Coming into the season, senior pitcher Seth Kisner knew he was going to share ace honors for Geneva with Bryce Breon.
What better way to prove that he’s up to the task than to face off against another ace.
Kisner earned that chance on a frigid Thursday afternoon against Yorkville’s Simon Skroch, the Minnesota recruit and senior left-hander who’s entering his fourth year on the varsity.
“Oh yeah, it feels amazing that I was able to compete and hold my own against him,” Kisner said afterward. “I feel like I can take on just about anyone.”
And Kisner ended up taking the pitching win, throwing a complete game for the Vikings in a 5-4 nonconference victory over host Yorkville.
Although Kisner gave up a pair of two-run homers to Yorkville slugger Kam Yearsley, he otherwise kept the Foxes in check. Kisner allowed four runs on four hits and a walk, striking out eight.
Nate Stempowski continued his hot start to the season for Geneva (2-0), going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, a steal and an RBI. Roland Sorrentino also hit a two-run homer.
Skroch did his part for Yorkville (2-2), going five innings and allowing three runs on three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.
In the offseason, however, Kisner prepared himself for this moment.
“I started doing a lot more lifting than I used to do, so I feel a lot more fit than I used to,” Kisner said. “I feel stronger. Over the summer, I was with my travel team, DuPage Training Academy, and we were in a bunch of high-level tournaments.
“That prepared me for high-level competition.”
Geneva coach Brad Wendell has always been impressed with Kisner’s ability to throw strikes. Even though Kisner gave up the pair of homers to Yearsley, Wendell was still impressed.
“He’s been excellent for us,” Wendell said. “He throws tons of strikes. He’ll get hit sometimes like every pitcher, but he keeps it around the zone. He’s got good stuff. He’s just a competitor.”
Despite it being early in the season, Wendell let Kisner show that against the Foxes.
After giving up a two-run homer to Yearsley in the first inning, Kisner shut down the Foxes until the sixth. He retired 12 straight at one point. Then, Yearsley struck again to tie the game in the sixth.
After Stempowski doubled in Kollin Mickelsen in the top of the seventh to help Geneva grab the lead. It was Kisner’s first start of the season, but Wendell decided to leave him in the game.
“I think every coach is conservative, but he bought in during the offseason,” Wendell said. “I know where he’s at. He’s always one of those guys who says he’s ready to throw.”
Considering where Kisner hopes to reach this season and the competition he will face in the DuKane Conference, he was happy Wendell gave him that opportunity.
“It puts me into a great mentality,” Kisner said. “I have confidence in myself. I know my team has confidence in me. I’m super proud of myself and my team.
“I could not be there without my team, my coaching and everyone having faith in me. It felt so amazing.”
Aside from Yearsley’s homers, Yorkville was unable to solve Kisner.
“He did what a good high school pitcher is supposed to do,” Yorkville coach Tom Cerven said of Kisner. “He located two pitches. Offensively, as a whole, we didn’t recognize the curveball.
“He had us off balance the whole game, and we just never really adjusted. It was a really good pitching performance.”
That type of performance gives Wendell trust to go to Kisner in key moments moving forward.
“We let him go, and I’m glad we did,” Wendell said. “He’s a competitor. He’s funky to watch, and I’m glad we have him.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
