Archbishop Ryan can thank Mack for victory over Father Judge

Serving up gopher balls can sometimes be loads of fun.

If that's hard to believe, you should have seen and heard Kevin Mack shortly after he was taken way deep by Father Judge High's Mike McLaughlin in the second inning of a Catholic Red baseball game.

As Archbishop Ryan prepared to bat, a smiling Mack, speaking of McLaughlin, quipped to a teammate, "He didn't even thank me."

"You'll get a card in the mail," the kid shot back, laughing.

"That went far. And fast," Mack added.

If you're saying to yourself, "That kid is probably lefthanded," right you are! Yesterday, he was also very impressive.

Mack, a 5-10, 170-pound junior, allowed four hits, struck out 12 and, as the cleanup hitter, went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBI as host Ryan prevailed, 7-2.

Even after the game, he enjoyed talking about McLaughlin's solo shot, an inside-the-big-park shot to left-center.

"I really gift-wrapped that for him," Mack said. "It was a changeup and I left it up. It was right there. Brutal. I groaned when it came out of my hand. I knew what was going to happen.

"I didn't even want to turn around and look at it. I figured it would be up in the trees."

Mack experienced one other rough moment, as one-out walks in the second inning to Kevin Elmer and Anthony D'Ambrosio were followed by Kevin Conroy's perfectly placed RBI groundball between third baseman Mike Anusky and shortstop Eric Frain. Otherwise, he was dominant.

Not only did he strike out the side in the fourth, he matched the feat in the fifth.

When asked about that, he came off as bewildered.

"I've been pitching since age 5," he said. "I definitely never struck out six guys in a row before."

Could he put a number on his best whiff streak?

"Maybe two. At the most," he said.

Though Mack classifies himself as a pitcher who also happens to play the field, his offensive contributions can hardly be minimized. He was a starting outfielder even as a freshman and is known for spraying liners to all locales. Well, usually.

He said he'd been struggling before this one and he wasn't too happy after grounding out in his first at-bat. He promised himself not to think, just to react, in his next trip and he led off the fourth with a ringing triple to left-center. A groundout by Matt "Milk" Rizzo brought him home.

"I went up there hacking," Mack said. "Just trying to send it back up the middle. That pitch was kind of gift-wrapped for me."

In the fifth, Frain's one-out RBI single chased starter Matt Gallo and Mack greeted reliever CJ Felthaus with a bunt single toward third. Rizzo added a looping single to left-center and catcher Colin Budny launched a sacrifice fly to right.

Mack said he bunted after receiving a sign from coach Ron Gerhart, who was stationed at third.

"It was a designed bunt-for-a-hit play," Mack added. "I think I'm 3-for-3 on those - knock on wood [he touched his head] - this year. I knew I was going to get it down. Just didn't know if I'd get to first in time."

In the three-run sixth, Mark Golic singled home a run and, after Frain was issued an intentional walk, Mack sliced a two-run double just out of the reach of the sprawling leftfielder, D'Ambrosio.

"When they gave Frain the intentional walk, it was, 'Thanks, I wanted another at-bat,' " Mack said.

Mack, who lives in Morrell Park, also competes for Ryan in soccer (defender) and swimming (handyman; just to stay busy and in shape). But baseball is his sport and nothing matches the rush of pitching.

"I like striking guys out," he said. "Well, just getting outs. And being the center of everything. It all revolves around the pitcher and the catcher."

It wasn't surprising to hear Mack work the bubbly Budny into the mix. The two appear to have great chemistry.

"I love throwing to that guy," Mack said. "He cracks me up."

With his words or actions?

"Both."