Schwartz tosses shutout for West Babylon

The brim of his baseball cap is unbent, spread wide atop his head. It almost appears too large for West Babylon pitcher Justin Schwartz, as if a little kid is trying on the hat of his favorite big-leaguer. But then the 5-8, 150-pound junior steps on the mound and immediately becomes a commanding presence.

"He's a bulldog for us," West Babylon coach Mike Rayola said Monday after Schwartz exhibited a biting curve and pitched his fourth straight complete-game victory and first shutout as the host Eagles defeated Half Hollow Hills West, 9-0, to improve to 8-1 in Suffolk League IV.

Schwartz allowed only three singles and needed just 78 pitches to dispose of the Colts (4-5).

"Everything was working," Schwartz said. "My curve, my fastball and my cutter. I fell behind in the counts early. I was leaving everything up. Then I made an adjustment and lowered my shoulder."

Schwartz doesn't impress on the radar gun, but he's an efficient, strike-throwing machine. Efficiency, not velocity, is his calling card. "I was trying to make them swing at the first pitch."

He was so successful, that he retired Hills West on three pitches -- three outfield flies -- in the third inning and got the first batter of the fourth on a first-pitch grounder. Four pitches, four outs. That's a good way to give the bullpen a day off.

"He pounds the strike zone and makes them swing," Rayola said. "He has good movement. It's hard to square it up against him. I have no problem calling sliders or curves when he's behind in the count. He throws them for strikes."

SEE PHOTOSWest Babylon 9, Half Hollow Hills West 0

That wasn't the case for losing pitcher Mike Kaufman, a hard-throwing lefty who walked three in the first inning helping set up West Babylon for a five-run frame. With one out, Matt Ballone singled, Nick Messina walked, Dominick Penna singled home a run, Taylor Frisch (3-for-3) walked and Gio Stillone delivered a two-run double down the leftfield line. A groundout and a balk made it 5-0, and made it easy for Schwartz to just throw strikes.

"I want to win every game I pitch. I trust myself more than anyone else, so even if I throw 120 pitches, I'm not coming out," he said.

Another game, another big finish for Schwartz.