West Aurora’s Zach Toma flew under the radar in prospect circles coming into this spring, even after starting to establish himself during the second half of last season.
He didn’t let that change the way he wanted to go about his business, however.
“The mindset has been going out there and throw strikes and get it done,” Toma said with a shrug. “Every at-bat, every time I get on the mound, the confidence is through the roof.
‘I go out there thinking I’m better than the guy in front of me no matter what, even if he’s ranked. It doesn’t matter. I go out there thinking I’m better than him and that’s just how I pitch.”
So far this season, the junior left-hander has been as good as anyone around.
Toma continued his dazzling start to the season Tuesday afternoon by pitching a complete-game shutout for the Blackhawks in an 11-0 Upstate Eight Conference victory at Bartlett.
Brilliant yet again, Toma struck out 12 while scattering three hits and a walk. He also had three hits and added an RBI for West Aurora (14-1, 8-0), which pushed its winning streak to 11 straight.
Oscar Alexander, Mason Atkins and Eliseo Liscano tallied two hits apiece for the Blackhawks. Alexander and Henry Hinkle each hit homers. Josh Colaizzi had two hits for Bartlett (7-11-1, 4-3).
Earlier this season, West Aurora coach John Reeves said Toma believes he has one of the best arms in the area, his progression coming since a midseason shutout last spring against DeKalb.
“He kept progressing and getting better,” Reeves said. “When he started the regional championship game, he had all the confidence in the world he was going to go out there and win.
“He kept us right there until the very end. He just keeps progressing this year.”
The highlight has been a 20-strikeout no-hitter against Joliet Central. Toma has been nearly as dominant in his six total starts, going 4-0 with an 0.61 ERA and 66 strikeouts.
In 34 1/3 innings, he’s only allowed 14 hits and five walks. And he certainly caught the attention of Bartlett coach Alex Coan both before Tuesday’s game and then afterward.
“He is, by far, one of the best pitchers in the state,” Coan said. “I will go to war for that one. Locates well, mixes it really well, really well-coached. I can’t say enough about the effort he’s been putting out there, not even (Tuesday) but all season.”
The win continues a blistering start for the Blackhawks, even though Reeves has been trying to remind his team that it’s a long season.
“You’re only as good as your next game,” Reeves said. “It’s cool that we won again, but we have to do it again and again. We’re staying even-keeled and playing good baseball.”
The same goes for the the 6-foot-1 Toma, who showcases a mid-to-upper 80s fastball, a slider and a change-up that he said is his best pitch. It’s not an easy pitch to master at such a young age.
West Aurora pitching coach Preston Larrison got Toma going with it a couple of seasons ago.
“I always had a decent change-up, but I couldn’t get it down,” Toma said. “Coach Preston showed me a new grip, and I haven’t changed a thing since then. It’s been working ever since.”
Toma doesn’t take it for granted that he gets to learn every day from a former professional pitcher.
“It’s not even about all the mechanical things,” Toma said of Larrison. “He keeps it simple. I already have the mechanics down. He keeps it simple and easy to understand, so that makes it easy.”
Toma may have been under the radar, but with the way things have gone, those days are over.
“I need to start getting myself out there, looking for colleges,” Toma said. “That’s what I’m doing.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
