Eden Christian slugs its way to 1st playoff berth, section title
The genesis of the Eden Christian Academy baseball program was an out-of-the-blue phone call to athletic director Steve Good seven years ago. Dave Kirilloff, a well-known baseball instructor whose son Alex would later become a first-round pick of the Minnesota Twins, asked what he could do to help the Warriors field a team. Good and Kirilloff cobbled together a roster and split coaching duties for a few years, before Good took over in 2015.
It wasn't an overnight success. But Eden Christian broke through in 2017, making the WPIAL playoffs and clinching a Section 1-A title for the first time in school history. The Warriors entered play Wednesday with a 12-3 overall record, and a 9-1 mark in section play. The turnaround began with Good's current crop of seniors.
“What a great group of kids,” Good said. “We have five seniors, and three have started since they were freshmen. They arrived here the year we threw the team into the WPIAL and went 0-16. They've worked hard, and have been good leaders. We've been able to build off that with younger kids, as well.”
Eden Christian's senior leaders include second baseman/pitcher Jesse Clary, outfielder/pitcher Seth Delposen, shortstop/pitcher Andrew Hachmeister, outfielder/pitcher Matt Knauer and outfielder/pitcher David Williams.
Clary is a line-drive hitter (.868 on-base-plus slugging percentage through May 8) whom Good praised for a high baseball IQ. Delposen is pummeling opposing pitchers (1.096 OPS) as the cleanup hitter while preventing runs with aplomb (2.41 ERA). Hachmeister is also raking and is Eden Christian's co-ace (2.66 ERA). Kanuer has arguably been the Warriors' best bat (1.129 OPS) and is just as lethal in the outfield, having thrown out three runners at home plate while leading the team in assists. Williams brings speed and a high-contact approach that has produced a near-.450 average.
“Those five, they guide us,” Good said. “Jesse leads vocally, but the other four are quieter and lead by example. They've got a calm demeanor, and a consistent heartbeat. That's important in baseball. It's not like football or basketball, where you can be amped up all the time. You have to be on an even keel.”
Good expected that his team would plate runs this season, but even he's surprised by the strength and length of the lineup.
“We got shut out in our second game, when it was 30 degrees and snowing,” Good recalled. “Since then, we've hit against everybody. I thought our one through six would be good, but our seven through nine hitters have been amazing. We worked a lot on our approach at the plate. A lot of high school hitters get too amped up and end up getting out on their front foot early. We're preaching patience, and driving the ball up the middle. Even if we get down in a game, out hitters' confidence is unwavering.”
That self-assuredness at the plate helped the Warriors clinch the Section 1-A title in a 7-5 comeback victory over Vincentian on May 4.
“We gave up four runs in the first inning, and the guys were down,” Good said. “I called them in and said, ‘we can either crumble and get blown out, or chip away.' Our bats came alive in the seventh, and we pulled out the win.”
As the Warriors prepare for their first ever playoff matchup, Good will rely on the group that has been through the good, the bad and the ugly.
“The older guys have worked so hard since the beginning,” Good said. “I couldn't be more proud of them, and appreciative of how they bought into this program. I'm steering the ship, but they're the engine.”
David Golebiewski is a freelance writer.
