Morgan, WW-P South run streak to four straight
By: Bob Nuse
Don Hutchinson has the kind of baseball team at West Windsor-Plainsboro South this season that can beat anybody.
Of course, he also has the kind of team that could lose to just about anybody.
So far, the Pirates have been doing a lot of winning. They returned home from a week in Florida, where they split four games, to win two straight games and improve to 6-3 overall.
"We had a real good win against Hunterdon Central," Hutchinson said of his team’s 13-8 win last week. "It was one of those days when things just went our way. We got a couple of good breaks and we won the game. We were down, 8-4, with two outs in the fifth inning and we got seven straight hits to take the lead and win the game.
"We’re still going to have to fight for every win. We played Hightstown the other day and that was a game that could have gone either way. But we were fortunate to win. We’re the kind of team that could lose to anybody. But, I think the Hunterdon Central game showed that we could also beat anybody if we play well. That’s the way it will go for us this year."
The Pirates won two of three games before heading to Florida, then dropped their first two down south. But they have now won four straight heading into a game today at Steinert.
"Everyone is contributing in a different way," Hutchinson said. "That’s one of the things that was real rewarding about the Hunterdon Central game. We had so many different players contribute. It was a real team effort win."
One of those players is first baseman Andrew Morgan, who is one of the players that does the little things Hutchinson knows his team will need to do to win.
"Andrew has done a real nice job for us at first base," the WW-P South coach said. "He picks the ball out of the dirt nicely and has a good glove. He manages to get on base a lot. He has a lot of walks and he’s also a real good bunter, probably one of the better bunters we have.
"This is his third year with the varsity and he has been biding his time. He didn’t play much as a sophomore or a junior because he was behind Joe Huttner, but he’s been patient and his attitude has always been good. He’s a real good team guy who does what you need him to do and gets the job done. He plays with a lot of enthusiasm and I really like his approach to the game."
That approach has helped make this what could be a special season for the Pirates. Thanks to their quick start, they have every reason to be optimistic.
"As a senior, I’ve been playing with a bunch of these guys for a while," Morgan said. "We came into the season with high expectations. We were relying a lot on our pitching, and so far those guys have stepped up and done a good job.
"All of the teams seem pretty balanced this year. There is no one great team ahead of everyone else and also, there are no easy teams that you know you can beat. Everyone seems pretty close and it just depends on how you play that day. The key for us is our pitching. If they’re consistent, we can have a pretty good season. We’ll live and die by that."
Morgan, for one, feels the Pirates certainly benefited from their week in Florida. Not just because they were able to spend a week in good weather and play four games, but also because it helped bring the team together.
"This is our third year of going to Florida," Morgan said. "You could see before we went down that we were a kind of separated group with seniors and a bunch of underclassmen. But I think going down to Florida helped us come together."
Now, he’s just looking to do his part to make this a successful season.
"I had a couple of years behind Joseph (Huttner)," Morgan said. "This is supposed to be my year as a senior and I’m trying to do the best I can. I have not been hitting great, but I still try to work my way on base the best I can. I’ve had a lot of base on balls. We’ve been winning, and that’s the most important thing."

