Apollo-Ridge slugger off to scorching start

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 9:04 PM

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Knocking in 13 runs would be a relatively good statistic for most high school baseball players in Western Pennsylvania … for a season.

Brandon Butler needed just two games to reach that mark in what could be a special 2022 campaign for the junior shortstop and his Apollo-Ridge teammates.

Butler was 4 for 4 with a triple and seven RBIs in Monday’s 16-1 win over Sto-Rox then went 2 for 3 with a home run and six RBIs in Tuesday’s 18-1 win, again over Sto-Rox as Apollo-Ridge moved to 2-0 overall and in Section 3-2A.

“I’m very confident when I walk up to bat,” said Butler, who is on pace for 104 RBIs during the Vikings’ 16-game schedule. “I always strive for a base hit. Home runs will come. I just try to square the ball up. I know I put in the time. I know I’m going to fail more than I succeed. I keep that in the back of my mind, and I just keep moving on.”

The Vikings’ No. 3 hitter is working toward a promising future in baseball. After playing with Beaver Valley and the Pittsburgh Spikes in past offseasons, he will spend this summer competing for Next Level Baseball in Tallahassee, Fla., getting a chance to showcase his skills for college coaches and other scouts in attendance.

“He’s a ballplayer. He works hard 12 months a year,” Apollo-Ridge coach Jason Mamros said. “He’s as an aggressive hitter as I’ve come around. He squares up every pitch. His singles are hard. He can drive the ball. Nothing he’s done has surprised me. He takes the ball to all parts of the field. He goes with the pitch and just make contact every at-bat.”

Butler has provided a solid presence in the No. 3 hole of the order, giving the Vikings a reliable bat to knock in runs.

“I expect him to continue to hit the ball hard, move people around,” Mamros said. “He’s extremely fast, so he puts pressure on the defense, even on a routine ground ball. I want to get some people on, and, obviously, we can tell he knows how to drive people in.”

Butler isn’t alone in the contributing to the Vikings’ hot start. On Monday, winning pitcher Bradey Schrock was 3 for 3 with a double and three RBIs, and Nathan Kavulic was 2 for 2. In Tuesday’s win, Schrock had a double and two RBIs, and Connor Mamros was 2 for 2 with a double and four RBIs. Karter Schrock struck out five in the win.

Kavulic has batted in the leadoff position, with Karter Schrock at No. 2. Bradey Schrock followed Butler at the cleanup spot.

“When (Kavulic) gets on, we’re in a good position because Karter Schrock hits the ball extremely hard behind him and is another fast kid who knows how to square up the ball,” Coach Mamros said. “(Bradey Schrock) has hit some key home runs in the past. He’s another guy who hits the ball really hard. The top four in the order is really where it starts for us.

“The key for me is I can count on those top hitters to stay hot, but we need the other guys to get comfortable. Most of them are new to varsity baseball.”

While the wins over Sto-Rox helped build confidence, the schedule will get more challenging rather quickly for Apollo-Ridge, which finished 7-7 overall and 5-4 in section play last season before falling to Carmichaels in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

The Vikings will play a home-and-home series with Northgate, at Apollo-Ridge on Monday and at Northgate on Tuesday. They will do the same against Class 2A No. 1-ranked Serra Catholic on April 19-20.

“Going into the Northgate series, they’re very evenly matched,” Coach Mamros said. “We had close games with them last year. It’s just keeping the top of the order hot, and the rest of the guys have to start stepping it up as they see live pitching.”

Those key Section 3 contests will go a long way in deciding if the Vikings can again qualify for the postseason and what type of seed they can secure.

“To make it to playoffs is always a goal for us,” Butler said. “Make it to the playoffs, and have a good time doing it.”

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge