Being a good teammate and rapping in the dugout are two things fifth-year senior Robb Miller believes the team will remember him for.

The Pipers’ baseball club concluded their season on Friday, May 9 at Carleton with a 15-10 win to catapult them to a 19-15 record, winning six of their last seven games.

“I think we started a little slow, but once we really came together we done a lot better,” Miller said. “Our defense, our pitching did a lot better towards the conference season. I’m thrilled that we’ve done well some games.”

Miller said one of his highlights this season was when he relieved in game two of their doubleheader against St. Olaf on May 3.

The Pipers were down 9-6 in the third inning with only one out. Miller was called into the game to relieve, and he pitched a shutout through nine innings to help the Pipers come back and win 13-9.

“That was one of the funnest games I’ve been in,” Miller said. “There was some crazy moments that I’ve never seen in baseball before that day.”

Miller explained he had to throw inside the zone for the majority of the game to adjust to the wind conditions.

“It was crazy wind,” he said. “You just had to be lucky where they hit it. I got lucky a few times.”

Miller was on the mound for 6.2 innings to pick up the victory.

“It felt good just to go out there every inning and throw up 0,” Miller said. “That’s probably the most innings I’ve pitched at Hamline, especially since my arm injury a few years ago.”

During the 2012 baseball season, Miller sustained a tear in his shoulder while trying different pitches in practices. Miller’s recovery required him to rest his shoulder, which ultimately caused him to redshirt and sit out the entire season.

“It gives you perspective when you have to sit out an entire year and watch everybody else play,” Miller said. “[The shoulder] has been [difficult], but I can’t complain. I’m just blessed to be able to throw again.”

Miller began playing baseball at the age of six. In a family of six kids, Miller and his four brothers would play baseball in the yard growing up. Their father would give them pointers as well, which was extremely helpful in the long run.

“My dad definitely knew about baseball,” Miller said.

Miller and his two older brothers continued to play baseball, but he was the only one who played on a college level.

“It’s just crazy that I’m the one that played college sports because they always seemed so much better than me,” Miller said.

Something that brought Miller’s career full circle was when he relieved at the 2011 MIAC Championship game hosted in his hometown, Minnetonka. The game was even at the same ballpark where his high school baseball team played, so it was great for him to get back on that field again.

Miller had pitched for 3.1 innings and surrendered only one run during his time on the mound. The Pipers went on to beat the St. Thomas Tommies that night to win the MIAC Championship and Miller recorded the win.

“That was a great feeling. It was in front of my high school field in front of my home fans,” he said. “We all celebrated hard and enjoyed the moment.”

Although the Pipers haven’t made the playoffs since then, Miller is grateful he’s been able to play the past two years after his shoulder injury, as the injury had taught him a valuable lesson.

“It’s just a game and every time I get on the mound it’s a blessing,” Miller said. “Before I pitch I always tell myself I’m thankful I can even be here, no matter what happens. Sometimes it works out, sometimes I blow the game; but it’s all a game, it’s fun.”

Miller said baseball has also taught him numerous lessons that will last beyond his days stepping on the mound for the Pipers. He said learning to work with others, understanding roles and tasks, and looking ahead are skills that will help him in the work setting.

As Miller moves on from Hamline University baseball he thinks there will be a couple of things the team will remember him for.

He mentioned the game where he threw to first base 10 times when a runner on first base was lurking to steal second.

“We had our dugout screaming at the guy and their dugout was screaming at me; and fans were screaming both ways,” he recalled.

Miller said the team will also remember him for his personality.

“They’ll probably say ‘he’s that rapper guy,’” Miller said. “They’ll probably say, ‘he was a quiet guy, sometimes funny, sometimes a little weird,’ but that’s fine because that’s what I am. But hopefully they’ll say that I was a good teammate, a good team player who represented the program well.”