Interestingly sufficient, when Hampshire’s Jack Schane compares himself to a significant league pitcher, the junior left-hander’s selection finally ends up being a sure right-hander.
Even although their stuff isn’t precisely the identical, the strategy on the mound is analogous.
“It’s like Kyle Hendricks,” Schane stated. “A lefty Kyle Hendricks.”
Without a dominant fastball, Schane concentrates on that includes location and pitch combine because the title of his sport — very like Hendricks does as a pitcher for the Cubs.
Schane put that on show Monday evening at Judson’s Hoffer Field in Elgin, hanging out seven for the Whip-Purs in a 6-1 nonconference victory over Harvest Christian.
While Schane (3-2) earned the win, permitting an unearned run on 4 hits and a stroll over six innings, Evan Spenk paced the offense for Hampshire (12-9) with a double and a triple.
Spenk additionally stole a base and scored two runs. Kyle Johnson and Casey Kaszniak every had two hits. Ben Mitchell and Jared Rodriguez had two hits apiece for Harvest (17-5).
Schane was referred to as as much as varsity midway by way of final season and wound up enjoying a big function down the stretch. That’s why coach Frank Simoncelli has trusted him to be the workforce’s workhorse this season.
“That’s the one thing I love about Jack,” Simoncelli stated. “I do know that when Jack goes on the market he’s going to compete. He’ll hand over some hits each infrequently, however he’s not going to surrender lots of free passes.
“That would be very uncharacteristic of him. That’s what keeps him in ballgames.”
Schane has given up an unusually great amount of unearned runs with 12 however has solely allowed three earned runs, lowing his ERA to 0.72 after Monday’s win.
He’s struck out 31 and walked 9 over 29 1/3 innings.
“Going into this year, I had higher expectations,” Schane stated. “I’m attempting to satisfy them.
“I look more at location because my velocity is on the low side. I’m looking more toward off-speed and location.”
Schane has additionally proven adaptability this spring. After getting burned by stolen bases towards Prairie Ridge, he began engaged on a brand new inside pickoff transfer.
The first three Harvest Christian batters Monday reached within the fourth, however Schane picked one off second base and ended the inning with two strikeouts to get out of the jam.
“The practice really helps because when you practice more it contributes to the game,” Schane stated.
Hampshire scored in 5 of the seven innings to again up Schane.
Spenk led off the second with a triple and scored on Anthony Karbowski’s groundout. Spenk walked, stole second and scored on Kaszniak’s single within the fourth. Spenk additionally added a double within the sixth and made a sliding catch in heart.
“He had a really nice game,” Simoncelli stated. “He undoubtedly saved us going. He gave us a bit of life early on. He’s a three-year varsity starter and has been hitting within the 4 gap for us for 3 years.
“I expect that kind of play and he’s proven he can continue to do it.”
Harvest couldn’t get going offensively, however the Lions received what they wished out of the robust nonconference sport.
“Not many teams in Class 1A will play the schedule that we’ve got,” Harvest coach Matt Ellett stated. “The concept is that we’ll be battle examined.
“(Hampshire) is going to expose every weakness that you have. It gives us a blueprint on what we have to work on between now and the postseason.”
Schane grew up with a number of Harvest Christian gamers, in order that made Monday all of the extra particular.
“It was really cool to go against them at the high school level,” Schane stated.
Paul Johnson is a contract reporter for The Beacon-News.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com