Team efforts help Dukes start season strong.
By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
The reason behind the York baseball team’s strong early-season start?
The contributions of many.
“Everybody who has gotten an opportunity so far has proven they belong here,” said York coach Dave Kalal.
The Dukes started the season with non-conference wins last week over Glenbard East, Hoffman Estates and Waubonsie Valley.
“Three games in and everything they are doing has been what we have practiced,” said Kalal. “The pitching has been outstanding given we didn’t really know what we had. We lost a lot of innings from last year. We threw 10 pitchers in the first three games and they have gone out there and have competed and are throwing strikes and getting outs.”
In the Dukes’ 4-1 win against Glenbard East, Burke Corcoran started the game and went three innings while allowing no hits and striking out two. Austin Gelsomino threw three innings in relief and had five strikeouts against no walks and was the winning pitcher. Zach Pflum pitched the seventh and struck out the side to register a save.
“It’s a group of kids who have worked hard in the off-season in the weight room and on their own,” said Kalal. “They have worked their tails off.”
In a 6-5 win against Hoffman Estates, Kalal used four pitchers. Charlie Pakenas started and went three innings. Mike Pastuovic went two innings, while Tamaine Durr pitched 2 1/3 innings. Nick Lee recorded the final two outs of the game to earn a save. Durr was the winning pitcher. Pakenas had four strikeouts and no walks.
In a 5-3 triumph over Waubonsie Valley, Jake Hadawi went the first three innings and allowed three hits and no earned runs. Joey Chiappetta pitched 2 2/3 innings and Scott Tucker logged the final 1 1/3 innings. Hadawi was the winner, while Tucker earned a save.
Kalal also has been impressed with how his team has looked defensively out of the chute.
“We had no fielding errors in our first two games,” said Kalal. “Our third game we had three errors, but the field conditions were tricky with the wind. To have three errors in your first three games in high-school baseball is pretty darned good.”
Kalal added players have made the most of opportunities on the offensive end. “We’ve been plugging guys in here and there,” he explained. “We’ve counted on some guys to come in as courtesy runners, pinch runners and pinch hitters and they have come through.”
Lee is one of several players who have excelled at the plate thus far. He was hitting .300 with a double and three RBI in the first three games. “Nick is swinging the bat with authority,” said Kalal.
Gelsomino went 6-for-8 with four runs scored in the first three games, while Ian Steinorth registered several big hits, Kalal noted.
“We are competing at a high level right now,” said Kalal. “We have a lot of different people contributing. It’s been a team effort these first three games. Everybody is contributing up and down the lineup. It’s been a lot of fun so far.”
In the Glenbard East game, Pflum and Gelsomino each had two hits. Steinorth and Gelsomino each had an RBI. Mike Bernal doubled. York had eight hits in the contest. York pitchers combined to throw a three-hitter.
Against Hoffman Estates, York scored all six of its runs in the final two innings, including three runs in the seventh. Gelsomino was 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Lee had a double and two RBI. Steinorth also had a double. York won the game with five hits.
Versus Waubonsie Valley, Ryan Ross had two hits, while Lee, Chiappetta and Kevin Lipikin each had an RBI. Steinorth and Andrew Deardurff each had a double. Seven York players had at least one hit and the Dukes swiped four bases.
York was scheduled to compete in non-conference single games this week against Rolling Meadows, Benet Academy and Maine South. York is slated to head to Park Ridge today to face Maine South.
