Howard's bat sizzling hot
SUGAR GROVE -- Brandon Howard's eyes continue to play tricks on him.
When he steps in the batter's box, he is not seeing a little, white baseball speeding in his direction.
"The ball looks like a beach ball -- a volleyball," Howard said after he rapped four hits in Joliet Junior College's 10-0 five-inning victory over Waubonsee in the Region IV tournament on Saturday. "It just looks so big, and you've just got to take your time, sit back and hit it."
michael dinovo/special to the herald news
michael dinovo/special to the herald news
Next up for JJC is a noon game today against Waubonsee. The Chiefs beat Harper 8-6 in an elimination game.
Howard's homer capped his second straight 4-for-4 day and vaulted him to the top of the single-season hits chart in Division III baseball. He has 97 hits, seven more than the previous record of 90 by JJC's Kevin Boyd in 2002.
In three straight 10-run rule victories, Howard has 10 hits in 12 at-bat, three for extra bases. He has been the catalyst for a JJC team that has outscored its opponents 36-6 in a show of offensive power and pitching depth. The sophomore left fielder from Coal City has turned the region tournament into his own personal showcase event. He also has raised his stock in the eyes of a handful of major league scouts on hand to take notes.
Nobody was talking about Dillon Roark's two-hit shutout or the way he danced his slider in and out of the strike zone to baffle Waubonsee's hitters. The win raised Roark's record to 9-1. The former Wilmington standout struck out four and recorded seven outs on ground balls.
Rather, the chatter behind the backstop centered around the question of whether Howard ever will make another out.
"Well, you know, he had a great day again," Roark said. "He's been carrying our offense from the leadoff spot. He hit more than .450 over the regular season. So, he's our fire-starter, pretty much. He's the real deal. That's what the guys in the majors are looking for -- they're looking for power, speed, a good arm in the outfield. He's all over the place.
"He's got all the tools. So, I'd say I'm proud of him for overshadowing my pitching today. When is he next going to make an out? I'm not going to jinx him. So, I'm going to keep my mouth shut."
Howard singled and scored in the first. He doubled in the second, then just missed hitting a grand slam in the fourth. He hit towering flyball to the fence in left. JJC's runners were forced to hold their position while they waited to see whether Waubonsee's Brandon Robbins could make a play. Robbins appeared to get a glove on the ball as he banged into the fence but could not secure the catch.
Howard settled for an RBI single. He finished with two runs scored and four RBIs.
"The first one kind of got me mad," Howard said. "So, I put a little more juice on this one, and it finally got out."
Ed Koncel, the Joliet Township graduate who hits in the No. 3 hole for the Wolves, added two hits and one RBI. Brett Velon doubled and drove in three runs. Casey Colbert, Tyler Thompson and T.J. Stanfield dropped down back-to-back-to-back bunt singles in a five-run fourth. Thompson and Stanfield each scored two runs.
"Poor Dillon (Roark) -- he goes out and does a nice job for us, and everything is about our hitting," JJC coach Wayne King said. "They don't realize we have pretty good pitching, too. Dillon did what he does. He throws with good velocity. He has a nice slider. He didn't have much of a changeup today. But he could get by with the fastball and slider.
"He's done his job. And who knows? If we get rained out (Sunday) and have a day off, he's available to throw for us on Monday. The winner of this game -- Harper and Waubonsee -- they've got to come and beat us twice. I feel good about it, but we've got to play them, and we've got to do it. Harper's obviously hot right now to still be alive. So, they're playing well."
Nobody is playing better than Howard.
"Brandon really is a good, total package of power -- he can lay a bunt down, he can run," King said. "He's got 97 hits. So, that's the Division III record in a season. He's got a great opportunity to go over 100 hits, and that's unheard of at our level."
Howard is committed to play at Grand Valley State next season. His plans could change if he is selected in the June amateur draft.
"The scouting stuff is sweet," King said. "We like to see that sometimes. But we're trying to push these kids on to four-year schools so they can get their educations."