Bateman lifts Aston onto level footing
ASTON 14, MEDIA 2
MEDIA >> Christian Bateman’s value on the field goes beyond the parts of his game that come naturally, such as hitting the ball.
The Sun Valley All-Delco player brings much to the table; he’s a high school player with a keen sixth sense.
Bateman displayed some of those intangibles in Game 2 of the Intermediate EDCO finals Wednesday night. With Aston’s season on the line after falling to Media in the series opener, Bateman led the way to a 14-2 victory and made an impact in several areas. It’s no wonder why West Chester University was so attracted to him, so much so that Sun Valley announced on Twitter earlier in the day that Bateman had accepted a scholarship offer to continue his playing career for one of the top NCAA Division II programs in the nation.
“I feel comfortable going there,” Bateman, a rising senior, said of his commitment to WCU. “They’re looking at me as a two-way player, pitcher and a middle infielder, so I felt that was a good fit for me.”
Bateman didn’t play either of his best positions Wednesday. He was behind the plate for all seven innings, providing a calming presence for starter Richie June, who pitched five stellar frames.
And what about those little things that make Bateman a college draw? Well, he showed it with his defense and baserunning.
First, his offense. He slapped a ball to the outfield in the second inning. Spiros Hartas, who was on second base, sprinted over to third and stopped in his tracks down the line. Bateman activated his incredible instincts by casually getting into a rundown between first and second base to allow Hartas to run home. It worked beautifully, and to top it off, Bateman made it back to first base safely.
Fast forward to the sixth inning. June’s day was done and Tyler Ungarino was summoned in relief. Unfortunately for the tall righty, he had trouble commanding his pitches (he issued five walks in the inning). Knowing his pitcher was struggling, Bateman took matters into his hands by repeatedly attempting to pick off baserunners. It was a success one time, as Bateman fired a strike to first to nab Caleb Mahalik (2-for-2, home run) leaning off the bag.
“It’s good to make it a lot easier for your teammates,” Bateman said. “I try to alleviate some of the pressure sometimes.”
Aston hit around Media pitchers Michael Chang and Ari Feldman. After a disappointing performance in Game 1, Aston churned out 11 knocks. It scored three runs in the first, two in the second and six in the fifth. Ungarino and Russo both slugged RBI doubles in the fifth, while Bateman delivered a two-run single. Hartas and Karros both scored three runs on the night.
“By no means am I trying to badmouth Media’s pitcher (in Game 1), but he wasn’t dominant,” said Bateman, a wellmannered kid. “We were just up there trying to crush the ball and weren’t really getting the hits. Everything we hit went right to them it seemed like.”
Aston didn’t have that problem Wednesday.
Meanwhile, June struck out six and scattered just three hits, including a questionable home run in the fourth inning. Mahalik launched a shot to left fielder Dino Karros, who appeared to make an incredible diving catch. Karros said he did, but the umpires thought otherwise. While Karros pleaded his case, Mahalik was able to run all the way home.
“I think he had it,” said Rich June, Aston’s coach and Richie’s dad. “It was a great play either way.”
Richie June executed his breaking pitches and kept the Media batters guessing the entire night. With its ace dominating, the Aston bats came alive.
“I was definitely able to commandmyoffspeedpitches,”June said. “I usually pitch pretty well when Christian is catching me.”
The deciding Game 3 of the Intermediate EDCO championship is scheduled for Thursday at Buggy Field in Aston. First pitch is 6 p.m.