The Wilde Lake baseball team has had no problem scoring runs this season, averaging almost 10 per game, but getting outs has been a different story, with a team ERA of almost eight.
Luckily, with senior hitters like center fielder Cuinn Mullins (.645 AVG, 4 2B, 4 HR, 18 RBI), third baseman Wyatt Oler (.469, 2 2B, HR, 9 RBI), catcher Matthew Aubin (.378, 4 2B, 3 RBI), shortstop Sergio Irizarry-Cruz (.478, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI) and outfielder Michael Palasits (.345, 3 2B, 6 RBI), and junior second baseman Jared Mouton (.500, 3 2B, 3B, 8 RBI), the Wildecats (5-6) have still been piling up the victories after winning only three games last spring.
"We're looking at how we can maximize our pitching," Wilde Lake coach Kareem Penn said. "So we had to set up a platoon knowing that our bats will always keep us in the game. We just need someone to come in and hold it down when it's close."
Palasits, a lefty, has been Wilde Lake's best pitcher, and he allowed only one unearned run in four innings of relief against Marriotts Ridge in a 9-8 nine inning victory on Monday.
"We're trying to make everything work. That's just our team this year," Penn said. "Plugging pieces in where they fit and getting the best we can get out of them."
Mullins has hit two game-winning grand slams this season, and Oler hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth against Marriotts Ridge on Monday.
Mullins, a returning all-county selection in both baseball and football, has been playing at a different level this spring, which has come as a surprise to him.
"I thought I would do pretty bad because with all of the football stuff going on, I didn't have time to practice lots of baseball. I usually start in December and I didn't start at all this year, I just took cuts sparingly," said Mullins, who still hasn't decided which sport he will pursue collegiately. "But I worked out all through (the winter). I was 215 (pounds) as opposed to last year when I was like 190, so I got bigger and it makes it easier to hit the ball farther."
Knowing Mullins' talent, Penn had raised his expectations for his star center fielder this spring, though he didn't tell him.
"We're really excited about how he's approaching his at-bats ... he really understands the team aspect," said Penn, who was most impressed by a home run that Mullins hit after waiting back on a curve ball against Reservoir earlier this season. "I hope what he's been able to do this year is opening some eyes ... we're just making sure that he stays grounded and those opportunities will come to him."