Trapino powered R-B with arm, bat E.J. Tra

E.J. Trapino did not take many swings during his junior baseball season at Richmond-Burton and likely will not be doing any hitting next season at NCAA Division I Wright State.

That’s fine with Trapino, who gained high school and travel baseball notoriety, as well as earning his scholarship, through his left arm. Trapino made the most of one last season to get in his rips.

“We were playing Wheaton Academy in the [IHSA Class 2A Richmond-Burton] regional opener and they were pretty good,” R-B coach Mike Giese said. “They threw a kid (Trevor Swaney) who E.J. is going to room with in college. [Trapino] said, ‘All I want to do is hit a home run off of him.’ In the bottom of the sixth, he hit a two-run homer to get us the win. He’s capable of doing pretty much anything he sets his mind to.”

Trapino was again the area’s most dominant pitcher, although his hitting numbers also matched up with most of the area’s other top outfielders. For his ability to stop teams as a pitcher and ignite R-B’s lineup as leadoff man, Trapino is the Northwest Herald Baseball Player of the Year, selected by the sports staff with input from area coaches.

Trapino is the first R-B player to take the honor since Nate Roberts in 2006.

Trapino led the Rockets to a 27-10 record, a share of the Big Northern Conference East Division championship and their second sectional title in school history.

Crystal Lake South shortstop-pitcher Jordan Van Dyck, Prairie Ridge center fielder Jordan Getzelman and Dundee-Crown center fielder Jake Romano also received consideration, but Trapino’s effect in all aspects swayed the selection in his favor.

“I feel like we had a good year. I pitched as well as I could,” Trapino said. “I had a great summer and felt like I worked hard all winter. I knew everything was going well and knew it would carry over into the spring, and it worked out perfect for me.”

Trapino was 12-1 as a pitcher with an 0.77 ERA and an area-high 120 strikeouts, with 41 walks, in 73 innings. He also was an All-Area first-team choice last season when he led the area in strikeouts.

Giese had so many good hitters last season he used a designated hitter in most games for Trapino and Ray Wojciechowski. Trapino (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) knew the opportunity would be there to hit this season and worked out harder, adding 20 pounds. He hit .405 with four homers, 22 RBIs, seven doubles and a school-record 10 triples. He also stole 11 bases and scored 41 runs.

“He didn’t hit much last year, but he never complained about it,” Giese said. “He just did what we asked him and when the offseason came, he worked harder. When he plays, he plays with a chip on his shoulder. Whether it’s hitting or pitching, he wants to prove he’s the best person on the field that day.”

R-B’s players appreciated what Trapino offered every day.

“From the start, we all knew what E.J. would bring to the team for pitching,” shortstop Ryne Blanton said. “Once he started hitting, everybody realized he can be such a threat there too. In the outfield he had a great arm. He pitched and hit and stole bases. You can’t ask for much more.”

Early in the season, Trapino pitched as R-B defeated Crystal Lake South, 7-5. South went on to take a share of the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division championship. In the final week of the regular season, he threw 140 pitches to beat Burlington Central, 4-0, on his 18th birthday. That win helped R-B to a share of the BNC East title.

Giese, himself, cringed at the pitch count. But Trapino, who was not scheduled to pitch for another week, was insistent on finishing such a big game. He struck out 13, walked seven and left the bases loaded four times.

It was a rare moment of adversity – R-B’s 14-3 loss to Rock Island Alleman in the Augustana College Supersectional – that Giese will also remember. Trapino was hit the hardest he had been all season and was lifted after four innings. The defense committed seven errors.

“Character really comes out when things don’t go your way,” Giese said. “The defense fell apart and he didn’t yell or pout. He still high-fived the guys because we were a team. That’s hard when everything’s gone right all year. You don’t see that as much as you should.”