Baseball Notebook: Local ballclubs hope fast starts lead to strong finishes

It’s certain the area baseball coaches whose teams have raced out to solid if not outstanding starts to the 2022 season would trade a winning streak of any length in March and April for a seven-game winning streak during the postseason in May.

However, all are evaluating strengths that got them to those marks and the weaknesses that could cost them down the stretch.

Crusaders cruising

“The whole key to all this is that while it’s great to start out this way, what really matters is how you finish,” Marquette coach Todd Hopkins said. “We’ve all done this for a long time, and we know that what matters is the end. That’s when we want to be playing our best.”

The Crusaders, who this year return to Class 1A after two pandemic-struck seasons in 2A, are off to yet another strong start, winning their first 15 games, with three of those wins in the Tri-County Conference.

With a pitching staff led by juniors Taylor Waldron, Aiden Thompson, Logan Nelson and Carson Zellers and freshmen Sam Mitre and Julian Alexander, and a batting order paced by twins Beau and Brady Ewers and Hayden McKenna, the Cru are working past an injury to starting second baseman Tommy Durdan, who could return in a few weeks.

They are battle-tested, with wins over Chillicothe IVC at Jacksonville, plus Prairie Central, Kankakee McNamara, Aurora Christian, Yorkville Christian, Eureka and home and away decisions over Roanoke-Benson. It will be challenged further by the TCC’s Seneca and Putnam County twice each, as well as Somonauk, Streator, Joliet Catholic and Benet Academy.

“We’ve had a pretty tough schedule for a 1A team, and it’s gonna get tougher,” Hopkins said. “We’re playing decent right now, but we have a lot to improve on. We have to get better in the bunting game, the running game, putting the ball more in play no matter what with two strikes, cut our swings down and making the defense make a play. Our pitching has been very solid, but we can always work on throwing more first-pitch strikes.

“The thing about this group is that they all get along pretty well with each other ,and they like to compete, and those help.”

Bulldogs bullish

The Streator Bulldogs also have started well, undefeated in six Illinois Central Eight Conference contests and 10-3 overall. The latter includes Saturday’s 7-6 victory over a 15-2 Washington team, a decision that could provide large dividends when it comes to postseason seedings, as will results from future games with Metamora and Chillicothe IVC, should the Bulldogs go south again.

Coach Beau Albert attributes that start in large part to the team’s pitching, which he admitted was a question mark after the graduation of Payton Benning and Mason Telford from last year’s 3A regional champions.

“I basically had two juniors, three sophomores and a freshman who got to play last year, so we had some experience coming in, and I knew they were going to hit,” Albert said. “But with our two best pitchers graduated, we needed to have kids step up. We had to see what Christian Benning, Parker Phillis, Adam Williamson could do on the mound this year, and so far they’ve done a great job, along with a few newcomers to the varsity, like Jake Luckey and Cole Martin. They’ve done a really good job, too.

“Add to that the fact that the 1 through 6 hitters have really been stroking the ball well, especially Sean McGurk and Brady Grabowski, that we’re scoring runs gives those pitchers more room to challenge the batters and let the defense work for them.”

Pirates prospering

The Ottawa Pirates also are on an upward swing, their record now 10-2 after a victory over Indian Creek on Saturday. While first-year head coach Tyler Wargo’s team is 4-0 in the Interstate 8, it faces a tough challenge with three league games this week, two against Kaneland and one with rival La Salle-Peru on Friday.

“The start is a product of who our guys are and how they’ve carried themselves to this point,” said Wargo, whose team saw all nine spots in the order score at least one run in a 15-5 win over Sandwich on Thursday. “They’ve shown, even with limited time outside, they’re disciplined enough to get the work in and work hard inside. Now that they’re getting outside, the bats are getting up to speed in spite of the cold. Our pitching has been solid too. I knew we would be tough if we’d throw strikes, because we have a good defense behind them.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Jack Olson. This year, he’s been a great senior leader for us, a good player and person who’s showing the younger guys how to approach the game, and he’s gotten off to a good start on the mound as well.”

Bobcats booming

Not to be overlooked, the Somonauk Bobcats moved to 6-0 in the Little Ten and 9-2 overall behind Jaylen Dion’s two-hitter Friday morning at Earlville. However, the Bobcats have a tough one coming up at home Wednesday with fellow league unbeaten Hinckley-Big Rock.

Dion was not overpowering, but mixed his pitches well to strike out eight Red Raiders. The middle of the order was solid, led by No. 2 hitter Brendan Roberts reaching four times, once on a triple and three runs scored and No. 3 hitter Payton Wyant’s two hits and three RBIs.

But another key was help from the bottom. Carson Bahrey and Carter Andrews, the Nos. 7 and 8 hitters, reached base seven times in eight plate appearances. That kind of depth in the order will help immensely as Somonauk looks to return to the top of the Little Ten standings.