TAKING THE WHEEL: Princeton High baseball player Eric Wheeler lays down a bunt in recent action. Last Thursday, senior Wheeler starred with his arm and bat to help PHS defeat Princeton Day School 3-1. Wheeler worked six innings on the mound to get the win and went 1 for 2 with a run and two walks at the plate to help PHS improve to 2-2. The Tigers host WW/P-South on April 10 before playing at Allentown on April 11 and Ewing on April 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Eric Wheeler wasn’t at full strength last spring for the Princeton High baseball team, hampered by a back issue that kept him from making a major impact for the Tigers.

But this spring, Wheeler is back to 100 percent and has emerged as a star for the Tigers in the early going. On the mound, Wheeler pitched PHS to a 10-1 win over North Dame on March 29 and 3-1 win over Princeton Day School last Thursday. At bat, Wheeler is hitting .308 with four hits and three runs as the Tigers have started 2-2.

“Last year, I was sidelined a little but with a back injury; coming back I feel great,” said Wheeler who was limited to 13.1 innings on the mound and 26 at-bats in 2024. “I am pitching great, I am just able to contribute. I am thankful for these wins.”

In the win over PDS, righty Wheeler stymied the Panthers, going six innings, yielding three hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

“What I try to do is to pitch to contact,” said Wheeler. “I have this defense behind me and it is let them make the plays there are supposed to make. It is just trust them and trust my stuff and command. Everything was working today. Being able to throw my slider at any count is a big thing and the fastball, commanding that.”

Wheeler worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, giving up no runs, and then faced just four batters in the sixth, retiring the Panthers on two fly-outs and a ground-out.

“It is still pitching to contact, I trust this defense, they do make some nice plays,” said Wheeler. “It is just the energy from the dugout and the energy from the fans.”

In addition to starring on the mound against PDS, Wheeler helped himself at the bat, going 1 for 2 with a run and two walks.

“I was on base three times today, being able to help myself is a great thing,” said Wheeler. “You can never get hurt with that.”

With the Tigers bouncing back from a 9-4 loss to Steinert on March 31 to edge crosstown rival PDS, Wheeler liked the way PHS took care of business.

“It is always great, coming away with a win, that is all that really matters,” said Wheeler.

PHS head coach Dom Capuano credited Wheeler with giving the Tigers a lift on the mound and at the plate.

“That is two good outings in a row,” said Capuano. “He is doing well, throwing strikes. The first outing was a little bit more cleaner, he got out of a jam today. He is doing a really good job. Coming into the season I was pretty hopeful of it and that was two good performances. He has had some good hitting days.”

While the Tigers didn’t hit the ball well against PDS, they used some aggressive base running to scratch out three runs in the top of the third inning.

“We are doing the execution piece of bunting, hit and run and steals when we need to,” said Capuano. “All of that is coming along.”

Reflecting on his team’s 2-2 start, Capuano believes PHS is coming along collectively.

“Every other year we have been playing four games a week and once you are in it, you are in it,” said Capuano. “This year with only three games a week, we are able to build on certain things. We did that from North (a 2-1 loss on March 26) to Notre Dame. We were able to build in that performance and that showed. I think a lot of guys have been finding their way for the most part. It is April 3, we have to keep reminding ourselves that.”

In Wheeler’s view, the Tigers can do some good things this spring.

“I don’t think we have been where we want to in the past two seasons, I feel like this team is something special,” said Wheeler. “I feel like we can go places with this team. It is a lot of fun. We are like a family out here.”