Douglas High baseball

Snooks excels again in Tiger win

Douglas High sophomore Keegan Snooks tosses a pitch during his complete game performance against Galena Thursday. Snooks didn't allow a run while punching out four in the Tiger win.

Douglas High sophomore Keegan Snooks tosses a pitch during his complete game performance against Galena Thursday. Snooks didn't allow a run while punching out four in the Tiger win.
Photo by Ron Harpin.

By Carter Eckl

Friday, April 15, 2022

 Seven days ago, Douglas High sophomore starting pitcher Keegan Snooks tossed five no-hit innings while feeling under the weather.
Thursday afternoon the sophomore starter hurled another seven innings without allowing a run as Douglas topped Galena, 4-0, to pick up the season sweep against the Grizzlies.
Galena was able to get a runner to third in both the first and sixth innings, but both times Snooks and the Tigers escaped without any damage.
Since returning from illness, Snooks said his confidence level is up there.
“It’s up here,” said Snooks, motioning above his head. “I’ve just been really working my fastball outside and then using my breaking ball and trying to get them to swing at it.”
Snooks boasts a four-seam fastball along with a circle change, curveball and slider.
In his last 12 innings on the hill, Snooks has given up four hits and no earned runs while striking out seven.
“I think my fastball has been working really well. I’ve relied on that a lot. Other than that, I’d say my slider,” added Snooks.
The sophomore has a 2.69 ERA in 26 innings pitched to go along with 31 strikeouts and 13 walks.
His WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is 1.11, meaning he’s allowing just over one runner on base per inning.
“I didn’t doubt that it would be like this. I really thought (this season) would be like this,” said Snooks. “I think we’re just going to keep working our way up.”
At the plate, Douglas got some comfort with a 3-0 lead in the second inning.
A balk brought in the first run with the bases loaded before Luke Rodina drove in the next run on a RBI sacrifice fly.
With Thomas young at the dish, Gavin Davis came around from third on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the third, Douglas got its fourth and final run on a passed ball that brought home Gabe Natividad.
Douglas tallied five hits in the contest with two coming off the bat of Gabe Foster.
“Our pitching is lights out. Our sophomore just threw a complete game and it’s always nice to not have to go to the bullpen,” said Natividad.
UP NEXT: Douglas (17-4, 11-2 in Class 5A play) will head to California next week with three games scheduled in a tournament.

(Luke Rodina throws a ball in from right field during Douglas' contest against Galena Thursday. Rodina had an RBI sacrifice fly in the win. / Ron Harpin)

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