by DAVE FACINOLI

Staff Writer

As a starter, Jimmy Saris is rapidly becoming one of the most well-known high school pitchers in Northern Virginia. But as a closer, the Langley Saxons’ hard-throwing junior right-hander might just be more effective.

BASEBALL

Case in point. In 62/3 innings of close situations so far this season, Saris already has three saves, is yet to allow a run and has struck out 16 batters. In Langley’s 6-1 Liberty District win against the host Fairfax Rebels on Friday night, Saris worked the final 22/3 frames to get the save for sophomore left-hander Brendan DiBari (2-0).

Saris (2-0 with a 1.55 earned run average) retired all eight batters he faced and struck out seven. He entered the game in the bottom of the fifth with one out and Fairfax runners on second and third. Saris fanned two straight hitters to end that inning.

“I like closing, it’s fun, it’s a rush and I love high pressure situations like that,” Saris said. “Plus, I was glad to help Brendan get a win. My fastball tonight had a lot of zip and my slider was working.”  Langley coach Jeff Ferrell said Saris is the perfect closer because of his determined competitive edge.  “If he’s playing cards, he will do his best to beat you,” Ferrell said.

As a starter, Saris is 2-0 this spring. DiBari pitched 41/3 innings against Fairfax. He allowed five hits, one earned run, struck out two and walked two. “Brendan pitched well, but he worried a little bit too much about runners when they were on first,” Ferrell said.

Langley (7-2, 2-1) had 11 hits, of which senior shortstop Russell Blankinship had three, including a run-scoring double. Also for Langley, junior center fielder Chuck Eller was 2 for 3 with an RBI, sophomore first baseman Alex Dadisman was 2 for 4, senior second baseman Adam Hoffer had an RBI triple and junior catcher Nick Zahra doubled. The Saxons did not make a fielding error.  Langley scored one run in the first inning, added three unearned runs in the fifth and scored two more in the sixth.

“We were flat out of the gate tonight,” Ferrell said. “After we took batting practice, I thought we were going to lose because I was not happy with our demeanor. Then we had one of our best infield warmups of the season and things changed a little.”

On Saturday, the Saxons were on the road again when they played their neighborhood rival McLean Highlanders (4-4, 1-2) and were walloped by a 15-2 margin in a five-inning game. Blankinship (2-1) got the loss as McLean scored 10 runs in the third inning to take control.

The win snapped McLean’s four-game losing streak against Langley. The Highlanders had 12 hits Saturday. JB Oldenburg and Kevin Clinton each knocked in three runs with a pair of doubles each, Butch Bastable drove in three runs and had two hits, and TK Marks and Josh Huson had run-scoring singles.

Sophomore Shane Mills (1-0) pitched a four-hitter to get the win. Dadisman had an RBI single for Langley.

McLean bounced back well from an 11-1 loss it suffered the night before against Madison. The Highlanders compiled a 2-2 record over spring break during competition they faced in Florida.

NOTE: Saris’ father reminded Ferrell after Friday night’s game that his son was in need of a new pair of baseball shoes because his old cleats are literally taped together. With the way Saris has been pitching, though, Ferrell said he is reluctant at this point to change anything about his ace.