The Diamond Jacks’ Nick Hopp races to first base with Wladyka’s Ernie Guevara on the bag.
By Rich Bevensee
When Nick Okay and Harrison Politi met as counterparts on the pitcher’s mound Wednesday evening, they resembled the very best of the current and future state of pitching in New Jersey.
Okay, a recent graduate of Don Bosco Prep and a York College commit, was doing Wladyka Baseball director Jim Wladyka a favor by filling in for a few innings due to a shortage on the Wladyka American roster.
Politi, a Diamond Jacks Super 15U righthander and a rising sophomore at North Hunterdon, was making his first appearance in one of Diamond Nation’s college scout-heavy showcases.
Both hurlers produced tremendous results under the spotlight while dozens of scouts who roamed the complex focused their attention on Field 4 during the Super 17 Invitational at ‘The Nation’ in Flemington.
Politi threw four brilliant shutout innings for a team that was playing up two age groups in the prestigious tournament. Okay took over in relief in the first inning and mowed through the Diamond Jacks lineup, retiring all 16 batters he faced in 5⅓ innings, seven by strikeout.
The Diamond Jacks scored seven runs in the first inning and rolled to a 9-2 victory over Wladyka American, but the real story was the pitching.
Politi more than held his own matched against Okay, one of New Jersey’s best prep pitchers this spring. The 6-foot, 155-pound righty struck out five while surrendering three hits and one walk in his predetermined four innings of work.
“I wasn’t really thinking about the scouts week,” Politi said. “We were playing pretty good competition playing up two age groups so I was focusing on doing what I can do.”
Politi employed an upper 70s to low 80s fastball as well as a slider, changeup and his new pitch, a knuckle curve, and he used them all with effective location and poise as catcher Nate McGann called pitches. The only time he allowed a runner into scoring position Wladyka got consecutive base hits with one out in the fourth inning. Politi escaped that jam by getting a strikeout and an outfield fly.
“I was really happy with my slider. I was comfortable with throwing it in a full count,” Politi said. “And I was hitting the corners pretty well with my fastball.”
Okay, a 6-3, 195-pound righty, was simply lights out for Wladyka. He entered the game to get the final out of the first inning after the Diamond Jacks batted around and took a 7-0 lead.
His five-pitch repertoire, including a low-80s fastball, flustered the Diamond Jacks. He permitted just one ball to leave the infield, when Jordan Vesey flew out to center in the third.
It was all done as a favor to his coach, who needed bodies in the dugout because the Wladyka American roster had some absences due to schools holding their sports banquets. The end of the school year often coincides with the very start of the summer showcase season, creating conflicts.
“I texted him (Wladyka) saying I wanted to get some innings in this summer,” Okay said. “He texted me earlier in the week saying, ‘Do you want to pitch?’ and I said ‘Of course, I’m always a text away.’”
Diamond Jacks catcher Nate McGann greets Harrison Politi after his fourth shutout inning.
Okay played first base and batted on Tuesday, but on Wednesday Wladyka called him to do what he does best – shut teams down.
During the high school season, Okay pitched to a 0.32 ERA over 22 innings with 24 strikeouts and just three walks.
Okay had not pitched since May 28 when his Don Bosco team was upset by Bergen Catholic in the NJSIAA Non-Public A tournament. But he showed no rust from his two weeks of rest, and his formidable frame, combined with his exceptional command of five pitches – four-seam and two-seam fastballs, changeup, slider and curveball – was too much for the young Diamond Jacks.
“I just throw strikes. I don’t care about velo much,” Okay said about his 52-pitch workload. “I felt pretty good, the body felt great. I haven’t been on a mound since the season ended, so I was giving the arm a little rest.”
A rested Okay proved to be dominant.
“I definitely want to work on getting stronger and more flexible,” Okay said. “I want to keep being confident in my pitches like I was today, just making sure that they’re dialed in and ready for college.”
Here’s how the Diamond Jacks got their runs in the explosive first inning. Remington Mortman scored on an error on a Drew Gable grounder. McGann knocked in a run with a groundout for a 2-0 lead.
After the Diamond Jacks loaded the bases, Nick Hopp, Liam Freyre and Nick Stangota each walked to force in a run. Hank Kusant singled to left, and Stangota scored on a wild pitch to give his team a 7-0 lead.
The Diamond Jacks scored twice more in the top of the seventh when Vesey and Stangota scored on the same passed ball.
Wladyka ruined the DJacks’ shutout bid with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded, an infield error allowed Luke Kosoff and Ethan Cueto to score.
For the Diamond Jacks, Colton Flaxe pitched the final three innings and allowed two unearned runs on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
For Wladyka, Anthony Alonge lasted two-thirds of an inning and allowed seven runs, five earned, on three hits and four walks. Ernie Guevara pitched the final inning and permitted two runs, one earned, on two hits and one walk.