Mat-Su hitter brings consistency to the top of the order

PALMER - The Alaska Baseball League is usually seen as a pitcher's league. And Hermon Brothers Field is most certainly a pitcher's park.

So, for the most part, it's the hitters, who normally swing the aluminum at the college ranks, who have hardest time adjusting to the wood bat ABL.

But the transition from the ping to the pine wasn't much of an adjustment for Joe Ercolano.

The Lehigh product has brought a steady and consistent presence to the top of the Mat-Su lineup. As of Thursday, Ercolano had a team-high .372 batting average, and had posted at least one hit in 19 of Mat-Su's first 21 games.

&#8220He's really been outstanding thus far,” Mat-Su head coach Matt Dorey said. &#8220He's been or catalyst.”

Ercolano started the summer on a 13-game hitting streak, and hasn't cooled off. The Anchorage Glacier Pilots were the first team to keep Mat-Su's lead-off hitter off the base paths. Ercolano finished 0-for-4 in the loss to the Pilots on June 28.

Since Ercolano has hit in six of seven games.

The key, Ercolano said, was just getting off to a good start.

&#8220If guys fall in a slump, they start pressing,” Ercolano said.

While some hitters try to alter their approach when they adjust to using the wood bats, Ercolano said his style translates well.

&#8220My swing's always been short,” Ercolano said. &#8220I'm not really swinging for home runs, just for singles. I'm just hitting for contact.”

Ercolano said he doesn't really think of himself as the prototypical contact hitter. He just is striving to be a quality lead-off hitting.

&#8220I'm just trying to get on base,” Ercolano said. &#8220You don't need a double or a home run. (I) just need to get on, and hopefully I can use my speed.”

Twenty-five of Ercolano's 29 hits this year have been singles.

Dorey said Ercolano is doing exactly what he expects of his lead-off hitter. He's making contact - his average shows that.

&#8220He seems to always find a way to get the barrel on the baseball,” Dorey said. &#8220Guys that do that consistently are going to have a lot of success.”

But Ercolano is also showing patience. He ranks among team leaders in walks, with 11. His .462 on-base percentage is also a team-best.

It's Ercolano's work facing two strikes, Dorey said, that separates the Fairfield, Conn., native from some of the other better hitters.

&#8220He competes with two strikes,” Dorey said.

Ercolano was named a Freshman All-American following his first season at Lehigh. He led the Patriot League with a .422 batting average, and was a first-team all-league selection. He posted 62 hits, scored 34 runs and earned the J. Daniel Nolan Award, the honor given to Lehigh's top male freshman athlete.

Ercolano hit .339 with 63 hits and 60 runs during his sophomore season.

Ercolano's teammate at Lehigh, Matt McBride, was an All-Alaska Baseball League selection last season for the Miners. After the success McBride had in the Valley, Mat-Su Miners general manager Pete Christopher said he had no reservations about bringing another Lehigh product to Palmer. Ercolano said he had offers from a few other leagues, but after hearing what McBride had to say, he chose to play in Alaska.

&#8220(McBride) said he loved it,” Ercolano said. &#8220He said it really helped him to get drafted.”

McBride was chosen by the Cleveland Indians with the 75th pick of the 2006 MLB amateur draft last month.

Ercolano said he had never thought a great amount about his own future in professional baseball. But as he continues to see success at the college ranks and the highest level of summer amateur baseball, Ercolano may be joining McBride on the list of Lehigh players drafted.

&#8220I try not to think about it,” Ercolano said. &#8220It's everyone's dream. I'll do what I can to keep my hopes alive for playing at the next level.”