Fox Chapel baseball’s successful season built on sound defense

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, April 22, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Jack Resek didn’t believe the Fox Chapel baseball team welcomed a break in the Section 1-5A schedule.

But the senior designated hitter didn’t believe having four nonsection games in late April would do much to change the Foxes’ approach. Fox Chapel, which was 6-5 overall and 6-2 in section as of April 19, wants to treat the next stretch of games with a section-like approach.

“It’s about having the right mental attitude,” Resek said. “Once you get out of focus, it’s hard to dial back in and get ready again.”

The Foxes will need that approach when they get back to section play in May. Fox Chapel’s next two section games will be against Armstrong, which is tied with the Foxes for first place.

Fox Chapel’s last section game, a 7-3 home loss to Franklin Regional on April 19, stopped a five-game winning streak the Foxes were on.

What spurred that winning streak, Fox Chapel baseball coach Jim Hastings said, was how well the Foxes play on defense.

“We’ve been good all around,” Hastings said. “We make all of the routine plays and have had several games where we made one error or less.”

Hastings believes that Fox Chapel has benefitted from strong defensive play at nearly every position. Shortstop Zack Johnson, second baseman Troy Susnak and catcher Mitchell Epstein have helped solidify the middle of the defense.

“We’re extremely confident right now,” Resek said. “We’re playing good baseball and working together as a team.”

That confidence has reflected itself in section play. Fox Chapel swept Penn Hills and Gateway, winning two of those four games by shutout. The Foxes also split their series with Penn-Trafford and Franklin Regional.

Hastings believes that the Foxes have been relaxed in those games because of the security playing well on defense provides them.

“I think it provides peace of mind for our pitchers especially,” Hastings said. “They can attack the zone and throw strikes. For our batters, they can relax knowing if we don’t get a run here, we’re going to hold them down and get a crack at them.”

Fox Chapel is happy to be tied for first place with the stretch run coming up. The Foxes hope their strong fielding and pitching can help keep them in the race.

“I think our team chemistry,” Resek said. “Coming in, we’re all great friends and that’s helped us flourish on the field.”

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