Belle Vernon baseball stresses cohesion after disappointing finish to ’17

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 9, 2018 | 5:15 PM

There's a black-and-gold sign held up with blue painter's tape that hangs outside the door to Belle Vernon baseball coach Daryl Hixenbaugh's office.

It's a quote from six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan: “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”

Hixenbaugh is using Jordan's quote not only as inspiration but also as a wake-up call for this year's team.

Last season, the Leopards rode a 12-game winning streak to a share of the Section 3-4A title. As one of the hottest teams in Class 4A, Belle Vernon had high hopes after earning a No. 5 seed in the WPIAL postseason bracket. And just like that, it was over. The streak came to an end, and it was time to pack it up and call it a season after a 3-2 loss to No. 12 Quaker Valley in the first round.

“They were a very talented group, but they just didn't come together as a team as I would like and that always shows up come playoff time,” said Hixenbaugh, in his fifth season as coach. “I worked 25 years in professional baseball and talked about clubhouse chemistry.

“You can have skills, but you have to have a team concept. That's what they talk about with teams having chemistry. If someone could tell me how to control that, I would listen for hours.”

Having graduated 11 players, the clubhouse is filled with new players eager to earn a starting spot.

The Leopards' only two starters from last year's team that finished with a 14-4 overall record: junior shortstop Josh Hoffman, a YSU commit, and junior infielder/pitcher Cole Naylor. They will need to provide leadership. Both are productive offensively and will bat near the middle of the lineup. Hixenbaugh said Naylor's fastball has been clocked at 83 mph.

The one unpredictable element that holds every team in Western Pennsylvania hostage during the spring is weather. With freshmen and sophomores in the mix for starting spots, it's imperative Hixenbaugh evaluates his players on the field instead of in a gym.

“What's gonna be crucial is for us to get outside early,” Hixenbaugh said. “Weather could absolutely set us back.”

Outside of Hoffman and Naylor, few players have locked down a spot. Hixenbaugh hasn't assigned positions yet. He only has categorized his players as outfielders or infielders.

“Every year, you go in with an idea of what (the lineup is) going to be, and by the end of the winter program and a few weeks into the season, it all changes,” Hixenbaugh said.

While the position battles are being sorted, Belle Vernon will to need to pitch its way to some wins early, and Hixenbaugh has the deep staff to do it. Hixenbaugh has a young and potentially dominant duo in 6-foot-7 sophomore right-hander Colby McKeta and 6-foot-5 freshman lefty Peyton Rothey. Both are described by Hixenbaugh as a little raw but full of potential.

“We think (Rothey) has a good chance to be a very good pitcher,” Hixenbaugh said. “Starting pitching is going to be strong again. What makes this section so tough is that every team has good pitching.”

Add senior Trevor Schrock, juniors Erik Pietratoni, Max Gauden and Naylor, and Hixenbaugh has a Rolodex of arms at his disposal.

“We don't nurture here,” Hixenbaugh said. “Our expectations are high from the beginning, and they have to meet our expectations. That's just the way it is.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Belle Vernon