Adjustments spur Liberty to another league crown
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Olentangy Liberty’s Brock Amelung delivers a pitch during the host Patriots’ 3-2 win in non-league play over Grove City on May 11. Photo: Michael Rich
Brock Amelung felt like he was on the cusp of having a senior season to remember for the Olentangy Liberty baseball team.
Known more for his pitching than his hitting, the Bowling Green commit, could tell his offensive game was coming together.
So, when a shoulder injury kept Amelung off the mound, he wasn’t surprised when he put together a record-breaking season at the plate, batting .480 with five home runs and 41 RBIs, 28 runs and 13 doubles.
Along the way, he broke Nick Parr’s record of 33 RBI’s set in 2015 and tied Nick Darlage’s mark for doubles set in the program’s inaugural season of 2004.
“I don’t think a limited pitching impact caused this type of offensive season,” Amelung said. “I feel like this was coming either way. I was decent last year – I hit around .330. (I just became) more physical this offseason, hitting over the summer. Coach (Ty) Brenning did a great job with us this fall, I felt super confident coming into this year.”
Amelung’s stellar offensive campaign helped Liberty to a 22-3 overall record and an OCC-Central Division title for the second consecutive season at 12-3.
He was projected to be Liberty’s No. 1 starting pitcher heading into the season, but a shoulder injury suffered last summer kept him from doing that.
“I probably had over 100 innings combined (last) spring and summer,” Amelung said. “Late in the summer, I was getting some shoulder pain after I threw.”
He was diagnosed with small tears in the muscles in his rotator cuff.
“I did (physical therapy) for 10 or 12 weeks (after the diagnosis) and it just wasn’t getting any better,” Amelung said. “The whole offseason and early spring I’ve just been dealing with that and trying to strengthen my arm – lots of physical therapy, I had a cortisone shot one time and got another MRI. It’s been a long process dealing with that.”
Amelung’s bat sparked the Patriots, who are the top seed in the Division I district tournament. They open tournament play in the second round at home against 28th-seeded Whetstone on May 17.
“Brock is a high-energy who is never afraid of hard work,” Brenning said. “He’s got a very bright future at the college level and it may be as a position player and a pitcher the way he’s playing this year offensively. We didn’t want to jeopardize his health to speed up the process just for us to win a couple of extra games early in the year.
“We do have the luxury of having a veteran team that can win in a lot of ways and has a decent amount of depth on the pitching staff.”
Olentangy Liberty coach Ty Brenning discusses strategy with Blake Hajjar (21) during the host Patriots’ game with Dublin Coffman in OCC-Central Division play on April 7. Photo: Michael Rich
Bester fills the void on the mound
While Amelung went from being a top pitcher to a top field player, senior Colin Bester went the other way. A partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament his sophomore year led him to decide on just being a pitcher.
“It’s kind of been lingering all of high school really since I didn’t have surgery on it,” he said. “It wasn’t severe enough. I wasn’t going to be able to do everything. It was a very tough choice. My father (Scott Bester) was a pitcher when he played. Plus, as a pitcher, I can control more aspects of the game. Nothing is like striking someone out – it’s the best feeling.”
Bester is 5-1 with a save in eight games, including seven starts. In 38.0 innings, he has a 2.39 ERA and 46 strikeouts.
Freshman Parker Van Engelenhoven is also making an impact for the Patriots, going 6-0 with a 1.39 ERA in 40 2/3 innings over seven games, all starts. He’s struck out 52 batters and walked 12.
Seniors Anderson Gomez (4-2, 2.63 ERA in 32 innings) and Mitchell Gray (4-0, 1.59 ERA in 22 innings) have also had solid seasons on the mound for Liberty, which outscored opponents 44-2 in winning its final five games of the regular season.
Olentangy Liberty’s Mason Oñate slides into third during the host Patriots’ game with Dublin Coffman in OCC-Central Division play on April 7. Photo: Michael Rich
Oñate becomes a weapon at the top of the order
Amelung and Bester weren’t the only ones that had to adjust to new roles. Senior Mason Oñate (INF) moved from the second sport in the batting order to leadoff.
Oñate, a Tulane commit, came back from a slow start to bat .442 with three homers, 20 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples and 15 walks. He’s scored 39 runs.
“I think that was a hard transition for me for the first couple of games because I haven’t hit leadoff,” Oñate said. “Instead of two-hole where I’m just trying to get hits and RBIs, it’s how can I get on for the team. The biggest thing I focused on was my pre-pitch timing. For two-hole, I got to see a whole at-bat ahead of me. At leadoff, I don’t get to see anything.”
Senior Blake Hajjar (OF) took over the No. 2 spot in the order and hit .403 with 27 runs, 14 RBIs, 10 walks and seven doubles.
It’s all coming together
The Patriots have put together a strong pitching staff, a strong offense and with seniors Josh Stickel (INF) and Josh Bercaw (INF), a Marietta commit, as well as junior Brady Schnierer (OF), a solid defensive unit.
“We have 11 seniors and there’s only nine spots on the lineup card … and some of them play the same positions,” Brenning said. “So, there’s even less room on the lineup card to make an impact. Add some kids in the junior class and a sophomore or two that are returning letter winners. It’s a group that’s very dynamic and very athletic and they are super invested.
Coming off its 10th league title overall, Liberty seeks its first district title since 2018 when it won its only state championship. The Patriots, who have won four district championships overall, including one in Division II in 2005, have finished as district runners-up in each of the last three seasons that have been played.
“In some situations, that can lead you to compete with each other, but not support each other,” Brenning said. “What makes this group so unique, is they’re able to compete with support. This group has always put the team first, they’ve put growth first and they’ve really brought out the best in one another.”
Amelung, who is 1-0 a 2.75 ERA in 10 2/3 innings over three appearances, including two starts, could be the weapon Liberty needs in the postseason.
“On the mound, I am completely happy fulfilling any role they want me to this year,” Amelung said. “If they want me to go out and start tournament games, I’m ready for it. If they want me to be a closer, I can do that too. Whatever they need me to win games, I’m ready for. I don’t really have any expectations of being the hero in the big games. I just us to have the best chance of winning baseball games as we go down the stretch here.”