Issue date: 3/13/09 Section: Sports

Eastern junior pitcher Richie Derbak has been praised for his work on the mound, but has also come to be the designated hitter as well. "Every once in a while people get in the zone and right now, I'm getting fortunate enough to get some hits," Derbak said. (Kelly Crement / The Daily Eastern News)

During his eight-game hitting streak for Eastern, junior designated hitter/pitcher Richie Derbak has established himself as a legitimate threat at the plate.

Derbak is currently hitting .515 with one home run, nine RBIs, and a slugging percentage of .727 on the season. What makes Derbak's statistics so interesting is the fact that he has only had 33 at-bats, of which 17 have gone for base hits.

Derbak believes that during his current eight-game hit streak, it's not the statistics that matter when he is up to bat, but it's the level of focus that he is able to display.

"I'm seeing the ball really well right now," Derbak said. "Every once and a while people get in the zone and right now I'm getting fortunate enough to get some hits. You need to be able to go up to the plate with confidence and know that you have a chance to do some things."

Derbak credits his hitting ability to his father, Richard, who got him involved with baseball when he bought Derbak his first Easton baseball bat at the age of four.

Derbak is primarily used in the closer's role as a pitcher, but Eastern head coach Jim Schmitz has taken notice of Derbak's recent hitting streak.

"Derbak's hitting is consistently getting better," Schmitz said. "He really has begun to hit the ball the other way, which shows that he is really learning to hit the ball to all sides of the field."

Derbak has also done well on the mound.

In his seven appearances this season, Derbak has a record of 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA. He has pitched 8 2/3 innings, while striking out 11 and only walking two.

Derbak's favorite pitch is his change-up, in which Schmitz said he has seen improvement since Derbak's arrival.

"His change-up is becoming well known around the league and it's really his best pitch," Schmitz said. "The biggest thing for me is the fact that even after a tough loss, (Derbak) is able to put it in the past and advance forward. We really look for that quality in a closer."

Schmitz considers Derbak more of a finesse pitcher, but also said when hitters begin to lock in on Derbak's change-up, he will need to be able to use his fastball.

Sophomore pitcher Mike Recchia said that not only is Derbak's change-up a major factor, but also the confidence he instills in others on the team.

"(Derbak) really bring a lot of energy to the team, which makes everyone else want to pick it up and play better," Recchia said. "Whenever he takes the mound, I have a lot of confidence that he can get the job done."


Neil Schneider can be reached at 581-7944 or at jnschneider@eiu.edu.

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