FAYETTEVILLE — Ugly is the word Jax Biggers used to describe Jared Gates. But he was talking about the palm of Gates’ right hand, not his batting swing.
The Gates swing is a thing of beauty - flat and short. It produces line drives to all fields.
But it wasn’t any good the first month of the season after the hamate bone (thumb area) of his right hand snapped in batting practice the week of the season opener in late February. The Wichita, Kan., Northwest product sat out until March 22, the game ahead of the second SEC series.