West Aurora pitcher Zach Toma can be classified as young and inexperienced, but as his season progressed, the sophomore left-hander put himself into position for bigger assignments.
There was none bigger than Saturday’s undertaking, and Toma was ready.
“I want that game,” Toma said afterward. “That’s the type of stuff I like. I like the pressure.
“And I love pitching in that situation.”
Toma acquitted himself quite well as the 14th-seeded Blackhawks came up just short in a 2-1 loss to the host Wildcats in the Class 4A Neuqua Valley Regional championship game.
Working six innings, Toma struck out eight and allowed only two runs on six hits and two walks for West Aurora (13-19), which had been on an underdog playoff run.
Chase Yusi drew a leadoff walk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cooper Matheny in the seventh for the Blackhawks, who had runners thrown out at the plate both in the first and seventh innings.
Coming into the season, West Aurora coach John Reeves didn’t expect Toma to be starting in the regional final. Reeves’ expectations were more tempered for Toma’s first full varsity season.
West Aurora’s Zach Toma (24) runs to first base against the host Wildcats during the Class 4A Neuqua Valley Regional championship game in Naperville on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
“What we talked about was progressively just getting better and better, and he did,” Reeves said. “The second series of conference play, we slid him into the conference rotation.
“He continuously improved throughout the whole season.”
A shutout against DeKalb and a one-hitter against Plainfield North helped Toma build the fortitude to be ready for the postseason spotlight.
“I feel like pitching against guys older than me, my confidence just kept going up,” Toma said. “I started throwing more strikes, and my confidence just kept going up and up, and I love it.”
Toma faced only one batter over the minimum in the first three innings before Neuqua (16-19) started to chip away.
The Wildcats produced RBI singles in the fourth and fifth innings for a 2-0 lead, but Toma kept them right there.
“(West Aurora) said he was like 80-82 (mph),” Neuqua coach James Thornton said. “I saw a lot harder out there. What we did recognize early is that he pounds the strike zone. He pounded both sides of the strike zone.
“He’s only a sophomore? I was hoping he was a senior.”
West Aurora pitcher Zach Toma (24) connects against the host Wildcats during the Class 4A Neuqua Valley Regional championship game in Naperville on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
Toma said the tight game helped him lock in even more.
“It gave me more confidence because I wasn’t down runs the whole game,” Toma said. “I could go out there and play my game and just pitch. I know we’re in the game.
“It’s not like I’m just going out there to throw. I know I’m pitching to win this game.”
The Blackhawks were stymied on offense by Neuqua’s Alex Voegele.
West Aurora stranded two runners on base in each of the first two innings but couldn’t cash in. It wasn’t until Voegele issued a walk and a hit to lead off the seventh, hit 100 pitches and left the game that the Blackhawks threatened to score.
Kaiden Williams was on third with one out but was thrown out at the plate on a contact play, and a flyout to center ended the game.
“My heart was racing,” Toma said. “I knew he was going to score so I could go back out there and finish it up. I love doing that, so I was really excited for it.”
West Aurora’s Emilio Ayala (8) dives safely back to first beating the throw to Neuqua Valley’s William Zalabak (6) during the Class 4A Neuqua Valley Regional championship game in Naperville on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
Reeves couldn’t have been happier with what Toma gave his team in such a big game.
“He pitched exactly how we were hoping,” Reeves said. “He’s been making steady progress. We think he’s a guy down the road for the next two years who will be a big part of the rotation.”
Moving forward, Toma hopes to use the momentum he gained from the end of this season.
“It feels good,” Toma said. “We just went out there and played.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
