By: Neil Hay
You can never have too much pitching. And that is what the Peddie baseball team has right now.
For that matter, you can never have too much hitting either. Those luxuries have helped the Peddie baseball team reel off a five-game winning streak and an 8-2 record.
First the arms. Treese is making use of a deep and talented squad that includes solid starters and other pitchers who can step in and provide good innings in a pick-me-up role.
Since Peddie dropped a tough game to Steinert, the locals have strung together wins over Hill, Princeton Day School, Blair, Mercersburg Academy and Hill again. In the first win over Hill on April 16, for example, Tom Hill pitched what Treese called "a real good game" as Peddie won, 7-3. Hill was also on the winning side Friday as Peddie outslugged Mercersburg Academy, 16-11.
"We didn’t count on (Hill) being as solid as he’s been," admitted Treese. "Since spring training he has pitched well. Last summer he had a good season pitching Legion. Every once in a while he has a rough inning. But once he gets his rhythm he pitches well."
Another one who has helped is Larry Hinkle, of whom Treese said, "Hinkle has been giving us some very good innings. He kept PDS off balance," referring to Hinkle’s solid outing in Peddie’s 8-2 win on April 18. Hinkle also came on in relief of Hill against Mercersburg Academy last Friday, getting the last out to end the fifth inning before turning it over to another reliever, Randy Forrester, who worked the final two innings. Pitchers like Forrester, Kyle McClure, Karl Johnston and Chugger Lacasse, in limited relief roles, have come on to get important outs and give Treese more options than he otherwise thought he had.
Then there is Kyle Damm, who threw a three-hit, 11-strikeout complete game win as Peddie blanked Blair, 6-0, on April 20. Damm already has two shutouts and pitched very well in the loss to the Spartans. Said Treese, "Kyle has thrown three very good games. He’s challenged himself to take on more for himself as a senior."
Looking at his staff, Treese said, "I have a lot of confidence in the guys. I have a lot of guys who can fill a role, throw strikes and want the ball. Lacasse, Johnston, McClure are all able. I didn’t think I’d have this many quality arms. It’s a real bonus."
Having a team that can also swing the bats is a bonus of another kind. In the Falcons’ win at Mercersburg Academy, when the pitchers were roughed up some, the hitters delivered 19 hits to power the victory. Jamie Muni had two home runs and three runs batted in, and Lacasse added a home run and three RBI. Ryan Bowes was a perfect 5-for-5 with a double. Bill Canady had three singles, three ribbies and three stolen bases. And Shawn Johnston and Pat Sandman each had two hits.
Peddie needed all the offense it could muster. Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Mercersburg Academy scored seven times in the first off Hill. After that Hill settled down and kept the home team pretty much under control. The Falcons answered in the top of the second with eight runs for a 9-7 lead after two innings. The lead was extended to 11-8, then Mercersburg Academy closed to 11-10 before the Falcons added five more in the sixth.
"It’s the best we’ve swung the bats all year. We hit the ball very well. We needed it. Up to then we hadn’t hit the ball that well. We were leaving a lot of men on base. We are doing enough to score runs. We’re are pitching well and playing good defense. And we are taking advantage of the other team’s mistakes."
But Peddie topped that the next time the team took the field, Wednesday at the Hill School. It must have looked like home run derby as Peddie unloaded for 20 hits, including seven home runs in a 22-3 lopsided win. Hinkle picked up the win with four innings of work (Hill chose not to bat in the bottom of the fifth), allowing six hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
The story of the day was the hitting explosion by the Falcons. Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit. Colin Aldridge had three hits and four runs batted in, Shawn Johnston (four RBI) and Sandman (double, two RBI) each had two home runs, Bowes (triple) had three hits and two runs batted in, Muni (home run) three hits and two RBI, Lacasse a grand slam home run, David Wysocki and Karl Johnston each had a double, even pinch-hitter Mario Fiorintini had a three-run home run.
"I had no idea it would be like this," said Treese. "We just hit the ball. I don’t know what the guys are eating. We just had great swings (Wednesday)."
Too bad the Falcons could not save some of this production for another day, oh, the next time they face Hun’s Steve Garrison, for instance. Still, the players were excited and happy on the bus ride back to the Peddie campus.
"It made the trip more enjoyable. Days like this, they don’t come along that often."
