'All about the win'

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

Photo by Andrew Potter Warren De La Salle senior pitcher Cameron Walker throws during the Pilots’ 5-0 win against St. Clair Shores Lake Shore April 15 at Kyte Monroe Park in St. Clair Shores.

Veteran De La Salle baseball team focused on victories

No one is going to argue with the quality of athletes on the 2009 Warren De La Salle baseball team.

With senior twins Jimmy and John Martinez — veterans of two Division 2 state runner-up football teams — leading the way, the Pilots boast one of the top rosters in the state.

“We’ve done pretty much what we’ve needed to do to get wins,” coach Brian Kelly said. “We’re 8-0, so we’re getting by. The thing that has stood out is our pitching is giving us a chance to win every game we play, and we’ve scratched out enough runs.”

The Pilots’ successful drive is partly because of their senior captains — the Martinez brothers and senior catcher John DiLaura.

“He’s one of the main reasons the guys are so cohesive,” Kelly said of DiLaura. “The captains lay it on the line every game, and that’s great for the rest of the team to see that’s what it takes to win.”

Along with coordinating the Pilots’ clubhouse atmosphere, DiLaura of Clinton Township also handles what could be the county’s top pitching staff, with senior Cameron Walker joining three-year varsity veterans Mike Schypinski and Alex Pierse.

“Every pitcher that we have trusts (DiLaura) 100 percent,” Kelly said. “Usually, as coaches, we call the pitches, but with John, we call 60 percent and 40 percent it’s him.

“Rarely do you see one of our pitchers shake him off. He thinks the game the whole time. Our pitchers trust him to make the calls, and if they throw a curveball in the dirt, he’s going to block it.”

Schypinski of Sterling Heights and Pierse, a Clinton Township resident, have combined to go 4-0 to start the season.

“I don’t think Alex has given up a run, and Mike’s ERA is down there, too,” Kelly said. “As long as both of them throw strikes, they’ll shut the other team down enough where our bats and defense can win the game.”

The addition of Walker, who transferred from St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, has bolstered the Pilots’ pitching staff, lineup, infield defense, and their drive to win.

“He’s a competitive, tough kid,” Kelly said of Walker. “I don’t think anyone views him as anyone different. He’s been a part of the team since we first started working on conditioning and footwork.”

The Pilots got to see exactly how committed to winning Walker is when he pitched against his former teammates and picked up a 5-0 win April 15 at Kyte Monroe Park in St. Clair Shores. In five innings, Walker allowed two hits and struck out seven.

“In the back of any coach’s mind, you wonder whether he’s going to try to do too much,” Kelly said “But I really didn’t have those feelings with Cam.

“It was just another game, and it was his turn to pitch. He wanted to win against his old friends, but I’m sure that if it was against Catholic Central, Brother Rice or anyone in our league, he would have wanted to just as much.”

Along with pitching, Walker plays shortstop, where Jimmy Martinez played three seasons before moving to third base this year.

Jimmy Martinez was forced to make the move after suffering a broken leg in the Division 2 state championship football game in November.

“He’s still a little hobbled, but in a straight line, he’s just a s fast as he was,” Kelly said of Jimmy Martinez. “It’s the lateral movement that he doesn’t have that upper edge (on) right now.

“It would have killed him to not play baseball this year. Knowing what kind of kid he is, there was no question if he was going to come back, though.”

Not as severe as his brother’s injury, John Martinez also had his football season cut short when he sprained an ankle in a Division 2 state semifinal. His recovery is complete, and he has returned to his roles as center fielder and closer.

All the pieces have come together to give the Pilots a chance to make good on their goal of winning every time they take the field, and their intangibles have them on the short list of teams that could win the season’s final game in Battle Creek — site of the Michigan High School Athletic Association state championships.

“Early on, I recognized this group was more concerned with winning than anything else,” Kelly said. “Regardless of how many at-bats they get, it’s all about the win column.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.