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Sophomore pitcher Sean Cody likes to be involved in all aspects of the game for Richards.
When he’s on the mound, hitting helps the right-handed Cody. When he’s in the batter’s box, knowing how much the offensive production helps him also plays a key role.
“It’s really important when I am pitching that I also have a good offense because you have to be able to score runs,” Cody said. “I get pumped up hitting on the days I am pitching.
“That brings up the run support and helps you out.”
Helping himself, Cody put on a scintillating two-way performance Tuesday afternoon for the host Bulldogs in a 9-5 South Suburban Red victory over Shepard in Oak Lawn.
Cody (2-0) struck out five in five innings and allowed just four hits and three walks for Richards (6-4, 3-1). At the plate, he also drove in three runs on two extra-base hits.
Senior third baseman Cole Maranda hit a home run in the second inning for the Bulldogs. Junior first baseman Neil Glynn, who pitched two innings of relief, added a double.
Senior outfielder Paul Kladis had a two-run double and three RBIs for Shepard (4-6, 2-2).
In the bottom of the second inning, Cody came up with an RBI triple to spark Richards. He followed that up with a two-run double during the five-run fourth.
“Hitting is something that has been pretty natural for me my whole life,” Cody said. “I just keep working and getting better. Every year, I just focus on one thing at a time.”
As a hitter, Cody gets a boost from understanding the psychology of pitchers.
“It benefits me,” he said. “I don’t think I had my best stuff, but I got back runs I let up.”
Everything about Cody screams the best. He’s the leadoff hitter, No. 1 pitcher, wears No. 1.
“You can tell that there’s a lot going on with him,” Glynn said. “He’s a very good kid and very good in the locker room. He’s a great baseball player and helps the whole team out.
“He gets everybody going.”
Glynn, meanwhile, led off the explosive fourth with a double.
“It just helps a lot when you can hit the ball and then also go up and have to throw as well,” he said. “Feeling good on the offensive side, you just want to get back and hit again.”
Cody was elevated to the varsity midway through his freshman season. Richards coach Jeff Kortz said Cody’s poise, toughness and skill were too hard to ignore.
“He is just very smooth and a hard worker,” Kortz said. “He’s learning the varsity game. He’s quiet, relaxed and a different kind of leader as a sophomore.
“He has played a lot and knows the game. He’s just a joy to coach.”
In the offseason, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound Cody realized he had to improve his body to counteract the size, speed and athleticism of older players.
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He built muscle and trained hard to get his body into optimal shape.
“Last year was definitely a big help to what I am doing now,” he said. “When I was on the lower level the first half last year, it was more like slow pitching, a slower paced game.
“Everything got much faster when I got pulled up. Now, everything feels a lot easier and I am much more comfortable.”
Cody starts at shortstop when he’s not pitching. That versatility and positional flexibility allows the different parts of his game to shine.
“When I first started, I was more of a defensive guy, shortstop and pitcher,” Cody said. “I was at the bottom of the lineup. My confidence went way up when I got pulled up to varsity — not cocky.
“The coach saw I was capable of doing the right thing.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
