Trio carries torch

Matt Oye watched the 2002 State 4A baseball tournament from the dugout, intent, as a sophomore, to absorb the positive traits of North Central’s senior pitchers.

For this year’s state tournament, the spotlight has shifted to Oye, now a senior and NC’s ace.

NC coach Scott Harmon said Oye never rested on his laurels or thought he knew it all.

“Matt did a super job of staying hungry, wanting to improve, wanting to get better,” said Harmon, who has coached the Indians to four state appearances in the last five seasons. “He bought in to the system and has become a more developed pitcher.”

NC pitchers Logan Davenport, a junior, and Brett Richardson, a sophomore, have learned from watching Oye, much as Oye developed his skills from mimicking the Indians of the past.

“I learned so much from Pat Donovan about how to be a leader and how to carry myself,” Oye said of the 2002 NC graduate who pitches for Gonzaga University. “I’ve tried to be the leader for these guys because I had such a good leader to look up to… . I try to show them the little things, such as being in control of your emotions on the mound.”

But unlike Oye’s role of two years ago, Davenport and Richardson won’t be just along for the ride at the state tourney.

Oye is scheduled to start Saturday’s state opener against Southridge of Kennewick. If the Indians win their opener, Davenport will pitch in the afternoon’s quarterfinal and attempt to send NC to next week’s state semifinals.

Richardson, the winning pitcher in last Saturday’s District 8 championship game, will be ready to spell either Oye or Davenport.

“I think Matt and Logan will get the job done, so I’m not worried about anything,” Richardson said.

Oye (8-1) finished the Greater Spokane League season with a 7-0 record, a league-best 69 strikeouts and a 1.27 earned-run average. He hasn’t lost since a March 20 non-league game against Liberty (Issaquah).

After an April 6 loss to University, Davenport sported a 1-2 record and the Indians were 4-5 overall. NC won 12 of its next 14 games during a streak in which Davenport went 4-0. His one-hitter last Friday lifted NC into the district title game.

Richardson was NC’s No. 4 pitcher until three weeks ago, when Harmon called upon him for a game against State 3A qualifier West Valley. Richardson pitched a five-hit shutout.

The emergence of Davenport and Richardson offset the hard-luck season of senior Luke Kitzan, who figured to be NC’s second or third option. Kitzan (1-3) won NC’s season opener against Sumner before hitting a dry spell, including a pair of one-run games during the league season.

Davenport said Kitzan provided him valuable pointers along the way because, as fellow left-handers, they have similar approaches to pitching.

Harmon had different goals for his three pitchers this season.

He wanted Oye to throw more curveballs and changeups for strikes, so he didn’t have to rely on his potent fastball.

For Davenport, another hard thrower, Harmon requested calmer emotions.

“He’s really improving in his maturity,” Harmon said. “He’s doing a better job of not letting the game affect him.”

Richardson’s task was to soak up the instruction of Harmon and his pitching coach, Bill Shepherd.

“Sometimes you wonder if he’s listening, but the bottom line is he does listen,” Harmon said. “The way we know is, he goes out and does the things we’ve asked him to do.”

Oye, who carries a 3.92 grade-point average, had hoped to play college football. He said an elbow injury during last year’s baseball season kept him from attending summer football camps that might have exposed him to college programs.

One of Oye’s options is to play baseball at Seminole (Okla.) Junior College, whose coaches spotted him at a competition in Florida.