Warren’s Ryan Davila knew a few more miles an hour on his fastball would be important to his future.
Sam LaMotte realized Davila knew what he was doing. He saw the progress Davila made with a local trainer and joined him at Prime Athletics in Gurnee.
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“He motivated me,” LaMotte said of Davila.
That motivating factor has allowed Warren (10-5), which graduated almost every key player from a team that finished with 25 wins last year, to stay on course.
With both Davila and LaMotte emerging as ace pitchers, the Blue Devils entered Thursday’s nonconference game against Brooks in the midst of quite a run-preventing streak.
On Wednesday, LaMotte ran his stretch of not having allowed an earned run to 15 innings. But he ended up taking a tough-luck loss as Lake Zurich scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to snap Warren’s five-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, Davila (4-0) allowed his first earned run this season in 30 innings the day before in the Blue Devils’ 4-1 victory over Lake Zurich.
Five of the six runs LaMotte has allowed in 27 1/3 innings came in a disastrous relief inning one day after he pitched 2 2/3 innings.
Davila tossed a one-hitter against Libertyville last week and struck out 13 in a two-hitter Tuesday. LaMotte allowed three hits Wednesday after firing a two-hit shutout against Libertyville.
They’ve walked a total of 10 batters while striking out 81. Catcher/third baseman Michael Rosenberg has been impressed.
“The run they are on right now is amazing,” Rosenberg said. “Both of them are throwing great. I see a lot of improvement for both. They’re hitting higher on the gun, and the command of their pitches is incredible.”
Davila’s feel for the craft was evident to Warren coach Clint Smothers, who kept the left-hander with the varsity as a sophomore.
Although Davila drew Division I interest following a good junior season, he opted for Heartland Community College, which routinely sends its players to major-conference programs.
Command of four pitches is his calling card, but Davila figured he had to boost his fastball to get attention.
“I really wanted to focus on my velocity in the offseason,” he said. “I work with John Snelten, and he does great work with pitchers. I’ve made big improvements. I’m up a good 3 to 4 mph. I’ve thrown 87, 88.”
LaMotte, a righty whose three-quarter arm angle produces natural movement, enjoyed similar gains after joining Davila and has been clocked at 86.
The Grinnell recruit continues to find motivation from Davila.
“Especially throwing after him, I just want to try to one-up him if I can,” LaMotte said. “I know he is going to throw a great game. He has motivated me to get better.”
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.