Sports

He’s called ‘Ace’ for a reason

For his second year on varsity, Abraham Dietz embraces new role at the top of the rotation

Dietz throws a pitch during the Knights’ alumni game, where the varsity beat the alumns 12-10 to start off their season.

Steven Tibbetts, sports editor
April 17, 2019

The Shield: When and how did you get started with baseball?

Abraham (Ace) Dietz: I started in second grade in this little league tournament and then I played for Northwest Little League and then I went to Pony and then I played club for ABC and then I played some select ball in middle school and then tried out for McCallum and got on. Over the summer I play baseball also, so it’s like a year round thing.

TS: What first caused you to get started with baseball?

AD: I used to play soccer and then I started not liking it so I moved on. My dad wanted me to play baseball because I’m left handed. And then I liked pitching, that was the main thing I liked so ever since then I’ve liked pitching.

TS: What do you like about pitching?

AD: One thing I like about pitching is that you can control how the game goes, how fast the pace is, it can be up to you how the game goes, so I like that.

TS: When you’re not pitching do you play other positions?

AD: I used to play outfield. I sometimes play right field or center field. And then I bat sometimes, but usually I just focus on pitching.

TS: How long have you been on varsity?

AD: Two years, this is my second year. Our new varsity coach is Coach Grant and last year I was with Coach Alvarez.

Dave Winter
Dietz and sophomore catcher CJ Owen talk at the mound during the Knights’ first win of the season against the McCallum alumni team on Feb. 16 at Northwest Park. The varsity won the game 12-10.

TS: How would you say the season’s been going so far?

AD: The season’s been going pretty well, we just have to adjust. We lost a lot of our seniors last year and we have a lot of young players on varsity and we’re learning how to play together.

TS: What’s it been like to have a new coach this year?

AD: I like it because it’s one of the first times I’ve actually had a coach that knows baseball knowledge and in game situations. He knows a lot about pitching and batting and all the stuff.

TS: What are some of your individual goals and what are some of your team goals for this year?

AD: An individual goal is to have one of the lowest ERAs in the district and one of my team’s goals is to win as a team and to eliminate errors.

TS: So you’re kind of the ace pitcher this year, right?

AD: Yeah, I’m the starting pitcher.

TS: What’s it like to move up the rotation?

AD: I like it because you can teach. Yzmael (Izquierdo) is the second ace and he’s a sophomore so I like to tell him, ‘this is how you’re supposed to do it, you’re very young at pitching so don’t put a lot of stress over it, just relax and have fun’.

TS: What’s been the highlight of your season so far?

AD: My highlight of the season was probably when we went to Fredericksburg and I pitched pretty well against Fredericksburg and we almost won, we tied it and I pitched the whole game and did really well.