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08/04/2016 12:00 AMJake Salutari finished his freshman year at Daniel Hand High School in the spring and, this summer, he was a rookie on the rise with the Madison Junior Legion baseball team.
Jake, who’s been playing baseball for the past eight years, took to the mound for the Post 79 Juniors and posted an earned-run average of less than 2.00 in his 22.1 innings during the regular season. Jake helped Madison finish in fourth place in Zone 3 to qualify for the State Tournament, where Post 79 won three games to reach the Super Regional round.
“I think what’s working for me this season has been my off-speed stuff with my slider and changeup. The off-speed pitches help mess with the batters’ heads,” says Jake, a right-hander. “For my slider, I’m gripping it differently, but gripping it in the more traditional way.”
Jake is well-aware that every at-bat is a battle and he isn’t afraid to let opposing hitters put the ball in play. Jake also knows how important the placement is on every pitch.
“Getting the strikeouts certainly help out there, but sometimes, it’s better to get that ground ball, fly out, force out, or even the double play,” Jake says. “I find that for throwing in general, if you elevate the pitch, you’re more likely to give up that extra-base hit, but the lower balls make that harder, so location of the pitches really matters.”
Jake’s control allowed him keep his pitch count down this summer and that helped him gain steam as the campaign wore on. One of Jake’s premier performances came when he pitched a complete game against Guilford in a 2-1 victory on July 8.
“I’ve noticed I’ve improved in throwing a lot more strikes, plus I give up very few walks, which helps keep my pitch count low,” says Jake, who throws and hits right-handed. “I feel, in most situations, it’s less pressure coming into a game in relief rather than starting. In the complete game, I knew what I could do and my pitches showed it. The team is also very supportive with making plays and cheering me on.”
First-year Post 79 skipper Matt Sommo praises Jake for his aggressive nature on the bump, along with his ability to always stay cool in crunch-time.
“Jake is successful as a pitcher because he attacks hitters, he’s consistently throwing strikes, and gets ahead. By pitching to contact and working down in the zone, it allows him to go deep into ballgames and gives our team a chance to win,” Sommo says. “It’s a great benefit when he’s a ground-ball pitcher because, when a guy gets on, there’s always an opportunity for a double play to get out of an inning. As far as a teammate, he’s always on time and stays positive in any situation—a great guy to have on any team.”
The Madison Junior Legion baseball team had a landmark year this summer and that can only bolster the program’s future. Jake says Post 79’s success all started on the bench with a palpable spirit that propelled Madison into the postseason.
“We won a lot of games this year, especially big games that really mattered,” says Jake, who thanks his parents PJ and Kari, along with his sister Brooke, plus Coach Sommo and Post 79 assistants Kyle Anderson and Adam Nuzzo. “In the dugout, there was a lot of energy. We were always loud and positive in the dugout, which put pressure on the other team to make plays.”