By Dave Diamond
Will DeVito gave up eight runs and 13 hits in three and two-thirds innings Sunday, en route to an embarrassing 21-4 loss against William & Mary.
What’s the good news?
This was just a small step backwards for DeVito, who has taken a giant leap forward this season for the Pride baseball team. DeVito, a sophomore pitcher from Hicksville, has taken the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) by storm in his first season for the Pride.
DeVito is on pace to break a number of Pride single-season pitching records, including innings pitched and fewest walks allowed. His 65 2/3 innings pitched are unprecedented on this year’s team, and are sure to test the record of 75 1/3 innings by former Pride pitcher Justin Romano in his magical 1996 season. DeVito likely has three starts left.
What turns heads about DeVito is how quickly he has become the ace of the Pride pitching staff. Having transferred from Dowling College after his freshman year, the Chaminade high graduate has settled in nicely at the University.
“It wasn’t the right school for me,” DeVito said of Dowling. “It was way too small.”
It was not long after DeVito made his decision to transfer that head coach Chris Dotolo got in touch with him.
“The coach called me in the summer, and it seemed like a good opportunity,” DeVito recalled when Dotolo contacted him.
Dotolo has seen no ill results.
“He’s probably been our most consistent pitcher and he does a good job of competing every time he’s on the mound,” Dotolo said.
The pitching mound was not always cozy for DeVito, who started pitching in his junior year of high school. The converted second baseman learned to pitch from his coaches at Chaminade.
“They told me to focus and throw strikes,” he said.
And since then, not much has changed for DeVito, who gets hitters to miss by keeping it simple.
Devito is “just your standard fastball, curveball, and change-up” kind-of guy and at first glance, his statistics would make the greatest baseball minds curious. Though he had one of the lowest earned run average on the team (5.07) before Sunday’s start, he has given up team-highs in home runs (10) and hits (94).
The key to DeVito’s performance is working out of jams and not giving up any walks. The ability to strike out 33 batters while only walking seven does not hurt either, a part of his game that Pride catcher Steve Oliveri is very appreciative of.
“He attacks the strike zone, which makes him very easy to catch,” Oliveri said.
DeVito’s ability to pitch so many innings is a result of focus on economical pitch counts. That mentality has helped him pitch two complete games this season.
Still, DeVito cannot stress enough how important Oliveri’s solid catching has been. The pitcher-catcher relationship is something DeVito thinks should not go unnoticed.
“It’s the most important thing, I think. It’s huge,” DeVito said. “He’s a big part of why I’ve been successful, and why the pitching staff has been pretty good.”
Oliveri has also thrown out 10 attempted base-stealers and picked off another six. Those statistics make pitchers happy to have him.
While DeVito is very humble at his early success in college baseball, there is one person (not in uniform) eager to spread the good word. That would be his biggest fan and mother, Nancy DeVito. Will explained that while she gets very intense, it is good to know she is at all of his home games. She also accompanied the team to see Will’s start this past weekend at William & Mary. Of all the things, she hasn’t been surprised by her son’s performance.
“He’s thrived for many years through little league, travel, and college baseball, he’s always been a very strong player,” she said. “I’ve watched him grow and progress and improve, and I’m very proud of him.”
Dotolo agrees. “I’m just happy he’s in the program, and the guys really feel confident when he’s on the mound,” he said. “I wish we had more guys like him.”