One Bryant player who can look to Ryan Ward for inspiration is shortstop Jimmy Titus, the 2017 Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Year who was forced to redshirt the 2018 season after tearing his ACL during the first game of the season.
Titus (Stafford, Conn.) was back at shortstop for the Bryant opener in February, batting in the cleanup spot behind Ward. Titus came to Bryant as a big-name recruit out of a prestigious high school program (East Catholic High) and an even higher-profile travel team (EvoShield Canes). The two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year in Connecticut was the first Bryant freshman to start at shortstop since the team became a Division 1 program.
Titus tore his ACL when he slipped off second base against Arizona in the 2018 opener.
“As soon as it happened, I heard it, but I didn’t feel it,” Titus said. “When you hear something that loud and don’t feel anything, that’s your body telling you that you don’t want to feel anything. The ball was still live, and I just called out to the trainer. I don’t remember much until I got in the locker room.”
