Junior catcher Noah Tomaras takes a ton of pride in his defense for Lemont.
Tomaras knows his greatest value to his team is being a steady defender behind the plate and a leader who helps the pitching staff. When his bat gets going, that’s a nice bonus.
“I’m really keying on being a great defensive catcher back there,” Tomaras said. “And if I can add offense to that, it’s just another tool in the toolbox.”
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Tomaras came through with two RBI doubles Saturday as Lemont earned its biggest win of the season, beating Lincoln-Way West 9-3 on the road for its seventh straight victory.
Although offense isn’t his main focus, Tomaras raised his RBI total to 14 and is hitting rock-solid .333 for Lemont (16-5).
“Defense is where the majority of my priority goes,” he said. “Just being the anchor back there. I see the whole field. I might not be the captain of the team, but I’m the captain of the defense.”
Tomaras has been a catcher since he played at the 8U level.
“I don’t really remember how it started,” he said. “It was just the coaches saying, ‘Who can catch?’ And I said, ‘Right here, coach.’
“I love being involved in every play. It’s a good relationship between me and the pitcher out there. I try to really make sure my pitcher has confidence out there and I just love being in the game every play.”
Senior right-hander Brandon Johnson, who pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win Saturday, said his longtime connection with Tomaras has helped him succeed.
“Noah’s huge,” Johnson said. “He’s been my catcher since I was 12. We know each other really well. He knows my tendencies. He knows what spots I need to hit.
“It’s just a blessing to have someone like him back there. I trust him. He’s a great catcher and I trust whatever he thinks is best.”
Tomaras is equally confident in Johnson.
“Brandon’s a dog,” Tomaras said. “He’s unbeatable. It’s just his attitude. He comes at batters, hits his spots and when he’s got it going, no one can beat him.
“He’s got that attitude out there.”
Tomaras is a two-sport athlete, a guard who goes straight from basketball season into baseball for Lemont.
“Basketball definitely helps with the agility, staying flexible and all that,” Tomaras said. “It’s great for me, being a catcher. Me and (senior teammate) Conor Murray both go from basketball to baseball.
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“It’s fun. The grind never stops.”
Howlin’ Wolf: After experiencing some growing pains last year, junior outfielder Tyler Earmsmuth is having a breakout season for T.F. South (11-11).
Earmsmuth is hitting .531 and leads the Red Wolves with 25 runs and 27 RBIs.
“Last year, he was a sophomore on varsity and he struggled a bit with the bat,” T.F. South coach Matt Tiffy said of Earmsmuth. “He put in a lot of hard work over the offseason.
“This season, he’s just been turning it on ever since the ball dropped. He’s doing a nice job for us.”
Earmsmuth said believing in himself has been the biggest key.
“As soon as you get a few hits and it starts off going well, you just keep going from there,” he said. “Last year, I was not confident at all. This year, I’m a lot more confident.
“I’m not swinging at any balls that aren’t drivable. I’m trying to go after the fastball. I want to hit the ball, score runs. That’s how you win games.”
Milestone victory: Beecher’s 5-1 win over Grant Park on April 24 marked the 200th career victory for coach Brandon DuBois. After a slow start, the Bobcats (11-11) have won seven of their last 10 games.
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.