Milford native Avery now at home by the sea

April 29, 2016

By Lenny Megliola, MetroWest Daily News

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea …

That’s what Cathy Avery suggested to her son, Dan, when he was sizing up colleges.

He listened.

But first he checked one college that had a solid baseball program (he was a pitcher), and another known for its engineering program (he was interested).

Avery, from landlocked Milford, took his mom’s advice and is now a junior at Mass. Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, about as close to the sea as a campus can be.

Avery, a junior right-hander, has pitched well for the first-place (MASCAC) Buccaneers, and he’s also sailed the seas to Colombia, The Bahamas, Curacao, Miami.

The journey lasted 50 days. But it was more obligatory than scenic.

“We were only off the ship eight days,” said Avery. “It was not a vacation. But we learned a lot about (being) a merchant marine.”

Avery played football, basketball, and baseball at Upton-based Blackstone Valley Tech.

“I just liked playing sports,” he said, “but in high school I fell in love with baseball.”

Injuries blurred his career. He broke his wrist playing basketball, had surgery, and missed his entire freshman year of baseball.

There was success, though. In his junior and senior years, Valley Tech won league titles. His senior year was particularly memorable. Avery beat powerhouse Worcester Tech twice.

“I had those games circled on the calendar,” he said. “They had won about 20 in a row.”

Avery is both a starter and reliever for Mass. Maritime. He is 4-1 with two saves for the 17-11 Bucs, who began the week tied for the top with Salem State at 9-1.

He has struck out 81 in 82 innings. Following his 1-0 win over Salem State, Avery was named MASCAC pitcher of the week

“His presence and command of the strike zone are two of the biggest factors in his success, and it has contributed greatly to our success,” said Mass. Maritime coach Mike Kelley.

Avery beat Framingham State last weekend in Framingham, close enough to his Milford roots that family and friends could make it to the game.

“That was nice,” said Avery. “It’s a long drive for them to drive to the Cape for our games.”

“He’s one of the most focused pitchers I’ve ever seen,” said Kelley, son of Framingham State football coach and athletic director Tom Kelley. “When he takes the ball he has great confidence in himself and in his teammates behind him.”

A shoulder injury caused Avery to miss the second half of last season. Up to then, he was 2-0 with a save and a 2.01 ERA, topped off by a career-high 11 strikeouts in a win over The Coast Guard Academy.

The 6-feet-1, 185-pound Avery’s best pitch is the slider.

Whether starting or relieving, “I just want to get us back to the dugout so we can start hitting,” he said. “I just want to help the team in any way I can.”

Before choosing Valley Tech, he gave Milford High a glance, but chose a vocational school because “I work well with my hands.”

Avery was on the Super Bowl-winning Valley Tech football team his junior year. His older brother by six years, Josh, played all sports growing up, and Dan followed suit.

He’s on his own now.

“I’ve been extremely impressed by his poise and leadership,” said Kelley.

And Avery was impressed by the school’s high job placement record.

“A lot of schools don’t come close,” he said.

When Avery has time to spare “I go fishing with my dad (David). He’s brought me fishing since I could walk.”

But it was mom’s advice that steered Dan Avery to the sea. And he’s lovin’ it, on the water and on the mound.