Ace pitching staff anchors Windermere Prep baseball as it readies for playoffs

WINDERMERE — With a strong pitching staff stepping up to the mound this spring, the Windermere Prep baseball team (18-4) has been throwing heat all season.

In the past six games it has played, all of which have been wins, the Lakers have allowed just two runs.

“Every time one of us is on the mound, I’m confident that we’re going to win the game,” senior closer Chase Haney said. “It’s been really good to have four Division I pitchers on our pitching staff that just do the job every time they’re out there.”

The four Division I pitchers Haney is referencing include himself, an FSU signee; fellow senior Andrew Kane, a Mercer signee; junior Rylan Thomas, a UCF commit; and junior Austin Bergner, uncommitted but fielding interest from a “who’s who” of Division I programs.

Bergner, the ace for the Lakers, has a 0.60 ERA this season. While he has an arm capable of supporting the team, the talented right-handed pitcher said it’s nice to be able to rely on the rest of the staff and the  Lakers’ offense.

“I would say overall that my pitching has been good, and I’m pretty lucky to be on a team that can put some runs up on the board, and I don’t have to worry about too much when I’m on the mound,” Bergner said.

The trust the Lakers have built has come from years of playing together. Their pitching staff, consisting of the four previously mentioned Division I prospects along with freshman Michael Bacica, has had time to create a bond on and off the field.

“I’ve played with my catcher since I was 9, I’ve played with Rylan since I was like 12. and I’ve played a couple years with Haney and Kane,” Bergner said. “We have a really good base with our team, and everyone is kind of like family. We hang out together outside of baseball, so we have a good bond.”

Haney and Kane have been playing for the Lakers since 2008. They have been best friends since the sixth grade, and the fact that they are both pitchers has strengthened their bond.

“From a pitching standpoint, I think all of us have kind of found our role — our groove,” Kane said. “We know what to expect with how long we’re going to pitch and what type of games we’re going to pitch.”

According to head coach Scott Horvath, Windermere Prep’s starters — Bergner, Thomas and Kane — all throw the ball more than 90 mph, and Haney comes close, also, with a sidearm ball that clocks as fast as 87 mph.

The staff’s total ERA for the season is 1.108.

“They’ve all pitched well when they got their opportunities,” Horvath said. “We’ve only lost four games, and those games were one-run games.”

After winning the Class 3A District 6 Championship last week, the Lakers have advanced to the regional quarterfinals of the Class 3A Region 2 Tournament. Windermere Prep will lean once again on its all-star pitching staff when it hosts Father Lopez Catholic High School at 4 p.m. on Thursday.