How far the BGSU baseball team goes this year relies heavily on the performance of junior Alan Brech, or “Husky” as he is known as by teammates.

A third year starter, Brech is the anchor of the Falcons’ starting pitching rotation and is coming off his best season in college. Last year he was the first Falcon starting pitcher to earn first-team All-MAC honors since 2000 after finishing the season with an 8-1 record – including a perfect 5-0 mark in six MAC starts – and posting a 3.05 ERA. He also posted a career-high 68 strikeouts to lead the Falcons pitching staff in that category. He has lost just one game his entire Falcon career.

“He was our go-to guy last year,” said BGSU coach Dan Schmitz. “He’s going to be one of our main keys, no ifs ands or buts about it,” Schmitz said.

A consummate team player, Brech avoids setting personal goals.

“As far as awards and stuff I don’t have any goals,” he said. “I just want to go out there every game and let the team have a chance to win.”

His main focus is helping the team win the Mid-American Conference championship.

Brech is entering what may be his last season as a Falcon because most top college players enter the pro draft after their junior season, Schmitz said.

“He has been getting a lot of attention from pro scouts,” said pitching coach Tod Brown.

Playing in the majors is definitely “a dream and a goal” for Brech, but he is not letting the extra pressure get to him.

“It’s not really a distraction,” he said.

A product of Harrison High School near Cincinnati, a chance to play for the Reds alongside his favorite baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. would be nice, but he’ll be more than happy to play for “whoever wants me,” he said.

Someone teammates and coaches describe as “laid back” and a “jokester” off the field, Brech is a fierce competitor on the mound.

“He’s a dominating pitcher when his head’s right,” said Falcon catcher Mike Barnard.

Added Brown: “He’s one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever coached. “He’s a leader”with actions more than with his mouth.”

Brech attributes a lot of his success to his family.

Growing up the youngest of three boys, “I was always playing with older people, I was always the youngest kid,” he said.

His father agreed.

“He was always trying to play up to his older brothers’ level,” Steve Brech said.

Considering the level his brothers set, one can understand why Brech has been so successful. One brother plays college football and the other recently won the world championship in wakeboarding.

It was his Steve, however, that got him into baseball at age 5 and later into pitching. Steve was also his coach up until high school.

Thanks to his Steve, Alan has wanted to be a pitcher “ever since I can remember.” As soon as he reached the age when kids are actually allowed to pitch “my dad threw me out there and I really enjoyed it,” he said.

It’s probably the best thing that could have happened because “I never really could hit much,” he said.

Over the years Steve Brech has taught his son as much as he can about baseball and life in general.

“One thing I tried to teach him his whole life is confidence,” Steve said. “I just told him to work hard and be confident. I taught him you win with class and you lose with class.”

But for Alan, the losses don’t come often.