Pitching could rule the roost

By MIKE KILROY Eagle Staff Writer

March 27, 2010 Last Updated: March 27, 2010 12:34 PM High School

Butler pitcher Zac Sessa has one of the lively arms that could make its mark on Butler County baseball in 2009.

Baseball coaches at all levels have known it for years.

Hitting is exciting. Hitting is fun to watch.

But pitching puts the ticks in the win column.

That incontrovertible fact is no different this year on Butler County area diamonds.

"As long as our arms stay healthy, we have as good a chance as anyone to win a whole lot of games," said A-C Valley coach John Irwin, whose staff might have the most electric arms in the area.

Junior Allan Eaton didn't pitch much last season because of injuries, but he made the most of his time by striking out 27 batters in 12 innings. Irwin is hoping to see the workload of his 6-foot-6 ace increase this season.

The Falcons also can turn to 6-5 Reed Terwilliger and Blayne McGuirk, who pitched sporadically in 2009 but has the stuff to dominate.

Another team with a deep staff is Grove City, which returns senior Randy Risch — last season's District 10 Pitcher of the Year.

"He's a solid, solid pitcher," said Grove City coach Pat Forese, who has seen his fair share of dominating hurlers in his 22 years of coaching. "He has three good pitches, he mixes them up very well and he throws strikes."

Pitching led the Eagles to the District 10 championship and to the PIAA quarterfinals in 2009. Most of it returns.

"Pitching and defense," Forese said. "We have four kids who are all real solid pitchers."

• Coach: Dave Florie, fifth year• Last year: 13-9, WPIAL semifinalist• On the hill: Zac Sessa (senior), C.J. Miller (senior), Tyler Slepski (junior), Vinny Schmidt (junior), Colin McKee (sophomore), Ryan Fennell (senior), Mickey Fennell (sophomore), Joe Malardie (senior), Cody Pilarcic (senior), Bobby Swartwout (junior), Alex Zeigler (sophomore)• Heart of the order: John Crummy (senior, C), Cody Herald (junior, SS), Ryan Fennell (1B), Swartwout (IF-OF), Roman Bargo (senior, IF)• The skinny: Florie must replace the middle of his defense, but the veteran coach said he believes John Crummy (catcher) and Cody Herald (shortstop) can go a long way toward making that task easier."A strong middle is the key to any team," Florie said. "There's no doubt about that."

• Coach: Eric Semega, 10th year• Last year: 11-7, WPIAL quarterfinalist• On the hill: Chris Dorogy (senior), Tyler Budisky (junior), Matt Smith (sophomore), Justin Stanger (junior)• Heart of the order: Mike Hughes (senior, OF), Jake Double (senior, SS), Brad Johnson (senior, 3B)• The skinny: Another year, another slew of question marks.The Raiders answered many of them last year on the way to a WPIAL playoff berth and first-round victory. In 2010, the questions are circling the pitching staff."We have good arms and a good staff, it's just a matter of them being able to handle the pressure," Smega said.

• Coach: Curt Schnur, 11th year• Last year: 9-11• On the hill: Cullen Hinderliter (senior), Nate Junk (junior), Sam Stone (senior)• Heart of the order: Stone (1B), Hinderliter (1B-DH), Andrew Wirtz (senior, 2B), Dale Gallo (senior, LF), Robert Zanella (senior, RF), John DeWalt (senior, SS-C), Zane Voltz (senior, 3B), Marcus Cashell (senior, LF)• The skinny: The Knights return eight of nine starters from last season."We have two solid pitchers and we're hoping for some big things this year," Schnur said.Knoch also will play their home games at historic Pullman Park — a definite home-field advantage for the Knights."The most important thing is the kids love it," the coach said.

• Coach: Brian Hobaugh, second season.• Last year: 4-15• On the hill: Tyler Dean (junior), D.J. Delucia (senior), Andrew Rusch (senior), Kevin Shebek (junior), Nick Bushee (junior), Nick Comport (sophomore)• Heart of the order: Luke Gruber (senior, OF), Ryan McKenzie (senior, CF), Dean (SS, 2B), Adam Kelly (senior, C), Jeff Quail (senior, 3B)• The skinny: The Planets posted a .190 team batting average and Gruber was the only regular in the lineup to bat better than .300.The pitching is there. If the hitting improves, Mars could make some noise."You win by putting the ball in play and make the other team make plays," Hobaugh said. "We didn't do that nearly enough last year."

