Senior Owen Hess had an outstanding pitching performance against the Bellevue West Thunderbirds on April 5. Hess pitched for six innings and a segment of the seventh, only allowing seven hits against multiple Division 1 baseball recruits.
Along with this, Hess only allowed one earned run against an 11-4, No. 5 ranked team. In this performance, his teammates and coaches watched him enter a different realm on the mound.
“I saw him step into some real confidence and energy,” Head Coach Anthony Dunn said. “Truthfully, his demeanor is more calm and maybe more of a low-key confident, but he’s been a sort of kid that’s always just gone about his business.”
Hess’s recent success on the diamond has stemmed from years of hard work, dating back to playing in the Elkhorn Rec leagues during elementary school. His long history with baseball has not only showed Hess how to perform, but also how to be an even better teammate.
“Owen brings the G.L.U.E aspect to the team, he brings us together,” senior Chris Thiessen said. “It’s always a nameless, faceless opponent. It doesn’t matter who we play, he’s always ready to compete.”
For the past two years, Elkhorn North baseball has clinched a spot in the state tournament and came out victorious both years. With a loaded senior class, the Wolves hope to return to Werner Field this spring and bring another state championship to the full trophy case. Hess’s coaches believe he is the x-factor that will help them reach their goals of the season.
“I want to see him continue to step into that confidence. I think if he pitches that way this season, we definitely have a chance to go win it [state] again,” Dunn said. “He’s just got to continue to believe that he’s a really good pitcher.”
