Generally, when you’re hitting .333, nobody would think you’re in a slump.
When you’re as talented as junior shortstop Nate Harris is for Yorkville, however, that type of rock-solid batting average could actually qualify as being in a certifiable slump.
“I try to stay aggressive,” Harris said. “I’ve kind of been struggling with that.”
Consider the slump over.
The Northwestern recruit went 3-for-3 with four runs, two doubles, a home run and three RBIs Monday for the Foxes in a 13-2 Southwest Prairie Conference win at West Aurora.
Harris also had a walk and a steal for Yorkville (8-8, 1-2) in a game that went five innings. Simon Skroch got the win, striking out seven and allowing two runs on five hits and a walk.
Michael Dopart and Sebastian Westphal each contributed two hits for the Foxes. Dopart drove in three runs, while Westphal and Kam Yearsley added two RBIs apiece.
Katcher King paced West Aurora (7-8, 1-3) with two hits. Andrew Harvey and Jake Williams each had doubles.
Harris, meanwhile, was happy to get his season back on track.
“I try my best to stay aggressive and look for pitches to hit early in the count,” Harris said. “When I fall behind, I’m looking to fight off pitches until I get the pitch I want.
“Early in the count, I’m just looking fastball — trying to hit something hard, trying to hit something far.”
That’s what Harris did in the fourth. He got a 3-1 fastball and tattooed it out of the park for a solo homer.
“I was looking for nothing but a fastball there,” Harris said. “I got one inner half and just turned on it, and it went far. I definitely got all of it.”
Yorkville coach Tom Cerven said a surge from Harris was forthcoming.
“You could kind of see it starting last week where the confidence was starting to come back a little bit and he was putting some good swings on balls, seeing the ball really well,” Cerven said. “When he’s confident, there are not too many kids better than him.
“He got it done for us (Monday), no doubt.”
Skroch scuffled in the first inning, allowing two runs as West Aurora created a 2-2 tie. From there, though, Skroch was dialed in. He retired 12 straight at one point, striking out six.
“I just kind of forgot about it and went out there and did my thing,” Skroch said. “I think I just found my rhythm more and I was able to find my mechanics.”
Harris scored the go-ahead run in the third. He drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Westphal’s single. That was part of a four-run inning, with all of the runs coming with two outs.
“You talk about executing a couple pitches here and there,” West Aurora coach John Reeves said. “That’s the difference of them getting out of an inning and them tacking on some more.
“In the early going, if we could tack on a few or prevent a few, it’s a whole different ballgame. In the end, it just looks like a lopsided game.”
If it appeared that Harris was struggling early on, part of the reason might be that he’s a known commodity now.
“That’s part of him also evolving as a hitter, knowing they’re going to treat him with a lot of respect,” Cerven said. “He was real disciplined and laid off some borderline pitches, put himself into a good count where he forced them to throw hittable pitches.
“He didn’t miss them.”
At the same time, Harris hopes this is a springboard to a big rest of the season. He has 11 extra-base hits in 16 games.
“Good start to the week in terms of my confidence,” Harris said. “I’m just looking to build off of that and trust my instincts
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
