Last year, he knew what the situation was going to be when he took the mound.
There would be nobody on base and the score would be tied at zero.
But in his first career collegiate appearance, Penn State pitcher Steven Hill toed the rubber with only one out and the bases loaded -- in the 10th inning of a tie game.
After going 8-1 with a 0.75 ERA as a starter last year at Colleyville (Texas) High School, Hill's role with the Penn State baseball team will involve coming out of the bullpen.
"As fun as it is to start," Hill said, "there's also a different sort of intensity that comes with relieving. When you come in, the cards are already on the table, the situation is there right in front of you, so it's kind of your game to win or lose."
And coming into that one-out, bases-loaded 10th-inning jam, Hill recorded two quick outs.
He went on to pitch 2.2 perfect innings and pick up the victory in Penn State's season-opening win.
Two days later, Hill pitched another three innings in relief, striking out six batters while allowing only one run.
"I don't know if we would have expected that many innings out of him this past weekend," coach Robbie Wine said. "But the big thing on my end is wondering who is going to show up out there and who is going to be intimidated, and all our relief pitchers showed up and answered that call."
The transition from starter to reliever was made a little more difficult for Hill because he could not throw off the mound as much as the other pitchers.
Instead of spending this past fall training with the baseball team, Hill was on a different type of playing surface -- the football field.
Though he did not see any game action, Hill spent the fall on the Penn State football team as a freshman quarterback.
"I didn't throw much over the fall, so it's not like I'm going to be throwing every day or anything," Hill said, "but [pitching] coach [Jason] Bell has done a good job of helping me keep my arm strong. So as far as throwing multiple days a week and not knowing exactly when my name will be called, I totally support it."
As he continues adjusting to his role as a middle reliever, Hill said he hasn't put much thought into the future in terms of once again becoming a starter in years to come.
For now, Hill said he just wants to stay in the rotation, even if it means coming out of the bullpen.
"I just want to be out there as much as possible and compete," he said. "That's what I love to do, so right now I'm all for pitching in this role.
