By Jacob Oswalt
Central PA Area Scout

Bishop McCort got off to a good start in attempting to defend its back-to-back titles in the Gene Schultz Memorial Baseball Tournament on Friday night. McCort broke open the game in the third inning by sending 19 batters to the plate and scoring 13 runs to win 16-0.

McCort lefty Nathan Neiderheiser got the win pitching three innings, walking two, and striking out eight in an abbreviated no-hitter.

First baseman Luke Williams led the offense by going 2-for-2 with three runs scored, two RBI, a double and a home run. Jeremy Adams was 1-for-1 with a sacrifice fly and four RBI. Cameron Rock went 2-for-2 with two runs, a double and two RBI. Brad Coleman went 2-for-2 with two RBI.

McCort (8-2) took advantage of six walks and a hits batsman in the deciding third inning.

+ 2014 LHP/OF Nathan Neiderheiser had trouble commanding his fastball on a cold night, but his changeup was the equalizer. Neiderheiser induced nine swings and misses just on his changeup, including three of the strikeouts. The junior uses a drop and drive method to throw downhill and create deception. His changeup showed late fade away from right-handed hitters, a great pitch to combat the eight right-handed hitters in the Conemaugh Township lineup. At the dish, Neiderheiser has a very “handsy swing.” With his quick hands, it allows him to sit back on pitches longer. Neiderheiser kept his hands back flawlessly on a slow breaking ball in the first inning, driving the ball to deep right field and ending up with a double. The lefty then showed an up-the-middle approach on a first pitch fastball in his third at-bat, lining the pitch up the middle  for an RBI.

+ 2014 SS/RHP Justin Vardian showed an ability to spray the field in his second at-bat on the night. The righty kept his hands back on a 1-2 curveball to drive the ball to right field for an RBI. Vardian has an athletic body that allows him to show very good range at shortstop along with quick and soft hands. At the plate, Vardian has a crouched stance with a bent back leg and high hands that allows him to show above-average plate coverage and bat control.

+ 2013 1B Luke Williams, a Pitt-Johnstown recruit, showcased his raw power on Friday. Williams uses an upright stance to use his size (6-foot-3 and 225 pounds) as leverage in his swing. Williams got a little jammed on a double he hit to left-center, but his strength and bat speed carried the ball near the wall. The righty pounded his home run over the wall in left-center (336 feet) that easily went over the fence and onto Johns Street at historic Point Stadium in downtown Johnstown.

+ 2014 second baseman/pitcher Brad Coleman went 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI’s. In the 1st inning Coleman lined a two-run single to center showcasing his ability to square the ball up and using a gap-to-gap approach at the plate. Coleman missed all of 2012 with a torn ACL and getting to play his junior year will only raise his stock of possibly playing college baseball.

+ Conemaugh Township SS Dillon Boyer signed with Division II Pitt-Johnstown on Thursday. The left-handed hitter has an open stance and a keen knowledge of the strike zone. Boyer threw a complete game Thursday in a loss to Portage. He gave up four runs (all unearned) and five hits on a day he also hit a solo homer. Boyer showed soft hands and a high baseball IQ in the field. He profiles as a middle infielder at the college level with an ability to play first or third as he matures into his lanky frame. As a junior, Boyer hit .405 with 34 hits and 31 runs and now is only ten hits short of 100 for his career.

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