Parkway North Hurlers Out To Prove 2012 Was No Fluke

When Parkway North needed a boost last season, Head Coach Fred Friedman tapped a pair of pitchers who didn't start the year on varsity. Joe Hope and Joey Reeves came up from JV and pitched the Vikings on a magical run to the state final four in Springfield. 

All Hope, then a Sophomore (7-1, 3.40 ERA) did was shut out a Westminster Christian Academy team that's been the best in the state the past two seasons. He also threw a no-hitter in the state semifinal. 

Just a Freshman, Reeves (3-0, 1.58 ERA) was masterful in a state quarterfinal win over SLUH, before shoulder tendinitis and what was diagnosed as a stress fracture in his collarbone caught up with him in the state championship game against Rockwood Summit.

But that was last year. In 2013, team co-captain Daniel Brodsky puts it bluntly: "We expect them to be the leaders at least among the pitching rotation."

This year, Hope and Reeves anchor a rotation that also includes lefthander Connor Ladig (6-1, 2.54 ERA). North Head Coach Fred Friedman jokingly called Hope a "goofball" and said Reeves is ready for the spring outside of a jammed finger on his non-throwing hand suffered playing basketball. Friedman said Hope is getting inquiries from Division I programs and expects Reeves will based on last year's success.

Reeves said he's ready to go, and to put last year's success in the rear-view mirror. "It was a fun experience, I’ll always remember it," he said, adding, "This year’s a new year, time to move on, focus on this year."

Friedman said the team took a simpler approach to developing pitchers last season, away from a philosophy that usually tried to get them to throw any pitch in any situation. It served them well last year so Friedman's mantra in 2013 is to do what was successful then. It helps that his staff has some intangibles.

"What Ladig, Reeves and Hope have that you really can’t teach is that all their pitches, especially their fastballs move and dive all over the place," Friedman said.

Reeves said he wants to lay off his curveball in 2013, focusing on offspeed pitches and that fastball, and the task at hand and the next game, not to look back to last year's frosh phenomenon.

“I don’t think the stage was too big for them last year, co-captain and First Baseman Andy Huss said. "They’re not trying to compete with what they did last year, they’re just trying to set new heights for themselves this year." 

Parkway North opens the 2013 season with a doubleheader on the road against Parkway Central March 20.