Hampshire coach Frank Simoncelli hinted in the preseason that junior right-hander Colin Miller was going to be a pitcher to watch.
It didn’t take long for Miller to prove his coach right.
In the first game of the Whip-Purs’ weekend trip to Rantoul, Miller tossed a five-inning no-hitter Friday in a 12-0 win over the host Eagles.
Miller struck out 10 and walked three while throwing only 74 pitches.
“It felt great,” he said. “I just trusted my stuff and just pitched. I attacked them with fastballs mainly and threw sliders when it felt right.
“My team was electric and backed me up. We jumped on them early too. It helps when you pitch with a lead.”
As a freshman, Miller was injured and the season got canceled due to the pandemic, but Simoncelli started to see glimpses after Miller recovered.
Miller struggled a little last spring in his brief varsity action, throwing mainly fastballs as he worked his way back to health.
But now, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Miller hits 91 mph on the radar gun. He’s developed a slider, change-up and occasional curveball.
“He’s definitely a kid with a lot of talent,” Simoncelli said. “He’s got an electric arm. He has the perfect pitcher’s physique. He’s just putting it together. He’s still learning the game.
“He’s definitely looking like a pitcher — like he belongs out there.”
Simoncelli was pleased what Miller, who’s still trying to figure out the game at the varsity level, accomplished over the weekend.
“I was really excited for him,” Simoncelli said. “Huge confidence booster for him, knowing he can get on the bump and his team is going to play defense behind him and if he attacks good things are going to happen.”
The maturation didn’t come by accident, according to Miller.
“I worked my butt off this offseason,” he said. “Now, it’s starting to pay off. It’s going to be a good year for me.
“I worked on my command with my pitching coach, Mike Sheehan. I’ve been working out in the gym, put on some mass. That’s how I got over 90. My weighted-ball program helped too.”
Division I schools are starting to show interest as well.
“I just have to compete,” Miller said. “You just have to enjoy it while it lasts — that’s how I feel about it. I think I’ve proven myself since last year.”
His stock only figures to rise as he accomplishes more at the varsity level.
“He’s getting some big looks for sure,” Simoncelli said of Miller. “He’s definitely on the radar. He has all the tools. He just has to get a little more experience.”
Mound mavens: Pitching has been a big reason for the strong early effort by Yorkville (8-1).
Michael Hilker (3-0), in particular, appears to be in midseason form for the Foxes.
In the season opener, Hilker worked five no-hit innings in a 2-0 win over LaSalle-Peru. The Wisconsin-Whitewater recruit then got the ball in the first game of Yorkville’s trip on spring break to the Gulf Shores Classic and tossed a complete game in a 5-3 win over Trinity Presbyterian from Montgomery, Alabama.
Hilker, who pitched four dominant innings Tuesday in a 12-1 win over Joliet Central, has thrown 16 innings and allowed only one earned run on five hits. He has struck out 22 and walked two.
Mightier Mustangs: Metea Valley won a mere 10 games last spring, so coach Steve Colombe has been pleased so far this season.
Metea had a 4-0 record entering Tuesday’s 6-2 nonconference loss at Geneva.
“We’re happy with the way we’ve started, but we’re disappointed with (Tuesday),” Colombe said. “To win four of our first five, we’re almost halfway to where we were last year.
“We have a young group. We’ve definitely been improving from where we were at last year.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
