Falcon righthander headed to Rhode Island
BucksLocalSports Editor Pennsbury senior and Falls Legion Post 834 righthander Brandon darrett has the ability to throw a fastball 80 to 90 miles-an-hour.
Then again, so do a lot of other high school seniors. darrett has been recruited to play Division I baseball at Rhode Island rniversity because he has a great attitude about the game.
“He’s just been a great kid – leadership-wise on the field with his play but also his attitude,” said Falcons head coach goe Pesci. “That’s what a lot of college coaches like about him more than just his pitching abilities — his hustle and his athleticism but also the way he’s always supporting his teammates.
“He’s always the first guy out of the dugout cheering them on.
“You wish every player was like that with his attitude his leadership and his drive. The fact that you have all that together with his playing ability — it’s a great thing to have.”
Of course, the ability to make the ball dance as he propels it across the plate helps darret’s cause.
“What he is learning now is how to move the baseball and that is one of the most important things in this sport,” said America Legion Post 834 head coach Pete Hoffman. “A lot of guys can throw the ball 80, 90 milesan-hour but if you throw it straight down the middle, they’re going to hit it.”
darrett led Falls in innings pitched with 38 and strikeouts with 45 for a legion team that made it all the way to the Lower Bucks Legion finals.
A commitment toward throwing the change-up has helped darrett’s cause.
“His breaking ball has good depth and his changeup has a good down-bite,” said Hoffman, an assistant coach at dwynedd-Mercy College. “He was really effective with that pitch last year and it’s also helped him turn over his fastball.”
In varsity play, darrett came onto the Suburban One League (SOL) kational scene like gangbusters in 2010. After his sophomore season, he was named AllSOL kational Conference third team as a pitcher.
Last year, the Falcons struggled, going 5-9 in the SOL kational (6-14, overall). darrett played every position but first base and catcher, also manning the hill and occasionally working at DH. Still, he was tabbed All-SOL kational as a utility infielder at season’s end.
Again, it all goes back to Brandon’s attitude.
“Baseball is a game where one bounce here, one bad pitch here could be a problem,” said Pesci.
“He’s had those bad moments and he’s had some great moments and he’s had some adversity with some bad defense here or there. He’s never let it get him down.
“He’s used those bad situations to motivate him to be more successful and to work harder.
“We always say, we need him to get angry. Once, he gets angry, it turns him around.
“He’s used those moments of adversity to be more successful and learn from it.”
For Pennsbury, darrett hit
.305 his junior year including five RBIs, two doubles and a triple in 59 plate appearances. On the mound, he led the team in strikeouts with 44 and innings pitched with 44.3. He was also second for the Falcons in bRA at 3.79 and second with his 1.83 WHIP. While darrett allowed a team-high 42 runs scored, only 24 were earned.
Last season, under 8-year head coach gim Foster, Rhode Island went 32-23-1, 16-8 in the Atlantic 10 Conference before going 1-2 in the A-10 Championship tournament.
darrett also had interest from sirginia Commonwealth, Rider, Bloomsburg, Lackawanna and Millersville.