Ryan Banks Lakeland Year: Senior Sport: Baseball Position: Pitcher

It’s just one pitch - but by the time the ninth inning rolls around and the arm is turning to Jell-O, a change-up can be a pitcher’s best friend.

Just ask Ryan Banks, who pitched a marathon 10-inning shutout last weekend against Moscow in a key Intermountain League game. The Hawks couldn’t get a run across, so Banks kept throwing.

“I was thinking after seven innings that we need runs; the eighth and ninth were tough, but we finally got a run on a squeeze play in the 10th inning,” Banks said. “Your fastball doesn’t have much on it that late in the game and I was glad to have a couple other pitches and great defense behind me.”

Banks has gone from a good pitcher on last season’s State A-2 championship team to a dominant pitcher over the course of the summer. Pardon the pun, but what was the big change? It was learning a change-up in American Legion play.

“I had a great time in Legion play this summer,” Banks said. “The coaches taught me how to throw the change-up and it keeps hitters off-balance. I think it’s the best pitch in baseball.”

Banks, who signed recently to play at North Idaho College next year, had an 11-2 record in Legion, and the improvement has continued into this spring’s high school season.

Lakeland coach Ken Busch said Banks’ biggest strength is that he has mastery of three pitches. When he is throwing his curveball well, Banks can mix in the fastball and change to keep hitters guessing. That’s when Banks feels he’s at his best.

“I can throw strikes when I need to, and I love to try and fool the batter,” Banks said. “The best part of pitching is out-thinking the hitters.”

The Hawks are looking to repeat as state champions despite losing a group of key players to graduation. Banks and Kurt Reese have been stellar as starters, and Taylor Skidmore has given Lakeland good innings out of the bullpen. Banks thinks the Hawks play better defense than they did last year, but they need to produce runs.

“We’re gonna need the young guys to step up and us old guys need to maintain,” Banks said.

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