Harvest Christian’s Jared Rodriguez shuts down Kaneland. How? He’s happy and healthy. ‘I just have to let it go.’

After battling a bunch of injuries, Jared Rodriguez is just happy to be back on the mound again for Harvest Christian. He’s looking at right now as his time to finally shine.

In his season debut Tuesday night, the senior right-hander displayed not only his skill but his expressive emotions. He’s back — and he’s not shy about letting it show.

“To be honest, I’ve always had that in me,” Rodriguez said. “It’s my senior year. I just have to let it go and have fun. I have to make a memory of it.”

Rodriguez started off what he hopes will be a spring of lasting memories in grand fashion.

The Iowa Western recruit dazzled for five innings, striking out three and walking three in a 5-2 nonconference victory over Kaneland at Judson’s Hoffer Field in Elgin.

The only hit Rodriguez allowed was a stroller that rolled past the mound with two outs in the fifth. Sam Rohlfing pitched the final two innings in relief for Harvest Christian (2-0).

Rohlfing also had a two-run double in the third inning to provide some separation for the Lions. Kaden Meeker went 2-for-3.

Patrick Collins and Collin Miller scored runs for Kaneland (0-1). Both of the runs were unearned.

Harvest Christian coach Matt Ellett was thrilled to have Rodriguez back in the lineup.

“He’s finally healthy this year,” Ellett said. “He had a really good offseason. The kid is a warrior. He just battled. It was tough conditions. To one-hit that ballclub is fantastic.

“I would have never dreamed that was what we were going to do against them.”

It’s been a long road of recovery for Rodriguez, but he was excited to be back with his teammates. He leaned on his family and his faith to get through tough times.

“You just have to trust in the Lord and trust in the things he’s going to put in your path,” Rodriguez said. “It’s one last ride with my friends I’ve known since I was 12.

“You just have to have fun and live life.”

Despite blustery conditions, Rodriguez flashed his elite talent.

Wearing short sleeves the entire game, he allowed an unearned run in the first inning but retired 12 of the next 13 batters before allowing his only hit.

“I think I did pretty well,” Rodriguez said. “It’s pretty cold. The conditions weren’t the best, but I thought I did pretty well for my first outing.”

Ellett has seen that talent through the years. Now, everyone else get to see it.

“He’s got good command of four different pitches,” Ellett said of Rodriguez. “He’s obviously got a lively fastball, but his curveball is ridiculous. It’s sharp. He throws it hard, and it’s a really tough pitch.

“I was super impressed with the way he battled. It’s nice to have him healthy finally.”

Kaneland struggled defensively in its season opener, allowing a pair of unearned runs that kept two scoring rallies alive for the Lions. The Knights only scratched out two hits.

“Honestly, I think we’re a better hitting team than that,” Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said. “First time out, I’m not going to make excuses.

“(Rodriguez) kept us at bay and did a nice job, and his defense played a lot better than ours did. We’re better than that. We made physical and mental mistakes. The mental ones are the ones that killed us.”

Harvest Christian has high hopes with a veteran team featuring Rodriguez and Rohlfing returning from injuries.

A win against steady Kaneland reinforces those hopes heading into the Lions’ spring break trip to Arizona.

“They’re a (Class) 3A team and we’re 1A,” Rodriguez said. “To pounce on them like that it gives us the hype and adrenaline we need and the momentum we’re going to take into Arizona.”

Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.