• Coach: Chris Graczyk, 10th year• Last year: 7-5 in the section• On the hill: By committee• Heart of the order: Ryan Siegel (senior, OF), Ricky Francart (senior, IF), Jared Mancine (senior, IF)• The skinny: With no dominant arm on the staff, the Yellowjackets will take a unique approach this season: pitching by committee."We'll go three or four innings with everyone," Graczyk said.That doesn't mean Freeport has resigned itself to a rebuilding season. Quite the contrary."No excuses," Graczyk said. "I want to win the section as much as our players do. I'm going to hold them up to that same measure."

• Coach: Travis Twentier, first year• Last year: 8-8• On the hill: Derek Sadowski (sophomore), Patrick Foster (senior), Ethan Williams (sophomore), Brian Best (junior)• Heart of the order: Zach Barney (junior, C), Brad Fuhrer (junior, 2B), Eric McCue (senior, CF/OF)• The skinny: Led by Sadowski, the Gremlins have the potential for a solid pitching staff, but first-year coach Twentier said there still are many unknowns."As long as we get better game by game, we will be in the playoff hunt," Twentier said.

• Coach: Ross Martin, fifth year• Last year: 8-7• On the hill: Zach Wheeler (senior), Jeremy Ritz (senior), Mike Saper (senior), Heath Lominski (junior)• Heart of the order: Lominski (C), Tony Campbell (senior, CF), Wheeler (3B), Brandon Bonzo (senior, SS)• The skinny: The Warriors were one strike away from a District 9 title last season before losing on a pinch-hit, two-out, two-strike double to Redbank Valley.That heartbreaking loss has motivated the Warriors."It was there directly following that game," Martin said.

• Coach: John Irwin, fourth year• Last year: 4-8• On the hill: Allan Eaton (junior), Reed Terwilliger (senior), Blayne McGuirk (junior), Logan McNamara (sophomore)• Heart of the order: McGuirk (C), Eaton (1B), Matt Bartley (senior, 2B-SS)• The skinny: The Falcons are poised to make that disappointing 4-8 season a distant memory.Eight starters return, including McGuirk, who batted .580 with four home runs and 18 RBI as a sophomore."It should be a good year," Irwin said. "I feel pretty good, as long as our arms hold up."

• Coach: Doug Kriebel, third year• Last year: 7-8• On the hill: Ron Cary (senior), Trent Corle (junior), Richie Corle (junior), Taylor Smith (sophomore), Brennen Bliss (senior)• Heart of the order: Trent Corle (3B), Richie Corle (C), Cary (SS-3B-2B), Scott Booth (senior, 2B)• The skinny: Like the other teams looking to make a splash this season, the Golden Knights have a promising pitching staff."I have more pitching than I've had in most years," Kriebel said.

• Coach: Glenn Sharrar, first year• Last year: 4-15• On the hill: Andrew Geraltowski (sophomore), Sean White (sophomore), Matt Corner (senior), Connor Hogue (sophomore), Mitch Robinson (freshman)• Heart of the order: Corner (SS), Tyler Little (junior, C), Sam Furrh (sophomore, CF), Chris Benninger (senior, OF), Zach Schrieber (senior, OF)• The skinny: Sharrar's task is to coax wins out of an inexperienced pitching staff and lineup."We have a very talented team, but we're still real young," said Sharrar, who is the Rockets' third coach in three seasons.

• Coach: Pat Forese, 23rd year• Last year: District 10 champions• On the hill: Randy Risch (senior), Jeff Revesz (junior), Jason Revesz (junior), Jon Anderson (junior)• Heart of the order: Alex Miklos (junior, OF), Anderson (SS), Jeff Revesz (C), Jason Revesz (1B)• The skinny: With their pitching staff largely intact, There is little reason to believe the Eagles can't repeat as District 10 champions."If things go well and we do what we are supposed to do, we will be very competitive," Forese said.