Killian to miss rest of season

The Pioneers will have to play the rest of their 2003 season without the services of one of their most promising young pitchers.

Freshman Colby Killian will miss the rest of this year, after doctors diagnosed a stress fracture in his lower back.

Coach Jimmy Walker said the freshman hurler likely sustained the injury while swinging a bat during practice. The only treatment, he said, is rest.

“It’s pretty common,” Walker said of the injury. “I’ve heard of it happening before, but we haven’t had it happen around here. I hate that it happened, but he’s a freshman, so if he’s going to have something like this, at least it’s early where he’ll be able to come back and still have three good years with us.”

Killian had made one start this season, pitching against Coffee County on March 12 in Manchester. He allowed three hits and fanned three batters while taking a tough 3-2 loss.

Walker said Killian’s role may have been about to change.

“We were looking at him to pitch tournaments, stuff like that, and maybe looking at him becoming the closer,” he said. “But now somebody else is going to have to step up.”