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Hornak, Howland shut out Niles at Eastwood Field
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Niles catcher Carson Cameron and third baseman Jaret Johnson collide while trying to field a foul ball during their game Wednesday against Howland at Eastwood Field in Niles. The Tigers shut out the Red Dragons, 7-0.
By STEVE WILAJ
NILES
Maybe a little different than most teams, Howland High sets a number of what head coach Sean Price calls “small individual team goals” for each game.
The Tigers’ pitching staff’s goal is throw at least 65 percent first-pitch strikes each contest.
“Our philosophy is to make the other guys hit,” Price said. “If we’re reaching that 65 percent, we’re usually getting them behind in the count. And when hitters get behind in the count, they don’t succeed very often.”
Howland starting pitcher Stephen Hornak easily hit that desired percentage in a 7-0 victory over Niles on Wednesday at Eastwood Field. In turn, the Red Dragons didn’t have much success.
Hornak (3-0) allowed just four hits and didn’t walk a batter.
“Coach always reminds us of getting ahead in the count and that worked today,” Hornak said. “Mainly I was just hitting my spots and it helps when your defense backs you up most of the time.”
The junior struck out just two Red Dragons hitters as the Tigers’ defense — led by shortstop Kyle Watson and second baseman Matt Doan — turned in numerous ground-ball outs.
“At the very beginning of this year we told the guys, ‘We don’t have the big guns this year. We need to play solid defense,’” Price said. “When we get ground balls, we have to make the play because that’s what keeps the pitch count down and keeps us in games.”
The Tigers (6-1) got on the board in the first inning when Niles starting pitcher Murphy Miller walked Doan with the bases loaded. Howland then scored single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings, each time on a wild pitch.
In all, Miller worked 42/3 innings. He allowed four earned runs on five hits while walking six and striking out four.
“I thought Murph battled even though he didn’t have great command today,” Niles coach Mike Guarnieri said. “But we certainly didn’t help ourselves out with the walks and passed balls.
“Still, we gotta do a better job offensively to help him out a little bit.”
Miller doubled for the Red Dragons (4-2), while Kyle Paden, Cameron Carson and James Tate each singled.
Tyler Spain paced Howland with two hits, while Vinnie Ruberto doubled, walked twice and scored two runs. The Tigers scored three sixth-inning runs, keyed by Zach Miner’s two-run single.
“Our bats have been really good so far this year thanks to Kurt Kuszmaul and the captains Kyle Watson and Tyler Spain,” Hornak said. “They’ve been leading us. Then Evan Steele has been getting on base. So if it wasn’t for our teammates getting on base and supporting us [pitchers], I don’t know what we would do.”