The 2 aces leading nearly perfect Freeport baseball into WPIAL Class 3A playoffs
Freeport baseball has had the kind of season that has the Yellowjackets' faithful anxious to see what the team is capable of in the playoffs.
The 2026 campaign has included a 17-1 record and a WPIAL Section 3-3A title with an undefeated 12-0 mark. As the No. 4 seed in the WPIAL playoffs, Freeport will take on No. 13 Quaker Valley in the first round at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Deer Lakes High School.
Pitching has been in the middle of the team's success.
Leading the staff are starters Gage Blystone, a junior, and sophomore Owen Westendorf. They have worked 83.2 of 122 innings this season. Blystone is 7-0 with a 1.95 ERA, Westendorf 6-0 with an ERA of 1.72.
“Gage started 10 or 11 games for us last year,” Freeport coach Ed Carr said. “He has a three-pitch mix with a firm fastball, curve and a change-up that he's developing. He's confident, and when he's locked in he's as tough as anybody.”
Last spring, the Yellowjackets graduated Dustin Kohan, who pitched a no-hitter in 2025. But the team felt good about Blystone and Westendorf as a 1-2 punch on the mound this season.
“Owen got starting experience last year, too,” Blystone said. “We were confident that we could get the job done.”
According to Carr, Westendorf “is very poised. The world could be on fire and he wouldn't panic.”
Carr saw that trait in Westendorf last year and elected to start him on the mound, as a freshman, in a district playoff game against Waynesburg.
Now a year older, Westendorf is continuing to refine his game.
“I would say I'm similar to the pitcher I was last year, but my ability to spot the ball has improved,” he said. “I'm confident in the team behind me. I know if the ball is put in play, the defense will take care of it.”
Blystone and Westendorf are not power pitchers, combining for 74 strikeouts this season. Westendorf has walked just five batters in 40.2 innings.
“We're not worried about how many strikeouts our pitchers get,” Carr said. “Our guys need to get ahead in the count, and then force the batter to put their pitch in play.”
Ashton Bricker (3-1, two saves) provides valuable flexibility as a starter and reliever while Jeff Coller has saved three games.
The team's starting catcher, junior Trey Schreckengost, started as a freshman.
“He's been my catcher since I was 7, and we work really well together,” Blystone said. “He does a great job with Owen, the whole staff.”
Freeport's team ERA is 1.78. That, coupled with a team batting average of .354, makes the 'Jackets a very balanced team. Kason Barker, Schreckengost and Gavin Tola are all hitting over .400 for the season, and the 'Jackets are averaging nine runs scored per game.
“There are teams that are very strong in one area of the game, but we have a lot to fall back on,” Carr said.
Freeport was working on an undefeated season until a 4-2 loss to Valley in the regular-season finale Thursday.
“Our goal was to get one of the top four seeds, and we did that,” Westendorf said. “We knew a loss could bring us down a bit.”
But there is a silver lining to the defeat.
“We will now enter the playoffs without the pressure of being undefeated,” Blystone said.
“I like our mindset,” Carr said. “We have as good a chance as anybody.”
