No one expected the Polytechnic Pitchforks to do this well. They are a young team with little stability, but they’ve made one heck of an impression; they’re gelling as a team, and it shows.
Head coach David LaCilento knew it would take time. In one of my past blogs, they were still in their turkey comas with many unanswered questions. Now, they have made the playoffs and keep developing at what seems to be an exponential rate—even with spotty participation.
“You can tell it’s there,” LaCilento said. “Now we’re ready, we’re all excited.”
Their most recent playoff run in the Arizona Adult Baseball League showed that very excitement. The team went 1-1 in their double header against east-valley teams the Athletics and Mariners; they beat the Athletics 7-4 and fell to the Mariners 14-6.
To spotlight a few statistics, alumni Eric Verdun was 3-4 with 1 RBI in game 1, while on the defensive side freshman Mike Nitti threw two innings and gave up two runs. The Pitchforks’ pitching looks substantially better than the preseason, which gives their offense the chance to close it.
LaCilento said that game two was against a powerhouse team and was a “heartbreaker.” The fact that they still competed, though, left the team proud. They remain confident in their current standing.
What worries me—as both a baseball lover and underdog companion—is that lack of participation. There was that excitement come game one in all of “9 or ten players.” That’s how many players showed up for the first game that morning, LaCilento said. Even coaches had to trade their clipboards for their gloves.
With hit and miss participation, you would think that this would be their downfall.
But what makes the Polytechnic Pitchforks so good is their resilience through non-starters. Some sort of Linsanity even. Jeremy Lin is to the Knicks as senior Ken Fieldhouse is to the Polytechnic Pitchforks.
A third-base coach and umpire during the season, Fieldhouse had the opportunity to step in because of the lack of players; he had not played the game of baseball competitively since twelve years old. LaCilento saw this call as a “do what you can, it is what it is” situation. Fieldhouse saw it as an opportunity to produce.
Fieldhouse did contribute. He went 1-3 with two strikeouts, but the cherry on top was his double down the left-field line that brought in two runs.
“It surprised the crap out of me,” said Fieldhouse, an aeronautical engineering student with a concentration in professional flights. “Looking back when I was still playing, I don’t even remember getting the ball down the field, let alone hitting it.”
Fieldhouse and LaCilento have had a background playing together; they were on a local softball team, the Cobras. Fieldhouse, however, enjoys the game behind the plate. Watching the Anaheim Angels’ games and calling “balls” and “strikes” soon became his baseball niche, Fieldhouse said.
“He’s out doing what he can,” LaCilento said. “This is why I love the game.”
Another notable player is chemical engineering junior Robert Shoemaker. Shoemaker was a pitcher and outfielder on Grand Canyon University’s team for two years before bringing his talents across the Valley.
“He had a lot of raw talent,” LaCilento said. “I really didn’t know they guy’s potential, I just didn’t know. It was ‘let’s see what you can do.’”
Shoemaker, according to LaCilento, has been “lights out” since. He has taken a similar role to Grand Canyon, playing the same positions and bringing solid pitching to the team. LaCilento said that he is probably the Pitchfork’s hardest pitcher; Shoemaker can hit mid to high seventies if not low eighties.
“I love playing hardball and it’s nice to be on a team and have fun,” Shoemaker said.
Throughout the phone interview with Shoemaker, he always stressed “fun.” This is the most important characteristic to him.
“When it starts becoming a job…,” Shoemaker said, laughing mid-sentence.
That’s just it though. The team’s resiliency is fun.
To cap off the playoff weekend, the team treated themselves to Red Robin; it’s not the first time they’re done it, and it’s a testament to their team spirit. Earlier in the year, for a teammate’s birthday, 90 percent of the team gathered for a giant barbeque, LaCilento said.
“Before they were all ‘this is where I’m from, this is what we need to do to win,’” LaCilento said. “To see these guys from different backgrounds coming together, it comes back to the field.”
So, I’m going to take back the “run of the mill” prediction. The quality and willingness of players overshadows any potential flaws the club might have. The quality is not in skill but in the players’ attitudes and love for the game.
“Lately, I’ve had guys messaging me asking ‘hey, when’s the next game?’” LaCilento said. “It tells me that they want nothing more than to play.”
This weekend, the team will be challenged. Saturday, Feb. 18 at noon the team will be playing across campus at Salt River Fields against Tempe’s baseball club. Sunday at 9 a.m. the team will then be back at it in their league with a game against the Pirates at West Chandler fields.
Following these games, the team will make an abrupt move to the Tempe City League, Fieldhouse said. This will be a chance to show that “Polytechnic isn’t just a bunch of engineers.”
“They (the team) really want to go after and play against the guys at our school,” LaCilento said. “That was huge.”
What is also huge is the fact that this team has blossomed. LaCilento is happy for that.
“I see us kicking butt and taking names,” Fieldhouse said.
You can reach me at bcapria@asu.edu.
