Western Reserve’s Larimer dominates

If Wyatt Larimer isn’t pitching in the first game of a doubleheader, he gets peppered with questions. Actually it’s the same question every time.

Are you pitching tomorrow?

If the Western Reserve right-hander answers yes, shoulders slump, whispers are exchanged among opposing teammates and false bravado comes out.

“I took it as joke because it was all in good fun with them saying, ‘Ho boy, we’re going to fix you tomorrow,’” Larimer said. “It was funny hearing that coming out of opposing team’s players’ mouths.”

Three years into his high school career, only one team has managed to “fix” the area’s best pitcher. With the exception of a 5-2 loss to Champion on May 7, the junior has been unstoppable, going 6-1 with a 1.05 ERA. That loss was the first of his career. In three years, he’s 16-1 with a 1.08 ERA.

Western Reserve finished 21-6 after losing 6-5 to Cuyahoga Heights in a Division IV regional final. The Blue Devils made it to a state final in 2015.

“To fall short my junior year, it was definitely heartbreaking but I know that’s going to help my team going into next year as a senior,” Larimer said.

He missed the first two weeks of the season with a shoulder injury. Western Reserve played it safe with Larimer most of the season, but he had one of his finest games in the district final against Jackson-Milton. He gave up two runs in the first inning, but responded with six innings of no-hit ball as the Blue Devils won, 3-2. Larimer also knocked home the winning run. He thought it was his most memorable performance.

“Because of the rivalry and how we lost to them in the regular season,” Larimer said. “They got the ITCL championship, but us taking the district was definitely memorable.”

For all of his feats on the mound, not a single college has expressed interest in the pitcher. He has had football recruiters call him. He played quarterback last fall.

“I know all I have to do is keep proving myself out there and keep putting up the numbers I have been and something will have to roll in,” Larimer said.

— Brian Dzenis, The Vindicator