SOLID BIRCH: Hun School baseball star Devan Birch takes a cut in a game earlier this season. Junior Birch has been a catalyst for the Raiders with his play at shortstop and offensive contributions as a leadoff hitter. Last Monday, Birch chipped in three RBIs as 10th-seeded Hun topped No. 7 WW/P-S 10-2 in the opening round of the Mercer County Tournament. The Raiders, now 7-10, will face second-seeded Notre Dame in the NCT quarterfinals on May 9 at Mercer County Park. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

It looked like the season might be falling apart for Devan Birch and the Hun School baseball team as they hosted Mercersburg Academy for a doubleheader two weeks ago.

Hun fell 6-4 in the opener to drop to 2-8 on the spring and trailed by six runs in the nightcap. The Raiders, though, rallied to pull out an 11-8 win in extra innings.

In the view of junior star Birch, that comeback has proven to be a turning point for the Raiders.

“We played our butts off and played a really good game in the opener,” said Birch.

“They are a really good team. Getting down 6-0 and coming back to win that game in extra innings was huge, absolutely huge.”

Hun ultimately pushed its winning streak to four as it got back on the right track. After dropping tough games to local powers Notre Dame and Steinert last week, the 10th-seeded Raiders continued its rebound by topping No. 7 WW/P- 10-2 last Monday in the first round of the Mercer County
Tournament.

Hun, now 7-10, will face second-seeded Notre Dame in the NCT quarterfinals on May 9 at Mercer County Park.

Birch notes that the Raiders have adopted a more serious mentality. “I think there is just a big change in attitude,” said Birch, who chipped in three RBIs in the county win over WW/P-S.

“Coming out of the gate, I feel like we thought we would just walk out there and win because of the way we ended last year. We had a big time wakeup call. I feel that once we changed the attitude around and got everything together we realized that when we go out and play our game we can beat anyone in the county. It showed in the past couple games.”

The recent move of Birch to shortstop from leftfield also helped Hun’s game.

“To me, it doesn’t matter, I’ll play whatever is best for the team,” said Birch, known affectionately as “Devo” by his teammates.

“Last year, I played left field all year. This year, I started off there and moved to short. I think I have done fairly well; I am definitely comfortable there. I am comfortable wherever as long as I am on the field.”

Birch is comfortable handling the leadoff role in the Hun batting order where he tries to use his speed to be a catalyst for the Raiders.

“I am not trying to do too much, I just try to get on,” said Birch. “I am very confident that our top hitters can hit the ball. So if I can get on, they will move me around and we will score some runs.”

Hun head coach Bill McQuade believes that shifting Birch to shortstop has been a confidence builder for the team.

“Moving Devo to shortstop changed the complexion of our infield,” said McQuade.

“Immediately we fielded the ball better. He is one of the best shortstops we have ever had. He has incredible quickness. You saw the pop ups he goes and catches. He fields the slow roller as well as any shortstop I have ever had.”

Having Birch stay put at the top of the Hun order has helped the Raiders get rolling. “He is on base, he steals,” said McQuade.

“You want your leadoff hitter to be that engine that makes you take off. When he is having a great game, it picks everybody up. He gets on and steals a base and all of a sudden we have that energy and enthusiasm.”

McQuade has seen a renewed energy around his team in the wake of the Mercersburg doubleheader.

“After you have lost a few it is tough, it is hard to get that out of the back of your mind that you lost,” said McQuade.

“They were pumped these past two weeks. The practices have been more enthusiastic; the kids are into it.”

A lot of kids have been stepping up for Hun. “Dave Dudeck has had a good season; he is big and strong and he attacks the ball,” said McQuade, noting that the return of catcher Gavin Stupienski and ace pitcher Austin Goeke from injury has given the Raiders a big lift.

“Brandon Smith has really been solid at the infield at second. Stevie Wells is starting to hit the ball.”

McQuade is hoping his team can hit its stride at tournament time, similar to last year when the program rode a late surge to a state Prep A title.

“I am hoping we can; we talk to them all the time about it,” said McQuade.

“We have got the players who can do it if we get the pitching and we come together. We need to get off to a good start. If we fall behind, I am not so sure. When we get a lead and then shut them down, we do better.”

Birch, for his part, believes the Raiders can end on a high note. “If we take it one game at a time, we have a good shot to take it pretty deep in any tournament,” said Birch.

“The majority of the same kids coming back from last year, we lost two or three starters, our catcher [Chris Leach] and shortstop [Mark Rende] were just huge. But after battling over that, with the same core group I feel we can do the same thing we did last year.”