Sophomore pitcher finishes what Notre Dame starts

Skittles and Mr. Pibb fuel Notre Dame's closer.

"I just like Skittles and soda," said sophomore Colton Young about his pre-game meal.

Young emerged as the Bulldogs' most reliable reliever during the postseason. He earned the save against Dexter in the district title game then picked up the win against Pacific in the Class 3 state quarterfinal. He'll be the first guy out of the bullpen when Notre Dame opens the Class 3 state tournament today. The Bulldogs face St. Dominic at 10 a.m. today at Meador Park in Springfield.

"Going into districts, there were a couple questions," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said of Young. "He hadn't really closed out a tight game in a while. We didn't know how he'd adapt in those special situations. But coming in, he got some big saves for us in districts. I feel comfortable bringing him in at any point."

Young didn't see much action on the mound during the regular season. Senior Mark Himmelberg and junior Dylan Drury pitched the majority of innings for the Bulldogs. Graviett said he didn't want to rush Young onto the mound, so he limited the right-hander's opportunities.

"We knew he had the arm," Graviett said. "Being a sophomore, we talked early on about making him feel comfortable in the field because we felt like we needed him there more than we did on the mound. I didn't want to throw too much at him early.

"We pretty much decided early we were going to use him in that closer role. With the good arm and the mentality that he had, he's definitely excelled above expectations. But we saw the potential early on."

Young said he's been a starting pitcher for most of his career, but he's adjusted to being the closer. He feeds off entering games with a lead and the pressure to close out the win.

"I like those situations," he said. "I feel that I have the stuff to go in there, throw strikes and get us out of it."

Young describes himself as a power pitcher, and he's collected 42 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings.

"Colton shuts the door with his fastball," Notre Dame catcher Jacob Valleroy said.

Young uses his fastball as his out pitch, but he also throws a curveball and slider to keep hitters honest. He's gained the trust of the Bulldogs' two starters by slamming the door when he enters a game.

"When I come out of a game and Colton comes in, I'm pretty much worry free," Himmelberg said. "I have 100 percent confidence that he's going to get the job done. He hasn't failed us yet this year."

Drury even gains a little extra confidence knowing that Young is waiting in the wings.

"I know I've got Colton who can come in," Drury said. "He's been pretty lights out this season."

Young said his philosophy is simple when he enters a game, and deflects the credit for his success to his teammates.

"It's just throw strikes," Young said. "I've got a good defense behind me and hope they make some plays."

While Young has delivered as the team's closer, he prefers playing in the field.

"I would rather play shortstop," he said. "I like the range. It's kind of like the leader of the infield."

Young bats sixth in the Bulldogs' lineup, and boasts a .382 average with a homer and 15 RBIs. He's also swiped four bases. He said his average has been on the rise lately after a mid-season slump.

"The last couple weeks I've changed my stance," he said. "I started to hit the ball a lot better. Early in the year, I hit the ball good then I kind of slumped off. Now I'm starting to pick it back up again."

Whether Young is at shortstop or trying to close out a win, he'll play a pivotal role in his team's title hopes. And he'll be relying on Skittles and Mr. Pibb for the power.