By Tim Tassa -- Daily Staff Writer

WINCHESTER — Miss low when targeting the outside half of the plate; bear up and tight on the inside portion. Those were the directions of Shenandoah manager Kevin Anderson to freshman starting pitcher Greg Van Sickler between the first and second innings on Tuesday against Eastern Mennonite.

Van Sickler, who hadn't pitched since March 22 in a 9-7 win over Averett, had just persevered through an inning in which he gave up three runs on three hits to the Royals, and needed to make an instant adjustment.

"For me it takes a couple innings to get finally settled, but once again with the run support, it makes it a lot easier on the pitcher," said Van Sickler, the USA South Conference Rookie of the Week, who received four runs in the bottom of the inning that allowed him to work with a lead.

And in the Hornets' 16-3 victory, their 17th of the season, the James Wood graduate responded by retiring the side in the second and third innings. He finished the seven-inning contest having yielded just three additional EMU hits and shut the Royals out for the duration of the game.

"Greg is not your typical freshman. He can make adjustments during the game that maybe some other guys can not," Anderson said of Van Sickler, who came a triple shy of being the first Hornets pitcher to hit for the cycle.

"Greg has been a joy to work with. We've worked with him in our camps, and he's continued to get better. He's very knowledgeable about the game and what we try to do with all of our players is work one thing at a time. And we're trying that with Greg."

According to Anderson, Van Sickler, who improved to 3-2 with the win, has, since the season's outset, honed his ability to locate his fastball. Now the manager would like to see the young hurler gain trust in his changeup, and, in the final phase, develop a nasty breaking ball.

Against the Royals, aside from a forgettable first inning marked by third baseman Jarvis Jameson's home run, Van Sickler demonstrated his ongoing development, while striking out six and walking just one batter.

"When I first got here it was just a complete eye opener," said Van Sickler, who has pitched in 39 innings this season and dropped his earned run average to 5.54.

"One thing I've learned is that if you throw a changeup down the middle it's going to get hit, as always. I've tried to learn not to do that, anyway."

Offensively, the support for Van Sickler never wavered after the first inning. After he retired the side in the second, senior rightfielder Scott Lambert added a go-ahead run in the bottom of the inning on Scott Van Dusseldorp's sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the third, which saw 13 Shenandoah plate appearances, the Hornets began to get the better of Eastern Mennonite pitcher Ethan Russell and torched the Royals for eight runs on five hits in the inning.

Centerfielder Drue Vernon paced the Hornets in the inning with two hits and three RBIs.

"Just right now everyone is contributing, one through nine," said Lambert, who added the Hornets' final run in bottom of the fifth with a homer to center field.

"We've been playing great ball as a team, and we just need to continue to do it down the road."

Shortstop Josh Simons finished the outing with two hits and two RBIs, and third baseman Jesse Henry added a hit and two runs scored for the Hornets.

And while Van Sickler's arm and a defense that committed zero errors kept the lead intact, the pitcher did his best to contribute offensively.

Improving his team-leading batting average to .462, Van Sickler — the squad's No. 3 batter — went 3-for-3 and capped off his day at the plate with his third home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth. He walked on his final at-bat in the fifth.

"That was one of the worst swings I've ever taken," Van Sicker said of his opposite-field strike, one that he admitted was aided by the wind.

But his willingness to go with the pitch on the outer half is a testament to a compact approach at the plate that doesn't require a long stride, Anderson said. His plan at the plate and consequent success (he has a .744 slugging percentage) is an example of a rookie prospering when many do not.

"He has the ability to drive the ball the other way where some players deflect the ball the other way," Anderson said. "He can stay back, trust his hands and drive it."

"He's just stepped in," Lambert said. "He's been real good for us with pitching and at the plate."

*Contact Tim Tassa at ttassa@nvdaily.com

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