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Max Effort: Lake Travis Product Max Garner Beats The Odds At Baylor

Updated: Thursday, June 14 2012, 11:27 PM CDT
This season, while running away with the Big 12 title, the Baylor baseball team won 24 straight games.  The Bears earned the number four national seed in the postseason and were supposed to make it to the college world series.

However, last weekend, when Arkansas upset BU in the NCAA Super Regional, the Bears found out that not everything always goes according to plan.  Baylor closer Max Garner learned that lesson much earlier in his career.

"It was the first time in my life that I was really scared of something," says Garner, a junior pitcher for the Bears.

Following his freshman season in Waco, the Lake Travis High School product had lost ten miles per hour from his fastball and knew something was not right.  After countless tests and doctors visits, Garner was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. 

Instead of facing Big 12 batters, Garner was staring down a complicated surgery.

"When they remove your large intestine, it's usually a four month ordeal," said Garner.

A trip to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota got Garner on the proper medication and avoided surgery, but his battle to get back on the mound was still uphill.

Danny Franklin, Fitness Coordinator at the World of Tennis in Lakeway, was saddled with the task of turning a now 145 pound patient back into a Big 12 pitcher.

"I hadn't seen him in more than a year," said Franklin.  "When he walked in, I was shocked at how skinny he was.  We had to start at the beginning."

Garner's disease forced him to leave school on two separate occasions and redshirt the 2010 season.  In all, Max dropped 50 pounds, but he never lost his desire to pitch.

"He was serious," said Franklin.  "We would work out two to three hours a day, six days a week.  He said 'I'm in remission, let's do this. These are my goals.’"

Max returned to Waco in the fall of 2010.  Last season, as redshirt sophomore, Garner threw 49 innings.  This year, the junior was named 1st team All-Big 12 after leading the conference with ten saves.

"I've got a different perspective on things now," said Garner.  "Throwing a good pitch over the plate to a good hitter isn't as hard, after you've had to work yourself out of the hospital."

So while Garner would rather be in Omaha this weekend with his teammates for the College World Series, compared to where he was this script didn't turn out so bad.

"I've never had as much fun playing baseball," said Garner.Max Effort: Lake Travis Product Max Garner Beats The Odds At Baylor