Lefties lead way for Audubon

In the spring of 2009, Audubon coach Rich Horan had two talented freshman pitchers on his roster.

That was good.

Both were left-handed.

That also was good - and maybe a little foreboding, too.

"There's something about lefthanders," Horan said. "You love having them in your program, but sometimes they tend to do things a little differently."

Three years later, Audubon is planning to make another run at another state title behind those same pitchers - now seniors, but still left-handed and unique in their ways.

Andrew Schorr and Kevin Kraemer always figured they could be a pair of aces for Audubon's proud and accomplished program. They just never thought it would take so long to finally get together.

"This is what we envisioned," Schorr said of sharing duties with Kraemer at the top of the rotation. "I'm just glad we're finally going to get the chance to do it as seniors."

The 6-foot, 180-pound Schorr and the 6-3, 205-pound Kraemer might form the best 1-2 pitching combination in South Jersey. Along with heavy-hitting senior first baseman Keith Michalski and skilled senior catcher Derek "Boomer" Wickersham, they are the main reasons that Audubon is a strong contender to win the Colonial Patriot crown as well as South Jersey and state Group 1 titles.

"I'm just excited for these guys," said Horan, who has led Audubon to six state titles since 1994, including the 2011 Group 1 crown. "This is their last go-round, and they have a chance to go out by playing in the biggest games."

Schorr is a rare player. He's a Division I athlete and acknowledged ace who hasn't pitched much in high school. After a promising freshman season, Schorr missed all of his sophomore year with a broken tibia in his left leg and most of his junior year with a stress fracture of the tibia in his right leg.

Schorr, who has signed with East Carolina, said he's finally healthy and determined to make the most of his senior year.

"It was really tough to sit out," Schorr said of the last two seasons at Audubon. "Especially last year when we had that great playoff run and won the state title. It was tough to just sit there and not be a part of it."

Schorr pitched in just two games in 2011. In one of them, he threw a no-hitter against Camden Catholic.

Horan said Schorr throws his fastball in the 86-87 m.p.h. range, has a good curveball and has greatly improved his change-up. But the coach said Schorr's greatest strength on the mound might be his mental approach.

"He learned a lot about the game just from sitting out and watching and learning about game situations," Horan said.

Schorr said his knowledge of the game increased during his time on the bench, especially as he would sit with the Audubon coaching staff during games last season.

"I would much rather have been playing," Schorr said. "But if you can't play and you're just sitting there, you might as well pay attention. It made me a smarter player."

Kraemer said he's more thrower than thinker on the mound, although his feel for the game has improved over the course of his career.

"I like to keep the game moving," said Kraemer, who compiled a 5-2 record for Audubon last season.

Horan said Kraemer has a fastball in the 84-85 m.p.h. range and also has been working to improve his change-up.

"He throws that heavy left-handed ball," Horan said.

Of the two aces, Kraemer is the more experienced. With Schorr on the sideline, Kraemer was forced to pitch many of Audubon's biggest games over the last two seasons.

"He wants the ball," Horan said of Kraemer. "We've jumped on his shoulders. He's pitched in all of our big games, and at Audubon, that's saying something. He's got that lefthander mentality. He battles. He says, 'Here it is, see if you can hit it.' "

Horan knows it wasn't left-handed quirkiness but unfortunate injuries that created the long wait for Schorr and Kraemer to finally join forces on the mound for the Green Wave.

But the coach has been around the game a long time. He knows lefthanders sometimes can be tough to figure.

Fortunately for the Green Wave, the best of them can be tough to beat, too.