Kentucky baseball’s Justin Lewis honors late father with each trip to the mound

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Like every game since his father died unexpectedly on Oct. 8, 2015 — before Justin’s redshirt freshman season in college — he will leave Joe Lewis’ name on the UK ticket list and leave the seat beside his mother, Robin, vacant.

“It’s a comfort thing,” he said. “My dad was my coach from tee ball all the way up to high school. He was at every single game, never missed one — none. And even now, I know he’s still there whenever I pitch, watching over me, comforting me, smiling at me.”

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Notice Lewis looking under the bill of his baseball cap? He’s written a few of Joe’s favorite pieces of advice there: Don’t be afraid to pitch inside, throw strikes, limit walks, pitch with SWAG — Daddy.

Catch the 6-foot-6 sophomore right-hander kneeling behind the pitching rubber after he warms up? He’s spelling something in the dirt back there — D-A-D-D-Y — kissing his fingers and touching the word before he takes the mound and tries to make the man proud.

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