Drew Westover didn’t have the benefit of playing high school baseball.
The Delweld slugger from Flinton continues to learn each day he plays in the AAABA League. His numbers over the past two seasons certainly don’t suggest that Westover is lagging behind. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Entering this week, Westover ranked second in the league with a .414 batting average
(36-for-84) and was first with 29 runs and three homers while tying for third with 21 RBIs.
That’s a pretty impressive follow-up for last summer’s league batting champion.
That’s right, Westover hit an impressive .423 in 2008, once again, accomplishing such a feat without the background most players bring to the AAABA League.
“I went to a really small private school,” said Westover of Faith Tabernacle High School.
“We didn’t have sports there and I wasn’t allowed to play at any other high schools. I never played high school ball. I played Colt and Pony in Johnstown.”
Westover performed well enough in the city feeder leagues to earn a spot with Delweld, consistently one of the top teams in the local AAABA loop.
“Drew is very raw. He’s just starting to find his way and starting to learn to become a hitter,” Delweld manager Chris DelSignore said. “This spring is the first spring that he played organized baseball at UPJ. He just goes up there and is a very aggressive hitter. He’s got a lot of strength and he’s got good speed for his size. He just hits the ball well.”
UPJ coach Todd Williams was so impressed by Westover’s talents that he recruited the outfielder with no high school experience. Westover has been a steady performer as he will enter his sophomore season with the Mountain Cats.
“It was a little different,” Westover said. “Since I didn’t play in high school I didn’t have as much experience as some other guys. I had played on Dee Dee Osborne’s traveling team and saw a lot of good competition there. That definitely helped me. I learned a lot this spring hitting against college pitching. That helped quite a bit going into this summer.”
DelSignore has seen the maturity.
“He goes up there and really gets his money’s worth every at-bat,” DelSignore said. “He’ll make you pay if you make a mistake. He swings out of his shoes all the time. When he gets a hold of it, it’s going to go. He swings the bat very well in terms of bat speed. When he misses it, it’s usually bad, but when he gets it, it’s hit well and it’s hit far.”
Westover plays right field and bats in the cleanup spot for Delweld, which moved within percentage points of first-place Martella’s via a pair of wins over the front-runners on Wednesday.
“A lot of it has to do with the guys that are around him,” DelSignore said. “It helps when you have the defending MVP, Matt Staub, hitting behind him and a guy like George Roberts hitting in front of him. Most of the times you have to pitch to him.”
•••
Prospect League: Former Johnstown Grays and Martella’s Pharmacy left-hander James Podgorney opened 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA in 252/3 innings with the Butler BlueSox in the new 12-team Prospect Collegiate League with teams from Missouri to Pennsylvania.
Podgorney is a middle reliever at the University of Akron. He graduated from Bishop McCort with the lowest ERA in school history, 0.93.
•••
Heavy hitters: The top six hitters entering this week based on statistics provided by five of six teams are: Principle Development’s Matt Donaldson (37-for-84, .440); Delweld’s Westover; Delweld’s Roberts (30-for-80, .375); Roxberry Creamery’s Nate Antone (26-for-71, .366) and Delweld’s Nick Barbera (34-for-93, .366).
•••
Mound work: Principle pitcher Gregg Bandzuh began the week perfect in six decisions. Martella’s Landon Wahl had five wins, including a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Roxberry Creamery on June 30. Delweld’s Mike McDermott led the league with seven saves. Martella’s Zach Satira (0.74), Bandzuh (0.99) and the Berkley Hills Renegades’ John Fees (1.00) posted the top three ERAs entering this week.
Mike Mastovich is a sports writer for The Tribune-Democrat.
Local Sports
Mike Mastovich | Slugger takes unique path to league
- Local Sports
-
-
2012 AAABA League schedule
A look at this season's schedule:
-
2011 AAABA in Review
A look back at the 2011 AAABA season:
-
AAABA League Preview
A look at this season's Johnstown AAABA League:
-
Pirates pick up fourth straight victory
There were times earlier in his career when James McDonald would run into trouble and innings would slow to a crawl. Even worse, runners would disappear, and not in a good way.
Too much thinking. Not enough attacking. -
Sympathetic Pirates add to Cubs’ slide
Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates can relate to what the Chicago Cubs are going through.
Perhaps more than anyone, they know what it feels like to be on an extended losing streak
– 12 in a row, in the Cubs’ case. -
AAABA League will open after busy offseason
The AAABA League opens on Tuesday at Point Stadium with two new, but familiar managers, a new but familiar sponsor, an expanded interleague schedule and two new franchises committed to the 2013 season.
A lot of activity took place during the offseason, including the AAABA national committee’s vote to expand the age limit to 21 years old beginning in 2013. -
Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Hit batsman lifts Pirates over Cubs
Matt Hague was hit by a pitch from Rafael Dolis with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the Chicago Cubs to their 11th straight loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
Hague took a 96 mph fastball from Dolis (2-4) in the back near the shoulder blade, scoring Jose Tabata and eliciting an incredulous look to the sky by the Cubs reliever. -
Generals return to defeat Sting
It’s been a dramatic month for the Johnstown Generals.
There were two postponed games that left the immediate and long-term future of the franchise in serious doubt just two weeks ago. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
2012 AAABA League schedule
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Raw Video: Earthquake Shakes Evacuees in Italy
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
