David Torres dives home safely during the Whitehawks’ six-run third inning.

By Rich Bevensee

Around the same time the Top Corner Sports Whitehawks were addressing some concerns about the lack of run production this fall, coach Jeff Cohen spoke with pitcher Brayden Schneider about a new approach on the mound. 

Attacking the first pitch was the message to the hitters. Pitchers are more likely than not to throw a fastball, so why not jump on what is usually a down-the-middle strike, Cohen reasoned.

For Schneider the message was just as simple. If hitters can’t touch a certain pitch, keep using it. 

After a rough start to the Diamond Nation High School Fall League season, the Whitehawks may have found their footing. 

David Torres had two hits and drove in a run to lead a relentless offense and Schneider, backed by plenty of run support, pitched a four-inning, one-hit shutout and led the Whitehawks to a 12-0 victory over Flemington Baseball Association Jays White on Tuesday evening at ‘The Nation’ in Flemington.  

In their first three games, the Whitehawks (2-3) were shut out twice and scored three runs in the other game. Then last week, following that important batting cage lesson, the Whitehawks emerged with a 10-7 win over FBA Jays Blue. 

“We put in a little extra work in practice last week, and in the last two games we really have been hitting the ball,” Cohen said. “The improvement was more mental than anything else. A lot of these guys like to take the first pitch, but they don’t realize the situation. The pitcher’s throwing a fastball. So just being a little more aggressive at the plate has benefitted us.”

Torres singled and had an RBI double against the Jays (0-5) and was the only Whitehawk with two base hits, but he had plenty of help in the run production department. Nine of 11 batters reached safely and seven scored at least once while the Whitehawks scored six runs in both the second and third innings. 

Joe Guerra had a two-run double and Tristan Miller had an RBI triple and forced another run home with a bases-loaded walk. Lucas Dalfonzo had an RBI single, Schneider had a sacrifice fly RBI and Lucas Gonella also had a bases-loaded walk. 

Torres, Gonella, Dalfonzo, Bertie Walker and Nick Lutzky each scored twice. 

Lucas Dalfonzo bunts safely to fuel the Whitehawks’ six-run, third inning rally.

“We’ve been pull-happy, a lot of rollovers, not getting our pitches and not attacking early in the count,” said Torres, a sophomore at Dunellen. “We’re focused on hitting a lot more, taking reps in the cage, working the other way, and working on our approach, attacking earlier in the count. We’ve become a lot more comfortable with that. Today we did a lot better than usual.”

Schneider, a right-handed sophomore at Hunterdon Central, faced one batter over the minimum to record his finest outing of the fall. He struck out four while allowing one hit and one walk. After allowing a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth, Schneider got a strikeout and his defense turned a game-ending double play. 

“I definitely leaned toward my fastball due to the fact they couldn’t hit it. They were making very minimal contact,” said Schnieder, who threw four-seam and two-seam fastballs in addition to a curveball. 

Schneider said he also leaned on his catcher, Evan Zangara, a junior at Ridge, for pitch selection.

“He had more command of his curveball and his fastball was running up more and getting the hitters off balance,” Zangara said. “Really, he’s been good all season.”

Schneider said Cohen’s message about throwing what works made sense because it helped him become a more economical pitcher. He threw 47 pitches to complete his best outing of the fall.  

“Brayden threw tons of strikes and he was getting ahead of batters,” Cohen said. “If he had an advantage on batters, he didn’t fool around. He went right at them instead of fooling around with an offspeed pitch. His improvement was more about him thinking through what he’s doing.”

In his most recent outing, on Sept. 14 against Whitehouse American Legion Post 284, Schneider threw four innings in relief and allowed two runs on four hits and four walks with four strikeouts. 

Schneider said he could tell that a simpler approach was working much better against the Jays. 

“I was really working the four-seam and two-seam and if I found that the batters couldn’t really work that curveball, couldn’t make contact, I’d definitely throw that curveball, too,” Schnieder said. “My mentality, the way I was thinking on the mound, I was definitely more strategic with my pitches and not just pumping fastballs. 

“I am really pleased with myself today. I almost had a no-hitter, so I was proud of that. Definitely my best outing of the fall season.”