Brignola's powerful start gives Broncos a big boost
A comment by Anthony Brignola's after Barrington's 3-2 win over defending Class 4A champion Prairie Ridge also summed up his powerful start.
"If you try to do the little things, big things will come," the junior center fielder said.
Which explains how the 5-foot-7, 150-pound Brignola has started his second varsity season with 3 home runs. The left-handed hitting Brignola's solo blast off Prairie Ridge Division I prospect Joe Zwierzynski a week ago had limited assistance from the wind.
"In the off-season I did a lot of weightlifting and worked with a guy who used to be a weightlifting coach at Northern Iowa," Brignola said. "That got me a lot stronger and I feel I've got a lot more power.
"I'm not trying to do too much. Coach Pag (assistant Ray Piagentini) always has me doing drills and has done a great job."
Brignola doesn't look like a big bopper compared to Gus Handler, the 6-4, 265-pound first baseman headed to Colorado on a football scholarship.
But Barrington coach Jim Hawrysko said pound-for-pound Brignola is one of the strongest players on the team. Hawrysko said what's been a big key for Brignola is his mechanics.
"He's doing a great job of being stacked and keeping everything back," Hawrysko said, "and meeting the ball where he should be. He worked hard in the off-season and he isn't lunging anymore.
"He's right in a good spot, he isn't chasing much and he's letting the ball come to him. And it's not size, it comes down to bat speed."
Aces gone Wildcats: Walt Wijas of Conant and Jon Carlson of Rolling Meadows have showed the stuff that led them to scholarships at Kentucky.
The right-handed Wijas improved to 2-0 last week with a complete-game 3-hitter with 8 strikeouts against Crystal Lake South.
"He was humming," said Conant coach Jerry Song. "He was hitting 90-91 (mph) on the (radar) gun and was really bringing some cheese."
The left-handed Carlson is also 2-0 after beating Streamwood 6-3 with 10 strikeouts and no walks Saturday.
"He was ahead of the hitters all day," said Meadows coach Jim Lindeman. "He threw really well and had a good fastball."
Looking for a spark: Hoffman Estates coach Todd Meador promoted freshman Kevin Gradzinski to the varsity for Tuesday's game with Crystal Lake South.
In Wednesday's loss to Maine West, he singled, walked and scored a run and drove in a run with a groundout. He also started at second base and allowed only 1 unearned run in his first two innings on the mound.
"We're looking for a spark from somebody, whether it be a senior or a freshman," Meador said. "We need somebody to be a difference-maker and be a clutch player for us. We're going to keep on trying to find those guys.
Nice way to start: Prospect's pitching got a nice boost Wednesday in junior John Coen's first start of the season.
Coen threw only 82 pitches in a complete-game 6-hitter where he allowed no earned runs and had 7 strikeouts and no walks in a 6-3 win over Glenbard East.
"He pitched tremendous," said Prospect coach Ross Giusti. "His fastball had great location and his changeup was tremendous.
"He just had the hitters off-balance all day. It was a work of art."
Infield flies: St. Viator will play two games at the University of Illinois-Chicago on May 21 - at 5 p.m. against Palatine and 7:30 p.m. against DeLaSalle. Palatine coach Paul Belo played at UIC - For the second straight year, Schaumburg will host supersectionals at Alexian Field while the baseball team is in a bracket that feeds to a different supersectional - this one at Rockford - Conant and Fremd are currently the only Mid-Suburban League teams hosting regionals - Barrington and Schaumburg will play at Alexian Field on April 20 and St. Viator and Carmel will play a 7 p.m. game at Oakton College on April 29.