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Canfield’s Hoelzel named Horizon’s top pitcher
By Tom Williams
Wright State senior pitcher Joey Hoelzel doesn’t hesitate to reply when asked which Horizon League baseball team he has enjoyed the most success against.
“YSU, no doubt,” the 2010 Canfield High School graduate said. “I don’t think I’ve lost a game against them.”
Hoelzel, who was named the Horizon Leagie’s co-pitcher of the year on Tuesday, said Youngstown State gave him extra motivation after the Penguins stopped pursuing him.
“They did look at me, then kind of stopped,” Hoelzel said (7-4, 3.43 earned-run average). “I wish they had tried a little more. Then Wright State came along.
“I’ve always had more motivation to prove I could have played [for YSU],” the 6-foot-4, 210-pound right-hander said.
On March 29, Hoelzel struck out nine Penguins. His season-high was 12 against Dayton on March 7.
Hoelzel, who made 13 starts, also didn’t hesitate to identify the Horizon team he finds most challenging.
“Valpo, no doubt,” Hoelzel said, referring to Valparaiso, the two-time Horizon champions. “They have always been the top team we’d play.
“When I was a freshman, we won the Horizon League title,” Hoelzel said. “The last two years, Valpo has won back-to-back Horizon titles.”
Hoelzel led the Horizon in innings pitched with 89.1 and tied for most victories. His ERA was third best and his opposing batting average (.255) was fourth. With 55 strikeouts, he finished sixth.
At this week’s Horizon League Tournament hosted by Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Hoelzel’s Raiders could face YSU or Valparaiso in the double-elimnation tournament at Kapco Park in Mequon, Wis.
The Raiders (33-20, 25-5) have the top seed in the six-team format and a first-round bye. Thursday, they will play the winner of today’s Milwaukee-Oakland game.
“We embrace it, absolutely,” said Hoelzel of the pressure that comes with being the top seed. “We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. There are targets on our backs and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
YSU (6-12 Horizon) is seeded sixth and opens today against Valparaiso (12-12). The winner will play Illinois-Chicago (17-13) on Thursday.
At stake is a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2011, Hoelzel‘s Raiders qualified for the tournament and played at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.
“It was one of my coolest baseball experiences,” Hoelzel said. “I‘ve played in front of some pretty big crowds but nothing like that — 12,000 fans. It was a heck of an environment.”
As a Wright State freshman, Hoelzel started five games, posting a 1-1 record with one save. In 2012, he made 12 starts for a 5-5 record. He posted the same record last season.
He said his confidence has grown as he’s matured.
“just being here four years getting more experience,” Hoelzel said. “The coaches have been great.”
He credits Canfield head coach Matt Koening for helping him realize his dream of being a college pitcher. Hoelzel said that not only did Koenig work with him on being a better player but “more importantly on being good person and [valuing] academics.
“There is a higher standard for athletes and he taught us about being better,” Hoelzel said.
“This season has been awesome,” Hoelzel said. “We expected it. I’m not trying to brag but we put in a lot of hard work after losing to Valparaiso in last year’s Horizon championship game.
“There was a lot of motivation to get better every single day.”
Hoelzel is on target to graduate at the end of summer with a degree in organizational management. That plan could be delayed, depending on what happens during next month’s Major League Baseball draft.
He’s spoken with a few scouts been so his name might be called at some point.
“It’s going to be a pretty busy end of the year,” Hoelzel said.