Senior center fielder Ethan Havertape didn’t have to look at any videotape when it comes to developing his mindset of setting the tone from the leadoff spot for Marmion.
As a junior last season, Havertape found his sweet spot, hitting .333 for the Cadets while most importantly — in his mind — leading the team in pitches seen.
“I think that’s the most important role of the leadoff guy,” Havertape said. “See some pitches and get on. It starts with being the catalyst.”
Havertape was the catalyst again Monday for Marmion, going 4-for-4 with a walk to spark an 11-5 season-opening win over Aurora Central Catholic in nonconference action.
Seeing his success from last spring rolling over into this season, Havertape hit a three-run, inside-the-park homer in the second inning that gave Marmion (1-0) the lead for good.
Zach Stuck led ACC (1-1) with a two-run triple. Brodie Curry added an RBI double.
But for Havertape, it was building on the foundation.
“I was just trying to replicate what I did a lot last year,” he said. “I led the team last year in pitches seen as the leadoff guy.
“Just trying to get the pitcher’s arsenal to let my teammates on the bench see what he has, see what his repertoire is. I try to see some pitches, but if I get my pitch, I turn on it.”
That’s exactly what happened in the second inning.
Marmion took a 2-1 lead on Luke O’Connor’s two-run double. Adam Eloe and Jude Ruddy then drew one-out walks to turn the lineup over to Havertape.
Havertape ripped a shot that the left fielder briefly lost after the ball landed. That led Marmion coach Aaron Nieckula to frantically wave Havertape home.
“I heard my first base coach say ‘look three,’ so I was looking three rounding two,” Havertape said. “Then I’m rounding three and coach ‘Nuke’ goes, ‘Go four.’
“I didn’t see what was going on behind me, so I’m just booking it to the plate. I saw the catcher get it and I avoided the tag. It was a pretty ecstatic moment.”
That kind of base running is something the Cadets will have to get used to under Nieckula.
“Put the pressure on them — why not?” Nieckula said. “We told these guys we’ll be pedal to the metal. We want to take advantage of our personnel.
“We’re going to be aggressive on the bases. If we get more bases than the other team, we should have more runs at the end of the day.”
That’s just part of the new attitude Nieckula, a former professional coach and manager, is bringing in his first season with the Cadets.
“He definitely knows what he’s talking about,” Havertape said. “He keeps it lighthearted. He keeps it fun.
“I think that’s a big part of baseball for me — keeping it fun. Sometimes, it can get hard and serious and you can get down on yourself.”
ACC, meanwhile, cut the deficit to 6-5 in the fourth, but the Cadets responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to break open the game.
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“The boys did a good job,” ACC coach Rich Swann said. “They fought. I think they were excited to be outside playing baseball right now.
“I think we’re a pretty good baseball team, but we just couldn’t throw a strike and that’s a problem.”
James Kennedy shut things down for Marmion, allowing only one hit in the last 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
“He earned himself a game ball for picking up the team,” Nieckula said of Kennedy.
Havertape picked up his team all day long, finishing with four RBIs and also stealing a base. That’s what Nieckula hopes to continue to see from his self-proclaimed catalyst.
“If he maintains that consistency with his approach, we’ll be in good shape,” Nieckula said. “For Ethan to come up there and have such great at-bats, that set the tone for the rest of the team.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
