With big-time talent, North Allegheny baseball team sets big goals

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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At least a dozen pro scouts watched North Allegheny’s baseball scrimmage, an early indication the Tigers have an eventful season ahead.

Senior shortstop Cole Young is projected to be a first-round MLB Draft pick this summer, but the team has other goals to accomplish before then, like winning WPIAL and PIAA titles.

A year ago, they got one but not the other.

“Unfinished business,” said NA coach Andrew Heck, summing up his team’s mindset.

Led by Young, North Allegheny brings back a strong core from last season’s team that went 23-4 and won the WPIAL Class 6A title — the team’s first since 2013. It’s was a banner season, but a one-run loss in the state finals left the Tigers wanting more.

“In my first three years, we just couldn’t get over the hump in the WPIAL and we finally did last year,” Heck said. “Now, it’s going after that state championship.”

Heck isn’t afraid to set big goals for his players because he also sets small ones.

“Our mindset as a team is goal-oriented,” he said. “Yeah, we have the long-term goal of a state championship and a mid-term goal of a WPIAL championship. But short-term goals are one game at a time, and if you get focused on that type of stuff, it helps build and achieve the long-term goals.”

The Tigers are again strong up the middle with Young at shortstop, senior Aaron Posey at catcher, junior Spencer Barnett at second base and senior Erik Sundgren in center field.

All four are college recruits and combined for 39 of the team’s 72 extra-base hits.

Young, a Duke commit, batted .437 with six home runs, 23 RBIs and a team-best 33 runs scored. He struck out only five times in 101 plate appearances and had a .952 fielding percentage at short.

His middle infield partner, Barnett, a West Virginia commit, batted .365 with eight home runs, 31 RBIs and 26 runs last season.

Posey, a Kennesaw State recruit, was tied for fourth on the team with 25 hits. Sundgren, a Denison commit, ranked third with a .521 on-base percentage.

“Those four,” Heck said, “are kind of our staples.”

Another senior, Aaron Galaska, batted .345, played third base and pitched last season but will be limited to the designated hitter spot to start this year to rest his arm. Galaska went 3-0 as a pitcher with a 1.88 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 21¹⁄₃ innings.

“He’s getting to the point where he could play some third base,” Heck said. “I want to get him back fully healthy so he can get on the mound for us as well as play the field.”

Pitching is one of the team’s question marks entering the season. The Tigers graduated their top three pitchers from last season, a trio that combined for 134 innings, 177 strikeouts and 20 wins.

They’ll give the ball to junior Cam Ward and senior Conor Smith, who had limited varsity innings last season. Smith is a Cal (Pa.) commit. Both right-handers pitched in the team’s season-opening win over Canon-McMillan.

Senior righty Andrew Hart, a West Point baseball commit, will work as a relief pitcher along with his infield duties.

“It’s about trying to piece things together here and figure out who really can step in and play that role,” Heck said. “We lost some good arms last year. That’s no secret.”

Among the new starters, sophomore David Posey takes over at first base.

Junior left fielder Harron Lee bats leadoff with junior Andrew Dougherty in right.

The Tigers will play under a spotlight this spring because Young is projected to be a top-15 draft pick. Heck estimated between 12 and 15 scouts showed up at both the team’s preseason scrimmage and opener.

“I was a little taken aback that there were that many for a scrimmage game,” Heck said. “I’m sure our kids were as well. We talked about it. We addressed the elephant in the room and put it all out there. I think the kids have bought into the idea that it’s not a distraction as much as an opportunity.

“We know what brought them here. They’re here to see Cole, but you can make a name for yourself here, too.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny