It didn’t take long for West Aurora’s Tyler Fecht to get acclimated to the varsity level.
The junior left fielder spent last season playing baseball on the junior varsity for the Blackhawks, but he was looking forward to making the jump to being a varsity contributor this spring.
Going 2-for-2 with a double in the season opener definitely opened his eyes.
“That was kind of the hot start where it was like, yeah, I can compete here,” said Fecht, who has moved up from batting seventh to the leadoff spot. “I can do what everybody else can do.”
That hot start hasn’t ended for Fecht, who took over the team lead in batting average after coming through with a two-hit performance in Wednesday’s 5-3 nonconference win over Metea Valley.
Oscar Alexander Jr. added two hits, including a double, and an RBI for West Aurora (6-2). Abe Martinez struck out six in five innings for the pitching win, allowing a run on six hits and two walks.
Tyler Darche ended up with three hits for Valley Metea (4-2). Diego Gutierrez went five innings, striking out six while giving up two runs on five hits and two walks.
Fecht, meanwhile, is now hitting .526 (10-for-19) this season. He has seven runs, a stole base, a double, a triple and nine RBIs.
“Ty is off to a great start,” West Aurora coach John Reeves said. “He started the year down in the order a little bit. He’s just been doing such a good job swinging the bat.
“He’s doing a nice job coming on as a junior. He’ll just keep getting better and better.”
Fecht backed up Mason Atkins at quarterback last fall, preparing for a chance to start next season.
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With Atkins having graduated early to get a jump on his football career at Miami of Ohio, Fecht is essentially replacing him now on the baseball team as well.
“I’ve definitely thought about that,” Fecht said. “We were both here and now he’s gone and I stepped into his role in both places. That’s how it’s going to go in football, too.”
Fecht leaned on the work he did during the offseason in moving up to a higher level.
“I knew I definitely had a shot at a spot,” he said. “I was confident in my abilities and the work I put in to come in and take over and show what I can do.”
Reeves knows patience is needed for juniors new to the bigger stage.
“I always feel like it takes juniors a little while at the varsity level to figure it out,” Reeves said. “For him, he’s figuring it out as he goes. Obviously, the hope is that he just keeps getting better.”
Gutierrez left with Metea trailing 2-1, but the Mustangs quickly regained the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Oklahama recruit Tyler Gluting. The Blackhawks scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, however, to grab the lead for good.
Metea coach Steve Colombe was impressed with Gutierrez’s outing.
“He’s taken on a bigger role for us on the mound,” Colombe said. “I thought he did a really good job, threw a lot of strikes. If we get those kinds of outings, we’ll take it for sure.”
After his effort in the opener against Aurora Christian, Fecht has established himself atop West Aurora’s potent batting order. He’s ready to keep it rolling for the rest of the spring.
And then into the fall, too.
“It’s great the hard work is finally being put out there and shown for everybody,” Fecht said. “It’s great to really step into a role that not many expected and be a big contributor for this team.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
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