Hughes said Springdale pitching coach Alex Pane helped him develop as a pitcher. He pitched a two-hit, complete game shutout with 15 strikeouts in a 2-0 win over Western Beaver on May 5. He ended up going 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA over 33.2 innings. On the mound, Hughes crafted a four-pitch arsenal - four-seam and two-seam fastballs, a slider and a cutter. “It’s hard to explain, but it does put a smile on your face when you know they don’t even want to deal with you.” He was intentionally walked on several occasions when the Dynamos were down multiple runs. Hughes started receiving some major respect from opponents as the season went on. “I stayed after practices for extra reps, and they pushed me farther than I thought I could be. “My coaches have helped me a lot with my approach to hitting,” Hughes said. Hughes credited offseason work with his dad, John Sr., as well as Springdale’s coaching staff with helping him achieve such gaudy numbers. He walked 11 times and finished with an on-base percentage of. Hughes had 24 hits in 37 at-bats with five doubles, a pair of triples, a homer and 14 RBIs. He’s almost a guaranteed barrel into the gap every time he comes up to the plate. 550 is going to be hard to top,’” Mahlmeister said. 550 as a sophomore and coming into the season, I was talking with my coaches and I said, ‘Man. He said there’s been some great players for the Dynamos over the years like Joe Killian, who went on to be an All-American at Allegheny, but he’s never seen anyone like Hughes. Mahlmeister is a 2016 Springdale grad, and he’s followed the program his entire life. “It is something that is bigger than I thought I’d be.”ĭynamos coach Dante Mahlmeister is not shocked by any of the success Hughes had this season. “It kind of surprises you when you look at it and see your name at the top of the lists,” Hughes said. Hughes has had some time to reflect on it all, but it’s still sinking in. His season may have gone under the radar a bit with Springdale going 5-10 and missing the playoffs, but he was among the best in the WPIAL in hitting and pitching. Those accomplishments earned him 2023 Valley News Dispatch baseball player of the year honors. Hughes won the WPIAL regular season batting title and finished second in the regular season in pitcher strikeouts with 78 in his junior season at Springdale. 649 batting average and pitched to a 2.08 ERA, but maybe the most incredible stat of all was that he didn’t strike out once in 53 plate appearances. John Hughes produced some eye-popping statistics this spring.
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