When it comes to pitching, Geneva’s Bryce Breon has one thing in common with Tom Petty.
He won’t back down.
The senior left-hander realizes that he’s not going to wow people on the mound with his fastball, but he’s still going to attack the hitters and go right at them. And that comes from a good place.
“I’m very confident in myself,” said Breon, who shares ace duties for Vikings. “I know I’m capable. I don’t throw the hardest, but I have the junk to compete. I’m a competitor and I love to win.”
Heading into the weekend, Breon had a 4-1 record for Geneva (15-3-1).
Despite a hiccup Saturday against Batavia, with Breon allowing eight earned runs in a wind-blown outing at home, Geneva coach Brad Wendell has full confidence in his three-year varsity starter.
“He keeps you in games,” Wendell said of Breon. “He doesn’t necessarily overpower you with velocity, but he’s a smart baseball player. He gets guys to swing at his pitch. He has three pitches he can throw for strikes in any count.
“It’s his competitive nature too. He wants to give up nothing. He’s so competitive.”
Nate Stempowski, one of his longtime teammates, enjoys when Breon is on the mound because he knows that his leadership and competitiveness will eventually shine through.
“He’s definitely positive no matter what just happened,” Stempowski said of Breon. “He always finds a way to clear it and move forward with his day on the mound or in the box.
“He is just a fun teammate to be around and he brings the energy.”
Standing at shortstop, Stempowski sees how Breon doesn’t mess around with opposing hitters.
“When he gets going, he really gets going,” Stempowski said. “He’s able to dot corners and put batters down with competitive strikeout pitches. He’s always having fun and trusts his defense.”
In Saturday’s 15-5 loss to Batavia, Breon could compartmentalize what happened. He only walked one. He knows his home ballpark is conducive to offense. And as long as he’s not putting extra runners on base, he knows he just needs to locate better when he’s ahead in the count.
“Just have to flush it a little bit, but I’m learning from my mistakes,” Breon said. “The 0-2 pitches were a little too much in the middle. Some of them I just have to give them credit.
“But my issue wasn’t walking people. I was getting ahead of hitters. I just couldn’t finish at-bats.”
That approach is what gives Wendell confidence in one of his aces moving forward.
“He’s been one of those guys you can count on, mostly because of his competitive nature,” Wendell said. “He’s a good defensive first baseman, too. He’s hard not to put into the lineup.
“He’s also a leader — his daily work ethic, his fun personality. He’s an outgoing kid, likes to joke around. Teachers even comment on what a nice kid he is.”
When he’s not on the mound, Breon has been an anchor at first base for the Vikings. He’s also been productive at the plate. After a hot start, Breon cooled off but is getting back into the groove.
To date, Breon is hitting .293 with seven extra-base hits and 18 RBIs. After being in the cleanup spot earlier in the season, he’s batting sixth as he gets back into rhythm.
“I’m getting out of it,” he said.
What his Geneva teammates have been getting out of Breon is not only his production on the mound, in the field and at the plate but his personality as well.
While hard work is necessary, baseball is also fun. And he recognizes that.
“Keeping it light with a joke helps players be loose and that’s when you’re most successful,” Breon said. “Before we break out before the game, someone says a joke and we all get it out.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
