University relief pitcher

Beau Elson couldn’t feel a thing.

The Fordham freshman and Hadley native nervously jogged out to the mound for his first-ever collegiate appearance in the Rams’ season opener – he had been called on to get them out of a jam in a 1-1 game in the fifth inning on the road against No. 13 North Carolina State. Elson had pitched in many clutch moments for Hopkins Academy and Phillips Exeter throughout his baseball career, but none on a stage like this. After a few warm-up pitches, the Wolfpack batter stepped into the box.

Elson wound up and threw. The ball barely made it to the plate. He received it back from his catcher, positioned himself back on the rubber and came to a set. After turning to check the runner at second and staring straight at the runner on first, the lefty delivered again. Same result.

Out came pitching coach Elliot Glynn.

“It was insane,” Elson said. “I was standing on the mound and I had no idea where I was. I had zero control over my body. My first two pitches went maybe 50 feet. Coach came out and calmed me down a little bit.”

Whatever Glynn said worked, as Elson forced an inning-ending ground out to keep the game tied. He finally settled down and went on to pitch two more innings in the game. It was a moment Elson said he would never forget, as in less than a full year he went from pitching alongside corn fields at Hopkins Academy to stepping on the mound in an ACC ballpark against a nationally-ranked opponent.

That initial shock has since exited. Elson has accumulated 32⅓ innings so far as a freshman. He has an ERA of 5.60 and a record of 3-2 in 13 appearances. He’s struck out 35 batters and opponents are hitting just .254 against him in 151 batters faced this spring.

In a similar moment to the one against NC State, Elson’s number was called in Fordham’s first conference series of the season on March 15. The Rams had defeated George Washington on Friday and were looking to start Atlantic 10 play with a series win. With the game tied 3-3 headed to the sixth inning, Elson relieved Fordham’s starter. This time, he was ready for the moment.

Elson went the rest of the way, throwing four shutout innings with three strikeouts, no walks and only two hits. It tied for his second-longest outing of the season and he picked up his second victory as Fordham went on to win the game, 7-3.

Since that first appearance against NC State, Elson has assured himself that he belongs – and he’s certainly proved it.

“I think it’s been important to understand and tell myself that I’m at the same level as these guys,” Elson said. “It’s fine when you’re off the field to recognize when a guy you’re facing is legit, but once you get on the mound and you’re throwing against these guys, you’re on the same level. I’ve tried to keep that same mindset I had in high school, just attacking guys and trusting my stuff.”

Elson earned his marquee spot out of the bullpen during practice back in the fall. He used those sessions as a chance to separate himself from others. Fall practice is a time to see who belongs, and where players will fall in the batting lineup or pitching rotation.

The most apparent adjustment had to be the amount in which Elson was throwing. Throughout high school, if he threw one day, he’d take the next day or two off. At Fordham he threw nearly every single day in the fall. Despite never doing that before, he thrived, and when he left for winter break Glynn told him the plans the Rams had for Elson.

He would come out of the bullpen as a long reliever, coming in during high-leverage spots on the weekends. Another adjustment to be made; Elson had started his entire career. His routine needed to change and it did. Now, Elson is thriving in his role for Fordham.

“I’ve never come out of the pen before, so I kind of had to learn how to do that,” Elson said. “I had to shorten up my routine, figure out what I need to do to get ready quickly. I cut out a lot of stuff, and change my mindset too. One second you’re sitting on the bench, and the next second you’re about to go in the game. You have to flip that switch real quick.”

At Hopkins last year, Elson grew extremely close with Golden Hawks head coach Dan Vreeland. Elson spent time at Phillips Exeter, but came back home for his senior season to play for Vreeland. He said he still keeps in touch with some of his former teammates and even a handful of guys still at Hopkins.

Elson heard from them that Vreeland follows him closely, so close that Vreeland can recite Elson’s stats off the top of his head.

“That team was great, just an awesome group of guys to play my senior year with,” Elson said. “Coach Vreeland was awesome, and one of my friends still on the Hopkins team says he has my stats at Fordham memorized, so it’s funny he’s keeping track of all that, too.”

Of course being from Hadley and growing up loving baseball, Elson watched countless UMass games with his dad, Gary. He desperately wanted to play in Amherst against the Minutemen, but the two teams’ series this year took place in the Bronx at Fordham. And since UMass will be moving to the MAC next season, he won’t get a chance to play at Earl Lorden Field unless a non-conference game/series is scheduled.

Regardless, Elson enjoyed every moment of his 4⅓ innings pitched – a season-high – against the Minutemen back on March 22. He struck out six in a Fordham victory that he’ll always remember.

“It’s too bad they’re leaving the conference,” Elson said. “I won’t get a chance to go home and play there. I still remember going to the games and sitting on the hill with my dad. So it was cool to be actually up there playing against them and see how far I’ve come.”