Adamczyk Has Gone to Head of the Class

There are pitchers who throw harder, batters who hit the ball farther and fielders with faster instincts than most, but no one combines all three skills better than Tyler Adamczyk of Westlake High.

At midseason, the 6-foot-6 Adamczyk has made himself the region’s top baseball player.

The junior right-hander has command of four pitches. His fastball comes in at 88 mph with movement. And try to guess where one of his sliders will end up.

“He’s like untouchable right now,” Coach Chuck Berrington said. “He’s just wicked.”

Adamczyk is 4-0 with an 0.96 earned-run average. He has given up 17 hits in 29 1/3 innings. In two years on varsity, his pitching record is 7-0.

He’s batting .391 with 15 runs batted in. As a first baseman, his long arms and athletic skills, which helped him make all-league in basketball, allow him to scoop balls in the dirt and prevent them from flying over his head.

But what has enabled Adamczyk to make the jump from a sophomore with potential to a junior who’s on top at midseason is his competitive drive.

“I love rising to the challenge,” he said. “You have everything to prove.”

Born in North Carolina, Adamczyk moved to the area as a 5-year-old and quickly became an elite player on club teams.

Whether he’s excelling on the field or in the classroom, he has one thought in mind.

“I just go out there with a mission to do better than anyone,” he said. “I’ve always been pushed to do my best and play my hardest.”

Adamczyk displays a level of sophistication and maturity rare for a 17-year-old. He can hold conversations with adults as comfortably as speaking with teenagers.

He understands sustained improvement is critical to reaching the highest level.

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The pitcher who has come out of nowhere at midseason is junior right-hander Bill Susdorf of Hart. He’d be the Foothill League player of the year if there were a vote today. He has tied a school record with six saves and leads Southern Section players in the region with a 0.42 ERA.

Throughout youth ball and high school, he was a starting pitcher. But Coach Jim Ozella liked Susdorf’s poise and toughness, the perfect makeup for a closer. Susdorf has become so dominant in his new role he might never give it up.

“It’s fun going into pressure situations and getting saves,” he said. “You have to come in and have confidence in yourself that you can get guys out.”

Susdorf’s best pitch is a cross between a slider and curve.

“It comes in straight with a lot of spin and at the last minute curves,” he said.

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There’s no argument about who ranks as the No. 1 pitcher. Matt Harrington of Palmdale throws once a week and no one has come close to beating him. He’s 7-0 with a 0.72 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 39 innings.

“He’s pitching incredible, the best I’ve ever seen for a high school pitcher,” Coach Lance Pierson said.

A year ago, teams had a chance to defeat Harrington because of his wildness. But he has cut down on his walks.

“He’s really smooth,” Pierson said. “His delivery is so deceptive. He throws the ball and boom, it’s right on you.”

Have sympathy for the team that draws Palmdale in the opening round of the Southern Section Division II playoffs and must face Harrington.

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Pitchers Jesse Kozlowski of Westlake and Joe Guntz of Chatsworth are in top form. Both have thrown shutouts in their last two outings.

Kozlowski’s 1-0 victory over Thousand Oaks on Friday was a defining moment for a senior right-hander who’s always had ability but not consistency.

Guntz, a sophomore left-hander, is 6-0 and gearing up for his showdown with West Valley League rival El Camino Real on Tuesday.

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Westlake came in having the most talented team, and with a 16-0 record, the Warriors are living up to expectations.

Jon Shepard, batting leadoff, and Cory Taillon, second in the lineup, continue to ignite the offense. One pleasant surprise for the Warriors has been the hitting of catcher Michael Nickeas. Known more for his defense, Nickeas is batting .425.

Second baseman Adam Leavitt of Thousand Oaks is clearly the most improved hitter in the region. He’s batting .585.

Among underrated players producing at midseason are senior outfielder Mike Serrata of Hueneme, who’s batting .549; sophomore outfielder Brian Lee of Chatsworth, who leads the team with a .476 average; junior second baseman Gregg Wallis of Chatsworth, who’s hitting .458 and has only two errors; junior left-hander Neil Morrow of Birmingham, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last 14 2/3 innings; senior outfielder Drew Kennedy of Palmdale, who’s batting .542 with 25 RBIs; and sophomore catcher Jose Carrillo of Birmingham, who has thrown out 20 of 27 runners trying to steal.

Freshmen of note are outfielder Delmon Young of Camarillo, batting .458, and shortstop Josh Satin of Harvard-Westlake, at .500.

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Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or eric.sondheimer@latimes.com