Boys athlete of the week
// The Post-Gazette’s top male performer from the past seven days
The past week: Bach struck out 16 and gave up only four hits in 6⅓ innings to help Yough beat Albert Gallatin, 92, on March 28.
Check this out: In 11⅓ innings this season, Bach has struck out 21. A 6-foot-4, 195pound left-handed senior, Bach is projected to be one of the WPIAL’s best pitchers this season. He was 3-3 last year with a 1.66 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 42 innings. Bach is a two-sport standout. He averaged 18 points a game for
the Cougars in basketball season. Bach has signed to play baseball at Pitt, where his sister, Hanna, is a freshman on the Panthers’ softball team. You had 16 strikeouts in a game already. Are you in midseason form? I don’t think I am honestly. My curveball was on, really for the first time this year. I had some walks still. I don’t think I’ve reached my best yet. Your best pitch? It just depends on the day. I throw a
fastball, curveball and changeup — and I think they are equally good pitches, depending on the situation. One good thing about me, I think, is I can throw any pitch. Do you every get asked
where Yough is? [Laugh] People sometimes think it’s short for something, or they’ll pronounce it ‘Yo.’ Ones who are not from around here definitely say, ‘Where is Yough?’
And what do you say? I just tell them it’s around Pittsburgh.
Your team had six wins last year. Are you guys better?
We’re definitely getting better. We only lost two players from last year. We know what it takes to win. We should be able to do some big things this year. How many Pirate games will you go to? I’m a big Pirate fan so hopefully I’ll go to a couple and hopefully a playoff game.
Wait a second. Did you say playoffs? Hopefully.
Isn’t that pretty wishful thinking?
I like to be positive.
So are you for Pitt ‘script’ or not? Script. I think it’s a lot better than the block letters. I like the direction they’re moving in.
Any hidden talents? I’m a really good bottle flipper. I always flip up a water bottle at lunch. One time last year I flipped a battle up 100 times in a row. Hold on. Is that really believable? I swear. You could even ask my friends.