Promising future ahead for Serra’s talented pitching staff
By Ashley Chase
MVI Sports
One of the few questions entering the 2021 baseball season for Serra Catholic surrounded its pitching.
The Eagles won’t have to answer that same question in 2022.
Serra Catholic made a PIAA semifinal run and finished with a 21-5 overall record, its fifth consecutive 20-win season, during a year in which the mound was full of unknowns to start but not at the finish.
The Eagles sent three sophomores and two juniors to the bump this year, all of whom will be back for more next season.
Those sophomores, all in their first full season of high school baseball due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were led by left-hander Zach Karp.
The southpaw pitched the Eagles all the way through the PIAA playoffs and finished the season with a 1.99 ERA. He held opponents to a .236 batting average as well.
Karp wasn’t yet starting on opening day of the 2021 season. Juniors Matt Bisceglia and Max Rocco each made their varsity debuts at the season-opening Serra Catholic Invitational. And what a journey it has been for each of them since then.
Karp worked his way into the “ace” role, pitching 70 innings and racking up 77 strikeouts, despite being more of a contact pitcher, relying on his defense and allowing just 20 earned runs throughout the season.
Remarkably, Karp threw 999 pitches this season while most team’s primary starters averaged closer to 1,500.
The lefty never hit the pitch limit in a game all season, including throwing an 82-pitch, 7-inning complete game in the PIAA quarterfinals against Seton LaSalle.
“I think the world of Karp. He’s constantly changing speeds, stoic and he doesn’t show much emotion out there. That’s what you look for in a good pitcher,” Dzurenda said, mentioning a similar demeanor in former pitchers Alex Glumac and Logan Exler from the 2019 state runner-up squad.
“Everyone thinks you have to have a guy throwing 88 to 90, but you can win without it.”
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