Ben Suit’s future in baseball will be as a starting pitcher.

The former Catholic High standout’s transformation back to that role after spending the spring coming out of the bullpen for LSU-Shreveport is the task he and LSU-S pitching coach Chris Bertrand are undertaking this summer with the Alexandria Aces.

It’s a lengthy process, given that it’s been two full years since Suit has been a regular starter. A first-team All-District and Daily Iberian Best of the Teche selection at CHS, Suit spent a redshirt season as a walk-on at UL-Lafayette before being released just prior to the spring semester.

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But hard work is not something Suit fears, said Bertrand, who is the Aces’ pitching coach this summer. Alexandria is in its first year in the wood-bat Texas Collegiate League.

“I guess the first thing that really caught me when he got to our campus was his work ethic,” said Bertrand. “Nobody works harder than him, be it in the weight room or on the field or wherever.”

The Pilots had plenty of starting pitchers this year, so Suit pitched in relief.

In 11 games, with only one start, Suit had a 3.77 ERA, going 1-0 with five walks and 11 strikeouts. His 141⁄3 innings were not a big number, but still considerably more than what he’d gotten for the Cajuns in a year and a half.

“Turning him back into a a starter after 24 months was about getting his stamina back,” Bertrand said. “He had 83 pitches his first start and was over 90 in his last three starts. We’ve really driven up his pitch count.”

Though Suit had only a 1-2 record heading into a weekend road series against the McKinney (Texas) Marshals, but the wins and losses are deceptive given his 2.19 earned-run average, third on the team, and 18-8 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. Opposing hitters are batting .256 against him over 242⁄3 innings, the third highest number of innings pitched on the team.

It’s been a good experience for Suit.

“I’m really enjoying being up here and playing in the wood-bat league,” he said.

“He’s pitched extremely well, but for me the biggest thing about the summer for him was getting his body physically adapted to starting again,” said Bertrand. “He spent a redshirt year, a fall where he did not get a whole bunch of work on the mound, then he came out of the bullpen for us.”

Bertrand said he’s told Suit not to concern himself with the results on the scoreboard. Instead, he’d like for the 19-year-old right-hander to concentrate on his goals �” learning the game, pitching well, driving his pitch count up and putting the team in a position to win.

“The biggest thing we’ve tried to imprint upon him is (with a good start), not only do you improve but you put the team in position to win,” said Bertrand. “He has done that in all four starts.”

Though the Aces are only 7-14 and are last in the TCL standings, Suit thinks Alexandria can rally the rest of the season, if it can get timely hitting, he said. “Pitching’s been pretty good.”

Suit said that pitching in a wood-bat league is more forgiving than in high school or college, where aluminum bats give batters a big advantage.

“You have a lot more room for error,” said Suit. “If you make it mistake it doesn’t bit you in the butt. It helps you pitch.”

And Suit continues to show the dedication it will take to be successful in college, said Bertrand.

“His work ethic between starts is great,” said the coach. “He’s taken it upon himself to really transform his body. He’s working hard seven days a week. That says a lot about his character.”

With 56 games in 67 games, at one start every five games, Suit will have plenty of opportunities to work on some mechanical issues he and Bertrand would like to improve upon.

There was nothing glaringly wrong with Suit’s mechanics, said his coach, but there are things he can do that will help him throw harder and save his arm from a health standpoint by reducing physical stress.

“We’re trying to make mechanical adjustments to help him,” said Bertrand.

After he was given his release by the Ragin’ Cajuns, who did not have enough roster spots available to keep him, Jerry Martinez, who coached Suit during the summers with the Louisiana Legends baseball team, gave Bertrand a call. Though he hadn’t seen Suit pitch much since his high school days, Bertrand took the recommendation from his friend Martinez and brought Suit to LSU-S.

Now he’s working to help Suit become a starter again.

“With his body type and pitching style, I don’t think it’s in his best interest to be a reliever,” said Bertrand. “It’s an effort to transform him back into a starter, and for the next three years he’s going to compete to be a starter for us (at LSU-S).”