Austin Mallee and Blainey Dowling are the only returning regular starters for Mount Carmel.
Dowling, a senior, just came back to the field Saturday after missing the first few weeks with a wrist injury, so Mallee has been a bit of a lone wolf for the Caravan.
Mallee, a senior infielder who’s committed to Chipola, has embraced that. In fact, the leadership role is something he may want to turn into a career down the line.
“I like being the one,” Mallee said. “I like taking the young ones under my wing. They all have so much talent and so much heart for this team. They’re all my boys.
“The goal is to play in MLB. But if I don’t, I want to stay in it and coach. I’m competitive. I like to fight and win games.”
Mallee’s two-run homer Friday helped the Caravan to a big 7-4 win over Joliet Catholic, a nice bounce-back performance after a 17-4 loss to Lockport on April 11.
“It’s huge,” Mallee said. “We had a rough loss to Lockport, and the way we responded, I couldn’t be happier. We left our hearts on the field. We put everything out there.”
Mallee now has four homers and 14 RBIs this season for Mount Carmel (10-3).
As far as a possible future in coaching is concerned, Mallee has some good role models.
His father, John, is a longtime MLB and minor league hitting coach who is currently in that role for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. Then there’s Mount Carmel coach Brian Hurry.
“I feel like I’ve picked up some stuff from my father,” Mallee said. “A lot of it is from coach Hurry, too, and all the qualities I’ve picked up from him. I wouldn’t mind to grow up and be like coach Hurry. He’s a great guy.”
Hurry hopes to be passing on wisdom from coaching legend Gordie Gillespie, whom Hurry played for in college at St. Francis.
Mount Carmel’s win Friday came on the field where Hurry used to play for the Saints and happened to be on Gillespie’s birthday. Hurry discovered that from the prayer card with Gillespie’s picture that he carries with his lineup card.
“I felt him with me,” Hurry said of Gillespie.
Mallee, meanwhile, is trying to put all the knowledge he’s gained to good use. He and his dad mostly keep their relationship separate from his dad’s job, but Mallee has learned from observation.
“A lot of people don’t know I’ve never had a hitting lesson from my dad,” Mallee said. “But I think I learned from being around it. He’s there teaching the pro guys and I’m sitting there watching, and I think it just naturally comes to me.
“I listen to my dad, though. (Friday), I called him. I wasn’t hot. He told me to stay through the middle of the ball, and I saw a good outcome with it.”
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Florida friendships: Lemont went 3-2 on a spring break trip to Florida and returned with a new sense of chemistry. Back at home, the team won four straight games before a Saturday loss to Lincoln-Way East.
“I went into that trip honestly not even knowing the juniors on the team,” senior infielder/pitcher Brandon Johnson said. “I came back as best friends with those guys. They’re going to be my best friends forever, and that’s awesome.”
Freshman pitcher Cannon Madej also can’t wait to head back south.
“It’s way better down there,” he said. “Your muscles are way looser since it’s not as cold. You’re throwing a little bit harder. I’m trying to play college ball somewhere in Florida.”
Lemont (9-5) had a key two-game sweep of Oak Forest last week in a battle between top contenders in the South Suburban Blue.
Did you know? Andrew’s win Saturday over Chicago Christian was the 1,000th in program history. All have come under only two coaches: Frank Ganser and current coach Dave DeHaan.
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
