Sterling's Casey carries streak into new season

Donovan Casey specializes in the element of surprise.

The Sterling senior's best pitch is his change-up. He always seems a step ahead of unsuspecting hitters.

His career has followed the same formula. He was a raw project as a freshman and hardly pitched as a sophomore because an injury shortened his season.

But Casey jumped out from behind the bushes as a junior. He went 7-1 with an astounding 0.11 ERA, threw six shutouts and finished the season with a 41-inning scoreless streak.

"Things just started to go better and better," Casey said of his breakout season. "I felt myself getting more and more confident in myself, in my team behind me.

"I thought I could do things like that but I didn't think I would do them junior year because I hardly pitched as a sophomore."

The challenge for Casey as a senior will be to build on his success amid heightened expectations.

His circle change-up might still be his best pitch. But he's no longer sneaking up on anybody.

"We feel like we can beat anybody with him on the mound," Sterling coach Chris Hoffman said of Casey.

Casey is bigger and stronger than last season. He's 6-foot-2 and 190 - about an inch or two taller and 20 pounds heavier than he was as a junior.

"I wanted to get stronger because I want to fight off injuries," Casey said. "I want to push them away."

Casey has a live fastball that usually sits around 85 m.p.h. on the radar guns. He also throws a cut fastball and has been tinkering with a knuckle curve.

But his out pitch is his change-up. He developed it with his father, Troy, experimenting with grips.

"I was looking for something that dives down and I was able to find the grip to make it work," Casey said. "I love it. It's my favorite pitch."

Casey has signed with Boston College. He was offered a scholarship after Eagles coaches tracked his progress as a member of the Tri-State Arsenal AAU team last summer.

"They came out to Arizona to see me," Casey said.

He was recruited mostly as pitcher but also will be afforded the opportunity to play some outfield.

Hoffman said Casey is the "best defensive outfielder I've ever seen," with an uncanny ability to track down fly balls.

"Even in practice, we'll be hitting flies and say, 'Oh, there's no way he can get to that one,' " Hoffman said. "He'll be sitting under it."

Casey believes his athletic ability and baseball instincts have contributed to his success on the mound. He's coming off an incredible junior season.

Casey threw shutouts in his last five appearances on the mound. He allowed one earned run in 572/3 innings.

His last five games went this way:

8-0 win over Pitman.

11-0 win over West Deptford.

10-0 win over Haddonfield.

5-0 win over Pemberton.

1-0 win in nine innings over Manchester in the South Jersey Group 2 semifinals.

Casey said he's motivated along with the rest of the Silver Knights because of the way last season ended, with Sterling dropping a decision to West Deptford in the South Jersey final.

"We want to get back there and go farther this year," Casey said.

Casey enters the season with his scoreless-innings streak. He knows that eventually, he's going to give up a run.

"I'm proud of it and I'd like to keep it going but it's not something I worry about," Casey said. "I don't care if I give up one run or five runs. As long as we win, I'm happy about that."

Here's a list of some of South Jersey's senior pitchers this season:

Mike Brambilla, Cherry Hill East: This righthander has signed with Monmouth.

Donovan Casey, Sterling: The righthander was 7-1 with an 0.11 ERA. He's signed with Boston College.

Kyle Cox, Millville: This righthander is one of the Cape-Atlantic League's best all-around players.

Nick DiEva, Cherry Hill East: The righthander has signed with West Virginia.

Jake Danner, GCIT: This righthander has signed with West Virginia.

Bryan Dobzanski, Delsea: The righthander was hitting 93 m.p.h. on the radar gun at the Carpenter Cup last June. He has signed with Louisville.

Joey Gatto, St. Augustine: The righthander is a North Carolina recruit.

Zack Gekeler, Northern Burlington: This lefthander was 9-1 for the Central Jersey Group 3 champions with a 1.69 ERA and 77 strikeouts.

Steve Mondile, Gloucester Catholic: The righthander is a Longwood recruit.

Mark Ostbye, Haddonfield: The righthander has signed with Virginia.

Josh Pennington, Lower Cape May: This hard-throwing righthander is a St. John's recruit.

Frank Rosetti, Cherokee: This righthander is a Lehigh recruit.

Mark Scarpa, Washington Township: This righthander was 7-1 with a 1.65 ERA.

Devin Smeltzer, Bishop Eustace: The lefthander and Florida Gulf Coast recruit was 8-3 with 109 strikeouts.

Matt Tepedino, Mainland: This righthander originally signed with Temple, then switched to New Orleans when the Owls announced they were dropping the baseball program.

Zach Warren, St. Augustine: The lefty has signed with Tulane.

Scott Zimmer, Moorestown: This 6-7 righthander has signed with Delaware.

- Phil Anastasia

EndText