The Preps : Boys’ Athlete of the Week : Hansell Perfecting the Direction of His Pitches

Greg Hansell could always throw hard. It’s just that he didn’t always know where the baseball was headed.

Hansell, a senior at Kennedy High School, has a lively arm. His fastball has been clocked at 91 m.p.h.

But, until this year, he has never been able to control it.

“There was a time when I had a ratio of three walks to every strikeout,” Hansell said. “I’ve improved on that this year.”

He’s improved a whole lot.

Against Garden Grove on Wednesday, Hansell didn’t walk one batter while striking out eight.

Hansell, The Times’ athlete of the week, also didn’t allow a hit in pitching a perfect game.

Hansell is 6-1 this season with a 2.17 earned-run average.

“Greg has become a pitcher this year,” Kennedy Coach Chris Pascal said. “But I never envisioned a perfect game.”

Hansell began getting his control when he played in a summer league in Long Beach. Although he was an All-Garden Grove League pitcher, he didn’t exactly strike fear in people’s hearts in Long Beach.

“He was a big fish in our league, but when he got to Long Beach, I think the general feeling was, ‘You’re who?’ ” Pascal said. “He wanted to prove he could pitch with those guys.”

Hansell pitched well during the summer, lowering his strikeouts-to-walks ratio considerably.

“I think I really matured during the summer,” Hansell said. “The experience really helped me as a pitcher.”

Pascal also got Hansell some specialized help.

Pascal brought in Dave Fernandez, who had been his coach at Los Alamitos High School. Fernandez spotted a flaw in Hansell’s delivery.

Hansell had been keeping his arm too stiff when he pitched, which led to his wildness. Fernandez taught him to drop his arm a little lower for a better delivery.

“Greg was throwing the ball like it was a grenade,” Pascal said. “Coach Fernandez corrected it.”

With instruction from Fernandez, Hansell has been overpowering without being wild this season.

“I’ve learned to mix my pitches to keep hitters off-balance,” Hansell said. “But the big thing is I’m throwing strikes.”

Hansell has walked only six batters in 45 innings. He also has 61 strikeouts.

That works out to a ratio of 10-1. Which is almost perfect.

TOP PERFORMERS

Chris Buckels of Liberty Christian had five hits, including a home run, and three RBIs in two games. He struck out nine batters and was the winning pitcher in Liberty Christian’s 11-1 victory over Cal Lutheran.

David Guillen of Capistrano Valley had four hits, including two doubles and two home runs, and four RBIs in two games.

David Lowery of Trabuco Hills had four hits, including two home runs, and seven RBIs in two games.

Steve Montgomery of Fountain Valley pitched a two-hitter, striking out five, as the Barons defeated Ocean View, 2-0, to move into sole possession of first place in the Sunset League.

Greg Hansell

Kennedy High School

Position: Pitcher

Height, Weight, Class: 6-5, 210, Senior

Last Week: Hansell pitched a perfect game in Kennedy’s 5-0 victory over Garden Grove. Hansell struck out eight and allowed only one ball to be hit out of the infield.

Season: Hansell is 6-1 with a 2.17 earned-run average.