Butler BlueSox beats 3B Barons in walk-off as Pat Synan shows off improved fastball
Pat Synan cut his ERA with Pitt-Bradford baseball nearly in half between his freshman and sophomore seasons.
He wants to cut it further, and he’s using summer ball to make some improvements. Friday’s 3-2 Butler BlueSox walk-off win over the 3B Barons showed promise in Synan’s efforts.
The North Catholic High School product finished the night with three strikeouts, three hits and two earned runs allowed in six innings. He showed resilience and adaptability after a rocky first inning, altering the grip on his two-seam fastball after coughing up a two-run home run four batters into the game.
An improved fastball is at the top of Synan’s summer to-do list, he said after the North American Baseball Alliance game at Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park.
“It felt like a great step,” Synan said as fireworks rattled off beyond the outfield wall after the BlueSox’s third win of the season. “We were just clicking on all cylinders the whole game; we held ‘em (at the plate), and it was beautiful. Defense played well.”
Synan struggled with his command in the first, allowing a two-out single and two-run homer, the latter off the bat of 3B's Nick Jacobs.
“I just left a two-seam go straight; it didn’t move at all and he just got a nice piece to it and he hit a good ball,” Synan said.
But Synan made what he called the difference-making adjustment after the first, applying more downward pressure on his grip, and he settled in after the rough start. He didn't allow a runner on base again until the sixth inning when he granted his only walk.
Synan started 10 games with Pitt-Bradford in the spring as a sophomore, posting a 4.80 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 45 innings. It was a marked improvement over his freshman campaign, when he made four starts in 11 appearances with an 8.88 ERA.
He's 3-6 so far in his collegiate career and hopes to improve that record with more velocity on his fastball and sharper off-speed pitches.
Butler’s offense rewarded him for his effort Friday night — eventually.
With two runners on in the bottom of the ninth and the game tied 2-2, Butler’s Carson Goldberg pulled a 1-0 fastball hard toward Barons (6-3) third baseman Nate Evans, who couldn’t handle it off the bounce. The sharp grounder ricocheted off Evans and into left field, allowing Justin Brannigan to trot home for a walk-off victory.
“I’d been hitting the ball all night, getting unlucky with hits, I knew I was due for a hit right there,” said Goldberg, who finished 0-for-3 at the plate.
“I’m looking for another fastball. Yeah, sat back on it, pulled it.”
The walk-off was set up earlier in the game.
The BlueSox (3-6) scratched across runs in the fourth and sixth against the league-leading Barons. Trent Bialek (2-for-4, RBI, run scored) scored the first on an RBI groundout by Brannigan (1-for-4, RBI, run scored). Bialek then tied the game two frames later with an RBI single up the middle that drove in Ben Aftanas (1-for-2, two walks, RBI).
“Means a lot (to get this win),” Goldberg said. “We’ve struggled the first few games, actually, so it’s a really good energy booster to get this win across the board. And hopefully more to come.”
Noah Zadroga got the win for the BlueSox with three shutout innings of relief.
Butler returns to action 7 p.m. Wednesday at Pullman Park against Kiski Valley.
