The most noise one may hear from pitcher Cade Medley during a game is the sound of his fastball hitting the catcher’s mitt.

The senior from Harvest started 11 games last season and finished with a 6-2 record with a 3.32 earned-run average, good enough to be named to the second-team All-Gulf South Conference. Medley said he hopes his performance continues to speak for itself this year.

“He’s a quiet leader, the way he works on the mound and off the field,” said head coach Mike Keehn. “He was that way as a junior also.”

Medley said he is more of a lead-by-example type of player.

“I’ve never been a real vocal person,” Medley said. “Usually I can come out here, start a game, do pretty well and show them how it’s done.”

This season Medley has continued his All-Conference play in just three starts with a 3.86 ERA and more strikeouts than innings pitched.

“His God-given ability to pitch the way he does is impressive,” said assistant coach Matt Hancock. “He’s just so consistent when he’s on the mound.”

Medley grew up in a baseball family, he said. His dad, David Medley, played baseball at the University of Alabama.

“I pretty much just grew up around baseball,” Medley said.

Medley, a sports management major, said if he cannot continue playing baseball after he graduates he plans on interning with the NFL.

“If baseball does not work out I plan on interning with the (Baltimore) Ravens and seeing where that takes me,” Medley said. “It’s something I have to fall back on.”

Medley thinks of himself as a hard worker not only on the field, but off the field as well. As a student athlete it can be difficult managing schoolwork with practice and games, but Medley said he has found the balance between both.

“From about 2 to 5 p.m. it’s 100 percent baseball, (and) then after that I jump on my schoolwork,” Medley said.

Fellow teammates said the most impressive thing he brings to the field is he always works hard and does what he is supposed to do on the mound and off of it.

“His hard work and dedication is impressive — he really wants to win,” said pitcher Brantley Claunch. “And we all do, but he really fights and shows his love for the game out there.”