Final: Chaminade 2, SJB 1
WP: John Downing (CG, 4 H, 1 R, 7 K) pic.twitter.com/2MsfbAhgkf— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 7, 2021
Entering the 2021 season, there was reason to question whether Chaminade could successfully defend their crown in the Catholic League. The biggest reason is that although they possessed a world of talent, they had no players with varsity experience. It seemed like it could present an issue come playoff time when the chips are on the table. In typical Flyers fashion, though, they were able to lean on their coaching staff, pitching, defense and depth to dig deep and sweep Kellenberg in the CHSAA Finals.
One of their major contributors all season was junior ace LHP John Downing. The southpaw went 5-0 with a 1.33 ERA. Over 38.2 IP, he struck out 39 and allowed just nine walks. Last week he announced his commitment to Seton Hall University. He spoke with Axcess Baseball and here’s what he had to say…
Can you explain your experience with the college recruiting process and how you made your decision?
The college recruiting process started to get going when some schools saw my increase in velocity during the offseason. After the offseason, schools started to keep track on how I was doing during my school season and then came to some of my summer games. Seton Hall was in Diamond Nation for my start and they told me to visit right after my game. They gave me a great tour of the campus and I knew it was the school for me. They ended up calling me when I was in Georgia after I threw a very good game and offered me on the phone. I talked it over with my parents and knew it was the best deal for us and committed the next day.
Who are some people that have had a positive impact on your career?
Some people who have had a positive impact on my career are my parents and Alex Katz, who is a Double-A pitcher for the Cubs. My parents have always supported me and my baseball career and they’re always down to drive me wherever I need to go to be successful. Katz is my pitching coach and took me under his wing about four years ago. I did pitching lessons with him a couple times a week over the years, but last year I started training with him and it paid dividends.
What was it like winning the CHSAA Championship this season and when did you know it was a special group?
Winning the CHSAA Championship this year was a great experience for me and my teammates. There were no holes on our team – we had pitching, hitting, speed, defense and everyone played a role in winning that championship. We started our season to a slow start but during that series with St. Dominic’s we knew we could win it all. I knew we had a special group during my freshman season, seeing all the studs and depth we had in our class. We only had one or two losses during our freshman season and won the championship, so we knew how good we were going to be. We are only losing two starting seniors so next season should be a fun one as well.
This summer, I’m working to use all of my pitches effectively through out games and keep hitters off balance. I’ve added a slider to my repertoire and it’s been my best pitch pitch of late, so I’m just trying to utilize all of my pitches and most importantly, not walk anyone.
Favorite musical artist?
Lil Baby
Best experience on a baseball trip?
Cooperstown or Myrtle Beach
Pregame meal?
Strawberries and a Bang energy drink
Favorite athlete?
Amir Garrett
Favorite app on your phone?
Favorite place to get a slice of pizza?
Gino’s of New Hyde Park
