By Jeff Appelblatt
Woodbridge High School’s baseball team has nearly made it all the way through the first month of the season sizzling.
It hasn’t been all because of upcoming Rutgers University pitcher Harry Rutkowski. The Woodbridge ace has also been arguably the team’s best hitter. After throwing a few scoreless innings in the 15-inning win against East Brunswick High School, for instance, Rutkowski slammed the game-winning home run.
That was one of the six homers he hit so far this year.
But never will the well-known pitcher plan to step away from the mound in order to hit more often.
“No matter how good hitting the ball over the fence feels, making someone walk back to the dugout on three pitches is my favorite,” Rutkowski said.
The star pitcher, who already had Rutgers excited to make him a Scarlet Knight since his second year in high school, has been climbing the Woodbridge record books year after year.
The pitcher gave up a run for the first time this year in a recent win vs. Colonia High School, but it didn’t stop the lefty from matching the Woodbridge record of 21 wins. He wasn’t going to guarantee destroying the record or even reaching it, but coach Lou Urbano knew he was going to see the record broken this year.
“We know he’ll get that soon,” the coach said earlier in the season, certain the record would quickly become Rutkowski’s. “He’s just phenomenal.”
The one thing Urbano didn’t project was Rutkowski’s or any of the Barrons’ strong hitting, but the bats have been blazing. Woodbridge scored at least 10 runs in four of the six games it played between April 12 and 22.
Pitchers besides Rutkowski have also performed well. Zach DelValle, Carlos Marte, and Justin Silva combined for 45 innings, 30 strikeouts and seven wins over the first part of the season.
Rutkowski, meanwhile, has struck out more than a batter an inning.
The Barrons (11-0) took on local rival John F. Kennedy Memorial High School April 24 and 25 in a home-and-home matchup. They then play Sayreville War Memorial High School in Woodbridge at 4 p.m. Apr. 27 and in Sayreville a day later at 4 p.m.
More likely than not, Rutkowski will hold the Woodbridge wins record by then.
