If pitching and defense truly are the recipe to winning baseball, then Kentwood High is sitting pretty these days.
“Pitching and defense, we are going to live and die by it,” said Kentwood coach Jon Aarstad.
That being the case, the Conquerors very well could be doing quite a bit of living this season — especially with ace Alexander Lee back on the mound. Lee, a senior, was one of the South Puget Sound League North Division’s most consistent pitchers last year. A right-hander who can bring it in the mid-80s, Lee features an above-average fastball, a sharp curveball and a developing changeup.
But what Aarstad likes the most is Lee’s impeccable control.
Lee walked just five batters in 22 innings pitched last year, which is roughly less than two per game.
“It makes my job easy knowing that I can go out there every three days (when Lee pitches) and worry about something else besides pitching,” Aarstad said.
“He has definitely sprouted as a pitcher. He has the ability to be among the elite in the league.”
At Kentwood, however, talent on the mound seems to be sprouting in abundance.
While Lee will be the unquestionable workhorse of the staff, the Conquerors go five deep, which is considerably more than most high school teams. Austin Voth (10 strikeouts in 3 2/3 IP last year) will slot in behind Lee, followed by Kent Hagen and A.J. Easterbook.
Meanwhile, Kentwood also is relying on the other half of the old baseball axiom for success, which preaches sure-handedness on up-the-middle defense. With catcher Taylor White along with middle infielders Bryant Van Engelenburg (shortstop) and Robbie Morris (second base) back in fold, the winning recipe has been set.
“I think the team and myself would be disappointed if we didn’t make the playoffs this year,” Aarstad said.
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