When the College World Series ended late Tuesday night at Rosenblatt Stadium, Apopka High School alum Robert Beary bottled up handfuls of infield dirt from the historic site.

Moments before, Beary’s first season at South Carolina was capped off in a big way as he played a bit part in a Gamecocks rally that ended in a national championship, following an 11 inning, 2-1 win in Game 2 of a best-of-three series against UCLA.

It was the fifth time this postseason that South Carolina had to come from behind as the school wrapped up its first baseball title in program history.

Robert Beary

“Knowing that was going to be the last World Series there, people were asking me to bring them back some dirt,” said Beary. “I had to get some for myself, too.”

Although the CWS remains in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday’s game was the last to be played at the current location.

And Beary helped make it a memorable finale.

He scored the tying run in the bottom of the eighth inning after being called upon to pinch run at first base for Brady Thomas, who reached safely on a grounder. Beary then sped to second on a groundout to third and was soon tested by the Bruins pitcher, who faked a pickoff attempt in his direction.

Seven pitches later teammate Bobby Haney bounced a grounder off the glove of the UCLA first baseman, giving Beary all the time he needed to round third and cross home plate to even up the score. He would later strike out in his only appearance at the plate.

This type of outing was not uncommon for Beary, who throughout the season was selectively called upon when needed, as opposed to being the everyday player he grew up as in the past.

A regular in starting lineups throughout high school and over the past two seasons at Pensacola Community College, he says learning to keep his heartbeat in check and get his mind wrapped around each situation once he does hit the diamond, has helped broaden his repertoire as a player.

“That’s the fun part about it,” he says of the unknown. “It means a lot to be out there in a crucial moment.”

It also takes a lot of patience to hang around the dugout for your number to be called. Three games came and went before Beary made his third (final eight) CWS appearance in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game.

Against Oklahoma on June 24, he went 1-for-3 and scored a run in a 3-2 elimination game that went 12 innings. On June 20 he went 1-for-1 against the Sooners in a 4-3 loss that began double-elimination play.

Other than those outings, he was relegated to the roll of spectator as South Carolina defeated Arizona State, Clemson (twice) and UCLA on Monday. The uncertainty of never knowing when he’d get a chance to play on any given day could have taken its toll on the junior throughout the year.

“It’s a learning process,” he said of the change of pace that comes with hit-and-miss playing time. “It’s something you have to experience to learn from.”

Not that he had much of a choice since joining the Gamecocks. A severe wrist injury to his throwing arm nearly a year ago hindered the start of his initial season at South Carolina. He says the damage required the kind of ligament repair primarily reserved for Tommy John surgery on a player’s elbow.

The struggles to recover athletically were nothing compared to what he faced mentally. While working his way back into shape, two years removed from batting .426 with 76 RBI and 15 doubles through 51 games in 2008 at Pensacola, it seemed finding his timing and awareness were the least of his worries.

“My confidence was shot there for a while,” said Beary. “It’s a depressing feeling, knowing you’re good enough to play but not able to.”

But if he’s learned anything while growing up around a supportive family and a host of youth sports coaches from his hometown, it’s that you better be ready to go if ever called upon come game time. He takes the old “if we can’t outplay them, we’ll out-tough them” motto learned in his younger days to heart.

Beary managed to stay positive and keep his head above water thanks in part to the encouragement he received from back home. And it all paid off as the season went along.

Beary finished the year hitting .276 with 18 runs, 14 RBI, 3 doubles and 3 stolen bases in 44 games, 22 of which he started as a catcher and utility player. In 34 games of junior college baseball last year he hit .387 with 27 RBI and 10 doubles.

He’s now an NCAA National Champion, and it’s just beginning to sink in for he and his teammates.

Hard to imagine that of all the players and teams that navigate the ups-and-downs of a season – the obstacles from injury and hard work in practice – that only one is left standing to celebrate it in the end.

Must feel about as uninhibited as a kid playing in the dirt at one of the grandest parks of all.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –