West Aurora’s Zach Toma is best known for his pitching, and rightfully so.
The junior left-hander has been one of the area’s breakout stars this season. What casual observers may not realize is he has also become the Blackhawks’ leading hitter this spring.
So, bring on the spotlight in the batter’s box.
“I really wanted to be the guy up in that situation,” Toma said. “I felt like I was seeing the ball really well, and I kind of felt like he was going to throw me a curveball in that situation.
“I got it and didn’t miss it.”
Indeed, Toma’s two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning Wednesday was the difference in a 5-3 victory over Neuqua Valley in a Class 4A Waubonsie Valley Regional semifinal in Aurora.
Toma also settled in on the mound after his big hit and finished off a complete-game win for the Blackhawks (27-7), who will play at 11 a.m. Saturday for the regional title against the semifinal winner between Naperville Central (19-11) and Waubonsie Valley (14-12).
While Toma struck out six and allowed three runs, two earned, on three his and two walks, Braiden Williams came through with a pinch-hit, two-run single in the fourth to tie the game.
Henry Hinkle and Eliseo Liscano added two hits apiece for West Aurora. Colton Maita doubled and scored for Neuqua (13-17-1). But the big double by Toma loomed large in the end.
“I expected it out of him,” West Aurora coach John Reeves said. “He’s been great with the bat in his hands. He can do it both ways, on the mound and at the plate.”
That’s true on both accounts. Offensively, Toma leads the team with 46 RBIs. As far as the pitching part of the equation goes, Toma improved his record to 7-2 with a 1.07 ERA.
Reeves credited a program-wide mandate to increase time in the weight room as helping with that process. Mason Atkins and Toma, two football players, took it to heart the most.
“They spent a lot of time in the weight room, which I think shows,” Reeves said. “Especially with guys like Mason and Zach.”
Toma cited several factors for his offensive breakout, including switching travel teams and reworking his swing. The biggest factor, he agreed, came in the weight room.
“The strength part of it especially, we lift all the time,” Toma said. “We lift in season. In past years, I haven’t lifted in season. This year, that’s been a huge difference-maker with my strength.
“Just feeling confident up there. Our coaches pushed the whole team into the weight room. And then Mason, he’s always getting on me about lifting after practice, so it helps.”
Toma’s offense was needed after he got off to an uncharacteristically shaky start on the mound.
Through 3 1/3 innings Wednesday, he trailed 3-1. He retired the final two batters of the fourth to get out of a jam, however. After his double, he retired Neuqua’s final nine hitters in order.
“The beginning of the game, I wasn’t getting that first-pitch strike down,” Toma said. “Then toward the end, I really started to get that pitch down.
“Getting that first-pitch strike is huge, man. Then you have every pitch in your arsenal to throw.”
Toma’s heroics were set up by Williams’ clutch hit, which helped the Blackhawks catch their collective breath.
“It felt really good to help the team out and win this game,” Williams said. “That just raised our confidence and helped us.”
It’s always nerve-racking to be in a close game in a one-and-done scenario, but Toma was unfazed. He hopes that paves the way to the program’s first regional title since 2006.
“It got me nervous a little bit, but to be honest, we had so much time left and I have a lot of confidence in our hitters,” Toma said. “I knew we’d come through and scrap out some runs.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
