Wilson’s Matt VanOstebridge is UECU Pitcher of the Week
Matt VanOstenbridge has become Wilson’s big-game pitcher.
The junior got the ball in the opening game of the Berks Baseball League playoffs and came through again, throwing six shutout innings against Oley Valley to earn Utilities Employees Credit Union Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season.
He allowed just two hits in the 6-0 victory, didn’t walk a batter and struck out eight. And he needed just 83 pitches to get it done, leaving enough in the tank for him to take the ball against Monday night in the championship game against Gov. Mifflin.
Ostenbridge improved to 4-2 and lowered his ERA to 1.91 over eight starts this season. He’s been one of the key reasons the Bulldogs have turned it around in the second half of the season and take an eight-game winning streak into the championship game.
He has thrown 13 consecutive scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out 16. For the season, he has allowed 26 hits over 47 2/3 innings with 69 strikeouts.
He is 3-0 with a save over his last four appearances and hasn’t lost since April 12, when he went just three innings against Muhlenberg, his shortest start of the season. He has completed three of his seven starts. He has gone without a walk in four of his eight starts.
VanOstenbridge has a big-breaking curveball but a key to his success this season is a much-improved slider he uses to keep hitters of his curve.
“It’s not often (you can) throw both offspeed pitches for strikes,” Wilson coach Bill Underwood said. “He’s doing a real good job of advancing his game with more pitches.”
The Bulldogs saw late last season they’d have a true No. 1 on the mound coming into this season. VanOstenbridge, then a sophomore, threw a four-hit shutout in the opening round of the District 3 Class 6A playoffs as the Bulldogs knocked out fifth-seeded Dallastown.
He went 4-2 in 12 appearances with a 1.46 ERA as a sophomore. He was second on the team with 57 strikeouts, over 38 1/3 innings.
He was named a preseason underclass All-American by PerfectGameUSA and is getting interest from Division I programs such as Penn State, Kent State, Kansas State and Boston College.
VanOstenbridge is the only person selected Utilities Employees Credit Union Pitcher of the Week more than once this season. Teammates Cole Leaman and Rueben Livingston, each now graduated, were each selected once last year.
Players considered for UECU Union Pitcher of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by MikeDragoSports.com.
Also nominated for Utilities Employees Credit Union Pitcher of the Week:
- Devin Sheerin, Exeter
- Ryan Moser, Fleetwood
- Ethan Grim, Gov. Mifflin
- Dalton Follweiler, Muhlenberg
- Jon Oxendine, Twin Valley
- Nick Crocona, Wilson
Selected as Utilities Employees Credit Union Pitcher of the Week earlier this season:
- April 3: Deven Sheerin, Exeter
- April 10: Matt VanOstenbridge, Wilson
- April 17: Ethan Grim, Gov. Mifflin
- April 24: Carson Renner, Brandywine Heights
- May 1: Matt VanOstenbridge, Wilson
- May 8: Chase Kegerise, Oley Valley
- May 15: Matt VanOstenbridge, Wilson
Selected as Utilities Employees Credit Union Pitcher of the Week last season:
- April 4: Tristan Baer, Hamburg
- April 11: Alexander Velez, Gov. Mifflin
- April 18: Cole Leaman, Wilson
- April 25: Tristan Baer, Hamburg
- May 2: Matt Kramer, Wyomissing
- May 9: Luke Macdonald, Oley Valley
- May 16: Luke Macdonald, Oley Valley
- May 23: Rueben Livingston, Wilson
