Baseball: Pitcher leads Colonels' march (04-18-06)
By Matt Stanmyre (Daily Staff Writer)
WINCHESTER — His fastball would get pulled over for speeding on any highway in the country. His splitter dives so quickly it gives the air whiplash. And his curveball swoops down from the mound like an erratic bird.
Those are just three of Brent Bertschinger's pitches, but he claims to have more.
"I'm working on my change-up now," the James Wood junior said during practice Monday. "I don't use it that much, but I can go to it when I need to."
A week ago, Warren County saw Bertschinger's entire arsenal. He struck out 10 and walked just one to no-hit the previously unbeaten Wildcats and snap their 11-game winning streak.
It was the first James Wood no-hitter since 2002, the third in the past 13 years.
"It was really exciting," James Wood left fielder Lee Adams said. "It's not very often you get to see someone throw a no-hitter, especially someone on your team."
No-hitting Warren County seemed like a pipe dream a week ago. The Wildcats had cruised through the first half of their schedule, beating 11 opponents by a combined 90-29. They had also slain two of the Northwestern District's top aces, beating Sherando's Brain Gray and Millbrook's Eric Estep in an eight-day span.
"We knew it was going to be a tough test for us, and he just did an excellent job," Warren County coach Todd Miller said. "He worked fast and he also fielded from his position very well. Any time you can throw a no-hitter, that's a great job."
The no-no is the gem on Bertschinger's expanding resume. He fanned 12 and yielded four hits in an 8-5 win against Brentsville on April 4, and didn't give up an earned run in a loss to defending Northwestern champ Millbrook last month.
Bertschinger's brilliance is tied directly to James Wood's burgeoning play. After starting the season with a pair of district losses, the Colonels (6-4, 4-2) reeled off five wins in a row to march into the thick of the Northwestern race.
"We've turned it on now," James Wood third baseman John Milton said.
Part of the Colonels' ascent is credited to Bertschinger (2-1), who spreads confidence from the mound with his demeanor and 85 mph fastball.
"When Brent's out there, you know you're going to have a good performance," Adams said. "You really don't have to worry about too much. You just focus on playing good defense and getting your bat ready. And he does the rest."
James Wood coach Jared Mounts knew three years ago Bertschinger could be special when his pitching coach firmly stated that Bertschinger needed to be on the varsity team as a freshman. Mounts said Bertschinger had all the intangibles even back then: a blossoming 6-foot-3 frame, a variety of pitches and the velocity to excel right away. As a freshman, he threw as hard as former ace Michael VanSickler, then a junior.
Bertschinger was in the rotation during his first two seasons, but this year is beginning to really frighten opposing lineups.
"The key with him is that he has a good frame, good size, but he's not reached his potential yet as far as physically," Mounts said. "That's a good thing for him. He has the potential to get much better."
With Bertschinger's tote bag of devastating pitches, Milton doesn't see how that's possible.
"He's just got a great presence when he's pitching," he said. "He's got a nice fastball, his curve's always on. He's just tough with everything he can throw."
Bertschinger will need to be if James Wood is to make a serious run at the district crown. The Colonels seem to have put their early season woes behind them — they committed a combined nine errors during their first two games but have cleaned things up since. With Bertschinger's four-pronged attack baffling opponents, James Wood is riding a tsunami of confidence.
"The no-hitter was real exciting," Bertschinger said. "I have a lot more confidence and the team seems to have a lot more confidence.
