Considering the circumstances, Jalen Bowman was pitching his best game ever. His team was nine outs from reaching the Little League World Series and Bowman had just improbably scored from second base following Sam Buckley’s single into left field.
Bowman was not thinking about that or the fact he had just 90 seconds to warm up on the mound after the final out was concluded. Instead, Bowman immediately went to a teammate who was taking it hard after being thrown out following a baserunning mistake. Bowman put his arm around his teammate and offered encouraging words.
Then he went back out and finished a dazzling performance, throwing a complete game, striking out 12 and helping Oaks, Pennsylvania defeat Toms River, New Jersey Shore, 6-1 and reach its first Little League World Series. Bowman revealed his talent to a worldwide audience that night.
Those viewers also learned a lot about his character.
“Jalen is our leader. Those few seconds define Jalen,” Pennsylvania manager Ben Ludwig said. “You only get those 90 seconds to warm up and Jalen didn’t care. He was just thinking about his teammate. Aside from the 12 strikeouts, that shows you who Jalen is.”
The world witnessed Bowman’s act of grace that night, but those who know him best have seen similar actions his entire life. Bowman is a phenomenal talent. He is a five-tool player who runs like the wind, hits a ton and pitches great.
So maybe the ultimate compliment is saying Bowman is an even better person than he is a player.
“He’d be doing that if no cameras were there. To be able to go into the dugout and pick that player up was crucial. That boy was upset and Jalen felt that he had do what he had to do and that’s who he is,” Upper Providence Little League president Nick Buchanan said. “You would never know he has the talent he has if you just talked to him. He embraces younger kids in the program and talks to them and gets them hyped up in the dugout. He’s just a complete stud athlete and the best part of it is he’s the nicest kid and comes from a great family.”
“It’s the way they all kind of treat each other. He has no problem putting his arm around somebody trying to lift up their spirits and he’s doing that a lot more this season,” Jalen’s father Martin Bowman said. “We notice it and encourage it, but it’s all him. My wife and I look at each other and are like, ‘Wow, he did that.’ We love that.”
Martin and his wife Dje both ran track at Michigan, so Jalen certainly has some excellent athletic genes. But there is much more which goes into him becoming such an elite baseball player. Those watching the Series games in South Williamsport and who have watched on television see the finished product.
But for Bowman to reach the heights he has, he has paid the price. He is a relentless worker who never has grown satisfied. No matter how many accolades have come his way, Bowman remains hungry.
“He has the same routine whether it’s a rec league opening game or a championship game. I’d come to set up the field and he’s already there, running foul pole to foul pole and then stretching. He’s always ready to go,” Buchanan said. “His parents are great people and they raised him to just be who he is and not try to be something your not. He’s just very smooth, very fluid. I always love watching him play.”
So does everyone else associated with the Upper Providence Little League. And with Pennsylvania where it is now, that fan base has grown exponentially.
Just do not expect Bowman to ever take credit for the team’s success. He is the consummate team player. Ask him about his performance and Bowman likely will redirect his answer to highlight his teammates.
Make no mistake, though, Bowman is a major reason Pennsylvania is competing to become the country’s best team. He produced five hits in Pennsylvania’s first three Mid-Atlantic regional victories and also went 2-0 with a 0.62 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings. When not dominating on the mound, Bowman has excelled at shortstop, a position he started playing just last year.
“He can do it all and he’s the most coachable kid. He will do anything asked of him to help the team,” Ludwig said. “He’s the total package.”
And the bigger the game, the better Bowman often plays. His performance against Toms River was just one of many times Bowman has excelled when the pressure was highest. He also played a prominent role in helping Pennsylvania win five games in five days to capture the state championship after suffering an early tournament defeat. Bowman hit two home runs in the final, providing Pennsylvania both its runs in a 2-1 victory over Greencastle.
Pennsyvlania competes in a rugged District 27 and encountered an early challenge against Great Valley in the winner’s bracket semifinals. Bowman entered in the third inning of a scoreless game with the go-ahead runner on third and no outs. All he did was strike out the side and help Pennsylvania win 1-0 against a team which had a dominant pitcher throwing 75 miles per hour. So calm was Bowman against Toms River that he was blowing bubble game bubbles as he pitched.
“He called me after the (Toms River) game and I said, ‘between you and me, how nervous were you?’ and he said he wasn’t nervous,” Martin said. “I said, ‘come on, it’s your dad, so on a scale ‘1-10 how nervous were you? And he was like ‘3.” That’s great. He’s always been pretty cool under pressure.”
Like his teammates, Bowman has become a star and that will continue to rise at the Series. A hero’s welcome will great Pennsylvania when it returns home regardless of how the Series turns out.
Just don’t expect that to change Bowman. Win or lose, up or down, Bowman will continue being the best version of himself.
“I grabbed him after the (Toms River) game and gave him a hug and told him there’s some really cool things coming your way and you have earned every single thing you’re going to get,” Ludwig said. “I’m really happy for him. He’s pretty special.”
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Jalen Bowman is both a dazzling pitcher and leader for Pennsylvania - Williamsport Sun-Gazette
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