“Maclean was always a fun-loving guy,” said Marc Marizzaldi, head coach of the Seton Hill University men’s baseball team. “There were two sides of Maclean, one side was the baseball side that he took really serious but he didn’t take life too serious, and he was always fun-loving and enjoyed all the friendships he had.”
Maclean (Mac) Maund, freshman business administration major, pitcher and first baseman for the SHU men’s baseball team passed away Jan. 25 as a result of a vehicle accident along Route 130, between Jeanette and Harrison City.
Jan. 26 a mass was held for Maund in St. Joseph Chapel.
“It was extremely difficult for our players, but I think it was also beautiful at the same time. Most of Mclean’s family was there and lots and lots of people from his high school were there,” Marizzaldi said. “Many student athletes, students and staff members from Seton Hill were also there. It was a fantastic tribute for Mclean during a very difficult time.”
Maund, a Penn Trafford graduate from Harrison City, Pa. was on the path to embarking on his first collegiate year of baseball with the SHU Griffins.
“Mac had a pure soul and was a joy to be around on and off the field,” said Michael Bryja, SHU graduate student with a B.S. in business administration with specializations in human resources and marketing and right-handed pitcher for the SHU Griffins. “His big smile was contagious, and he brought positive energy day in and day out.”
Maund’s lasting first impression on the SHU Griffins came long before he stepped foot onto the field as a freshman player.
“Even though he was a freshman, Mac had been coming to our baseball camps at Seton Hill since he was nine years old and ever since we joked with him about one day playing for Seton Hill,” Marizzaldi said. “Mac is somebody we have known for over ten years, so I just feel very lucky to have watched him grow up.”
Maund’s passion for the game not only touched Coach Marizzaldi but has also made lasting impressions on his teammates at Seton Hill.
“Maclean was a brother to me and for the team and his ‘impact’ was more of a blessing than anything,” said Luke Hudson, freshman global studies-human rights, peace, and justice major and outfielder for the SHU Griffins. “This sport was a part of him, he was a part of this sport, and he was a part of this team.”
“Mac’s competitiveness spirit was highly contagious and whenever he was on the mound, the guys behind him had all the confidence and trust in the world that Mac was going to throw strikes and use his defense,” said James Wrabel, junior cybersecurity major and in-fielder for the SHU Griffins. “In turn, we all wanted to make plays for him. It was fun playing behind Mac.”
Maund’s competitiveness carried through to his talent on the field.
“One thing that everyone recognized about him was his competitiveness. He was a fierce competitor,” Marizzaldi said. “Typically, freshman are a little bit hesitant but when you watched [Mac] on the field, you would have thought he was a senior the way he competed. He was fearless and everyone respected him for who he was and how confident of a player he was.”
“As one of the older guys on the team, I could tell there was something special about Mac from the first time he took the mound,” Bryja said. “He showed tremendous poise and maturity for a freshman. Within our program we have a great group of guys who work hard and bring out the best in one another. Mac inspired me and all of his teammates with his competitiveness, work ethic and love for the game.”
Maund, “who had aspirations of eventually becoming a professional player,” Marizzaldi said, was fortunate enough to play a few exhibition games in the fall of 2019. Maund faced three batters in his last outing as a Seton Hill Griffin and struck out all three.
“Mac striking out three batters? C’mon that was normal for him. But, to specify, his Lackawanna outing was insane,” Hudson said. “I’ll never forget the energy that you could feel as he went back-to-back-to-back. It was electrifying, powerful and straight-up dirty. His attitude and the way he carried himself that whole, maybe three minutes, of that inning and as he was walking off was awesome.”
“It was nuts. Throughout the fall, Mac was pretty much dominant in throwing strikes and getting hitters out, but this was on a new level.” Wrabel said. “I felt bad for the hitters that had to face him.”
Maund was unforgettable on the field and his admirable personality carried with him off the field. Maund had “a bright future ahead of him as a ball player but more importantly as a person,” Bryja said.
“Mac was a very genuine and friendly guy with a fun, lighthearted spirit,” Wrabel said. “If I ever needed a laugh, I knew I could always go to Mac because he would have something funny to say.”
“Mac cared about his life, his family, his friends and this sport more than anyone ever could. He was proud of that and we all could tell. It was admirable. He was one of the best listeners and he had a huge heart and always knew the right thing to say when I needed to talk,” Hudson said. “I could always count on Mac to hold me accountable for things on and off the field and he was always someone I looked to for comedy. He was one comical guy, and I’m going to miss that so much.”
In honor of Maclean, the SHU Griffins men’s baseball team will have a banner put up on the field and the team will wear patches on all of their uniforms this season.
“We are going to keep a very close relationship with his family since he was local, and we want to make sure his parents stay close with Seton Hill Baseball as well,” Marizzaldi said.
“I say to all that knew who he was and to all of you who were close to him…we all can agree he was too great to even explain,” Hudson said. “Not having him for the next three and half years playing next to me is going to be hard, but I also have the desire and responsibility to #playlikemac and I am proud to hold that, and we all are.”
Published by Caitlin Srager