Hamill Enjoys Three-mendous Day at the Plate

Chaminade High continued its impressive run behind the bat of catcher Ryan Hamill, who electrified the crowd at Chaminade on Friday with three home runs to lead the Eagles over Crespi, 7-2, in a Mission League game.

Hamill, a senior who has signed with Nevada-Las Vegas, smashed a two-run home run in the first inning and solo shots in the third and sixth innings. It was his first three-home run game in high school.

“They were outside fastballs,” Hamill said.

“I was one for four with two strikeouts [against Crespi] on Tuesday and they kept throwing me outside fastballs, so I worked on hitting that pitch all week in practice.”

Practice made perfect.

The three blasts went over the 40-foot-high fence in right field, the first and third landing somewhere near midfield on the Chaminade football field, about 400 feet away.

Hamill finished three for three with four runs batted in and increased his home run total to 12 and his RBI total to 45, both tops in the region. He was intentionally walked in his only other appearance.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Hamill said. “Now I’m kind of hoping for four.”

The Eagles (19-1, 5-1 in league play), top-ranked in the region by The Times, are playing well in all phases.

Fine defensive plays by Tyler Dersom at shortstop, Chris Gray at third base and Dan Dworski in right field helped stifle Crespi (14-8, 5-3).

And the pitching also has been superb.

Three days after Gray pitched a 10-inning, seven-hitter against the Celts, Brian Kaye (6-0) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits.

“We’re on a roll,” Coach Scott Drootin said. “And the thing is we’re getting contributions from everyone. I need three pencils a game just to keep track of my players.”

Drootin said the team’s play has surprised him.

“I’m a fan myself watching these guys play,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean we can ease up.

“Crespi is a good team and beating them is a good accomplishment, but this was not a championship game.”

Dersom, who pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by striking out Tomy Salazar, picked up his fourth save.

Brian Felten had a solo home run for the Celts in the third.