A year away from the ball diamonds hasn’t seemed to have affected Sam Stevenson.
The Victoria Eagles catcher/designated hitter has found some rhythm early on in the B.C. Premier Baseball League season, hitting at a comfortable .438 clip, eighth in the circuit percentage wise, just behind Victoria Mariners’ Evan Willow, who is tied for sixth at .455.
Stevenson, 17, has seven hits in 16 plate appearances, including three doubles and a triple as he has proven his worth six games in.
“He can hit and he’s not seeing many fastballs, so it proves he’s a decent hitter,” said Eagles manager Anthony Pluta. “He’s able to sit back on the breaking balls and they haven’t been offering many fastballs yet.
“I love what I’ve seen from him so far,” Pluta added in regards to his hitting and leadership capabilities.
The Belmont Secondary student had just one at-bat (a hit) last season before a hockey injury ended his transition into the baseball campaign.
“It’s coming along,” Stevenson said of his return. “I expected to come out and do OK this year, not be as successful as quick as I have. But the hard work that I’ve put into it has helped me get into the top end of the league [stats wise].”
He sits eighth in batting average, but three of those ahead of him have only played two games. His four runs batted in also has him in eighth, he’s tied for second in doubles and is third in triples. Stevenson has also walked twice and has two sacrifice flyballs.
“It’s hard coming back, seeing the off-speed stuff — it’s a different change, but I’m coming along and hopefully I have a good year ahead of me,” he said, having battled through a leg injury.
“It was super frustrating [not being able to play in 2013], especially with the team winning the championship,” he said of being a spectator last season. “It was hard to watch that.”
But he’s had a positive outlook to his return and, with the support of Pluta, is transforming it onto the diamond.
“It was disappointing he wasn’t healthy all last year, but he’s by far one of my best hitters, if not one of the best hitters in the PBL,” the Eagles’ manager said.
“My expectations are I have the confidence to be one of the best players in this league,” added Stevenson. “I get that from Pluta, who pushes me along. I just want to try and be at the top of the offensive categories and make as little errors as possible.”
He’ll have his chance to continue on that route as the Eagles (3-3) play host to the North Delta Blue Jays (1-1) today at noon and 2:30 p.m. and then the Abbotsford Cardinals (4-2) on Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Lambrick Park.
The two mainland teams will also face the Victoria Mariners (4-2) on their trips to the Island in reverse order. The M’s face the Cardinals on Saturday at 1 and 3:30 p.m., then the Blue Jays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at Henderson Park in four weekend doubleheaders.
The Mariners are coming off two straight wins in Whalley after a pair of losses in Langley, while the Eagles dropped three of four last weekend.
