ITEM PHOTO BY KATIE MORRISON
St. Mary’s pitcher Louis Vidal is having a stellar junior season for the Spartans.
By HAROLD RIVERA
In baseball, there’s an adage that says a team can only go as far as its pitching carries it. A baseball team that boasts a talented and reliable starting rotation puts itself in position to be a contender. With starting pitchers like Louis Vidal on its rotation, the St. Mary’s baseball team is a prime example.
Vidal, a right-hander, has had a stellar season on the mound in his junior campaign with the Spartans. In 37 innings of work, Vidal carries a 3-0 record with 34 strikeouts and a 0.94 ERA. Opposing batters hit just .154 against Vidal.
For a St. Mary’s team that has clinched a spot in the Division 3 North state tournament, having reliable arms like Vidal brings a sense of relief to coach Derek Dana, who noted that his junior pitcher has made strong strides since last season.
“He grew from last year,” Dana said. “He’s hitting the strike zone a lot more. He’s still working on his off-speed stuff but this year he’s been able to finish games. In two of the games he’s pitched, he’s given up no runs and one run. Now he’s coming in for some relief. He works hard and he’s still young.”
Dana added, “His work ethic has improved. He understands that a little better now. We get nothing but compliments for Louis from the school. He’s a great kid and we expect big things from him.”
For Vidal, who’s in his third year under the tutelage of coach Dana and the St. Mary’s baseball program, the strong season he’s been having this spring was his main goal coming into it.
His ability to attack the strike zone has been the key to his success.
“I’m just trying to go out there and throw more strikes, with more consistency,” Vidal said. “I’m trying to keep the ball low in the zone and just work hard on the mound.”
Vidal, who’s of Dominican descent, also came into the season looking to make major contributions in hopes of sending his senior teammates out on a high note.
“We’re always trying to play for the seniors,” Vidal said. “You want to try and make sure that every senior has the best memories of high school baseball he possibly can, especially as a senior.”
A native of Lynn, Vidal was a member of the Spartans team that dropped a tough game in the second round of the state tournament last season to East Boston. From that loss, Vidal said, the Spartans learned a valuable lesson.
“That was definitely a lesson to never underestimate any of our opponents,” Vidal said. “We have to make sure that we’re fighting throughout the entire game, without giving up.”
With that mindset, the Spartans, who are 13-7, are looking bounce back from a tough 3-2 loss to Classical in the final of the Clancy Tournament. St. Mary’s, the No. 7 seed in Division 3 North, hosts No. 10 Weston in the first round on Thursday at Fraser Field.
“It’s always nice to have an opportunity to play for a state championship,” Vidal said. “I think we reached that goal pretty early in the season.”
Vidal, who cited fellow Dominican Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays as his favorite player, added, “We’re just hoping to make sure we have all the momentum we can have and go into the state tournament 100 percent confident.”
As the season has progressed, Vidal has seen the Spartans come together as a family. The chance to play for a team that carries a family vibe is his favorite aspect about being a Spartan.
“The whole team is like a family,” Vidal said. “We all joke around. None of us ever get too upset. None of us are too distant. We’re all a family and close. We can always pick each other up. We always fight no matter what inning it is or anything.”
Given the success Vidal has seen on the field this spring, Dana has plenty of confidence in handing him the ball for big games like the ones the Spartans will see in the state tournament.
“It’s the next guy up,” Dana said. “Whoever has the mound to start gets the ball and if he can’t finish it, the next guy’s up. Everyone here is in the mix and Louis is certainly one of those guys.”
It also helps that Vidal, as a junior, has another season left at St. Mary’s. That means Dana and the Spartans will boast a strong rotation next spring as well.
“He’s been pitching varsity baseball since he was a sophomore,” Dana said. “Next year he comes back with more experience. We’re expecting big things from him this year and next year.”