Nazareth Bats Pound Kenwood

Despite outscoring their first four opponents of the season, 31-6, the Nazareth Academy baseball team made a breakthrough Tuesday afternoon during their 15-5 win over Kenwood Academy at R.J. Sanders Field in La Grange Park, said senior Ryan Powers.

“Today was probably the first day we really hit the ball well,” said Powers, who went 1-for-2 with two walks Tuesday as the designated hitter. “Everybody who had the opportunity executed and it was really the first day everyone on our team hit, up and down the lineup.”

Upping that runs-scored margin to 46-11 over early-season foes, the Roadrunners (5-0) showed why they are a Top 10 team in the Chicago Tribune’s preseason rankings. The all-senior lineup had seven hits and three home runs—a two-run homer by left fielder Rob Petrak and grand slams by first baseman A.J. Ryan and third baseman Anthony Baldassano. Nazareth also stayed patient and drew 10 walks in a game that was cut short by the 10-run rule in the fifth inning.

Junior left-hander Dominic Purpura pitched all five innings, giving up six hits and no walks. Because of errors, only two runs surrendered by Purpura were earned.

“Kenwood’s a very athletic team. They swing the bat very well and they play defense, and they’re just a little short in the pitching,” Nazareth head coach Lee Milano said. “I’m pleased with our approaches at the plate … I’ve got to say, between today and the first four previous games, our approach at the plate was a lot better.”   

According to Milano, the Roadrunners return eight players from the 2010 team that lost a Super Sectional in the spring before winning the summer league title. Of the 22 players on the roster, 14 are seniors and eight are juniors. Nine Nazareth players will be playing college baseball in 2012, Milano said. Powers and Ryan are Division I prospects who will attend Miami University (Ohio) and Dayton, respectively.

“I think we’re a complete team,” Milano said. “I think we have excellent pitching, we can hit the ball, we can run, we can play defense. But I think the most important thing is that this team has excellent chemistry and I think that’s what’s going to carry us through.”  

The Nazareth starting rotation is led by senior righties Powers and Patrick Kelly. Kelly finished with a team-best 8-1 record last spring; Powers finished 6-2. Milano will rely on three left-handed juniors at the back-end: Purpura, Ryan Marske, and Eddie Gengo.

“I have no problem throwing any of those five guys against anybody in conference,” Milano said.

On offense, Powers hit .421 with 6 homers last spring; Ryan hit .478 in the summer. Senior shortstop Mike Barajas—who went 0-for-3 Tuesday and reached on an error—hit .412 last spring and .449 last summer. In the summer, senior catcher Justin Gonzalez hit .556 with 7 home runs while Petrak hit .412 and was second on the team with 29 RBI.

Gonzalez drew two walks Tuesday; Petrak went 1-for-2 with a home run and 2 RBI.

“As seniors, we’re all good buddies up and down the lineup,” Powers said. “We’re all leaders on the field.”

The Roadrunners were No. 8 in the Chicago Tribune’s preseason rankings, but Barajas said the team doesn’t pay attention to the publicity.

“It really doesn’t matter to us where we’re ranked,” said Barajas, who will play for Lewis University in 2012 along with Baldassano. “We come out here and try to play our game. We believe in our game and what we can do.”

Can the team go beyond the Super Sectional round it has lost in the last two seasons?

“If we can compete against ourselves and play to our ability, then I think the sky is the limit,” Milano said. “But it’s an easy trap to fall into to look at June or May. We’re working to get better every day. If we do that, then when the end of May and June rolls around we’re going to put ourselves in a position to be successful.”

Barajas said of the Roadrunners State title chances, “Obviously it’s what everyone wants and I think it is a realistic goal. I believe if we work hard we can beat everyone.”

Nazareth plays at Ridgewood High School Wednesday before heading south to play Belleville East High School on Friday and Missouri’s Parkway Central and Parkway South on Saturday. Next week, the Roadrunners host St. Ignatius (April 4), Maine South (April 6), and Gordon Tech (April 9) at R.J. Sanders Field.