Being Adam Milanovich: pretty darn good

By MIKE KILROY Eagle Staff Writer

May 14, 2004 Last Updated: January 06, 2005 12:14 PM High School

Being Adam Milanovich.

It's been a pretty good gig this season.

Milanovich, a junior on the Union High School baseball team, has been putting up numbers that would make Barry Bonds jealous.

In 15 games, Milanovich is batting .470 with a school-record six home runs and 26 RBI. Those numbers have come in just 51 at-bats and in a lineup with little or no protection for him.

"He's the most intelligent hitter I've ever seen at the high school level," said Union coach Jeff Miller. "He can make adjustments during an at-bat."

Milanovich has struck out only three times and is hitting better than .800 with runners in scoring position. He has left just four runners on base all season.

"My mentality doesn't change with runners on base," Milanovich said. "Not at all. I'm always up there looking for a fastball in my spot. That makes it easier to lay off bad pitches."

Milanovich has even hit bad pitches - and hit them a long way.

The left-handed hitter's newfound power stroke launches the ball to center or right-center. He has even hit a few home runs to the opposite field.

That comes from patience at the plate and knowing what the situation calls for.

"We had a game against Clarion we were losing," Miller said. "He knew he needed to hit a home run and he set up to pull the ball. He studied the pitcher, knew what pitch he would throw in the sequence and pulled the ball down the line over the fence."

Milanovich, who is a career .401 hitter, already has more than 150 at-bats to his name in high school. He's had even more playing in the Keystone State Games and during American Legion baseball playing for Knox.

He will get still more at-bats this summer when he plays for a Palomino team in Kittanning that is scheduled to play 40 games.

Milanovich soaks up as much baseball as he can get. He remembers watching games with his father and trying to glean as many tips as he could from the pros.

"That's just something that starts when you are a kid," Milanovich said. "You watch the Yankees execute double cuts and that's the stuff you do at the high school level, too."

Behind Milanovich, Union is 9-6 and poised for a playoff appearance. But opponents are becoming wise to the threat in the middle of the order.

"My biggest concern is he doesn't have the supporting cast," Miller said. "He has to do a lot by himself. It's starting to happen now when teams with a two- or three-run lead are pitching around him."

When he does get a hit, it is going a lot farther.

Last year, Milanovich had 11 doubles and only one home run. This year, those doubles are turning into dingers.

"It was a little frustrating seeing the ball hit the wall or bounce off of it," Milanovich said. "I hit the weight room and got stronger."

Stronger is something Miller believes Milanovich will still get.

With another year of summer baseball under his belt and another year to mature, Miller has already begun to ponder the numbers Milanovich might put up next season.

"He may hit .600," Miller said. "His power numbers will grow a little bit. I just worry he won't get anything to hit.

"But Adam handles that very well. He's very good at keeping his emotions to himself. He can be fiery, but it's an under-control fiery."

That's just being Adam Milanovich.