Dylan Moore Is Almost Unfair On The Mound

You don't want any part of Dylan Moore on the mound right now. As a freshman, he was ice cold as a closer. As a sophomore, it's like he found the cheat code for a video game. It's not even fair.

Moore is only two years into his Ragin' Cajuns career, and he already possesses the university record for career saves. As a sophomore, he has seven saves and four wins in thirteen appearances, sporting a wicked ERA of 0.77 and holding opponents to a .095 batting average. He's expanding his role too, pitching longer and longer on the back end of games.

Even his Head Coach admits there is something special about Moore. It's not just his unorthodox delivery either. Tony Robichaux sees something deeper.

"Every pitch he throws, he throws it with every fiber in his body that he thinks you're out," Robichaux tried to explain. "From feet to fingertips, he believes you're out on this pitch, and he does it again on the next pitch."

Typically, it takes time for pitchers to tune out their tentativeness. That's not the case for Moore. He was thrown into the fire several times as a freshman, on the biggest of stages, and he never let the opponent see him sweat.

Instead of letting the game get in his head, Moore trusts his stuff and blows batters away.

"Most pitchers question their stuff. They make a pitch to the plate, then they want to run to the plate and protect it. Hitters will do that from time to time. They want to swing the bat then try to protect their swings," Robichaux tried to teach. As he eloquently explains, good things happen when you let it rip. "You got to throw down with reckless abandon sometimes."

Moore is throwing down, that's for sure, and he's delivering knockout after knockout.

Batters are just flailing at the plate against him. He has 31 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work, and he only gave up six walks in 74 at bats. Not only is he the Ragin' Cajuns' reaper in the 9th inning, he's pushing his death grip up earlier in the game.

With the emergence of other backend bullpen arms like Eric Carter, Jevin Huval and Reagan Bazar, Moore gets to go all-out when he reaches the mound. Coach Robe doesn't have to hold him back, in hopes of bringing him back on short rest. Now he can go more than one inning in tight situations, which means the door starts shutting before the opponent even has a chance to figure out what the hell Moore is doing on the mound.

Moore went almost four innings against Georgia Southern on Sunday, and there was plenty left in his tank. It's a luxury Robe could certainly get used to.

"He's not just a three out guy, and what's good is we don't have to save him," Robichaux says.

The most impressive thing about Moore's reign of terror is his consistency. He only allowed a run in two outings so far this season, and only seven batters were lucky enough to square him up for a hit. It's unfair to ask a batter to figure out his delivery with only one look, but that's what Coach Robe is forcing the opponent to do.

Moore is the type of weapon that propels you to a championship. His presence shortens the game for the starters, and he always gives the Cajuns a chance for a comeback if they find themselves down in the late innings.

His demeanor on the mound is that of an executioner. His victims typically know they're meeting their maker before the noose even slips into place. The batters box is the gallows, and there's nothing to save the hitter once he tightens the knot. All that's left once you see his face is the inevitable, swift justice of his hand as he makes the music stop.

When you see Dylan Moore, the game's already over. The best you can hope for is to go down with dignity.