Senior pitcher and first baseman Ryan Buffington has helped the Ankeny baseball team to an 11-24 record, including a 5-15 mark in the CIML Conference. The Hawks won five straight games before dropping a 6-2 decision to visiting Waukee Northwest on Wednesday.
Buffington has compiled a 1-3 record with a 5.13 ERA. He leads the team with 52 strikeouts, including 24 in his last two starts.
At the plate, Buffington is batting .284 with one home run, two triples, two doubles and 12 RBIs. He leads the Hawks with 23 walks and 24 runs scored.
Here is some inside info on Buffington:
Your team held its Senior Night on Wednesday. Is it kind of hard to believe that your high school career is almost over?
It feels crazy, especially growing up with all these boys and spending countless hours with them. There is definitely no other group I’d rather share that moment with, but it’s definitely crazy my high school career is over.
Your team has obviously had some ups and downs this season, but after winning a pair of games in the Brent Prange Classic on June 27 you guys swept three consecutive games from Dowling Catholic over a two-day span to end the month of June. Do you feel like you are playing your best baseball of the season right now?
I definitely think we are playing our best baseball so far. We played a very talented MOC-Floyd Valley team (at the Prange Classic) and we saw one of their better arms (in Henry Heller), so I think that grew some confidence that we needed. Then Dowling was great. It’s tough to see a CIML team three times in two days so the fact we got that sweep was very important, especially heading to the end of the season.
You earned the win in the second game of the doubleheader against Dowling on June 29, racking up 12 strikeouts for the second consecutive start. What has been the key to your success in these recent games?
Pounding the zone has been a huge factor, and landing my off-speed (pitches) for strikes has also been great. Just being confident every outing. (Coach Joe) Balvanz had always stressed to me that I don’t have to be perfect every outing and just do me, and that has definitely helped me relax and just have fun while doing it.
Have you been happy with your season at the plate?
Yes, I have been happy. I had a lot of debates before the season about just pitching, but I stuck with it and have had a bigger impact than I thought I would and it’s cool helping the team on all sides of the game.
You have drawn walks in more than 25 percent of your at-bats, showing a lot of patience not to swing at bad pitches. Are you just very selective at the plate?
Yes, especially early in the count I try to just find my pitch. If I do get behind (in the count), I just shorten up and just try to fight anything close.
Your team will close out the regular season with doubleheaders at Valley on Monday and at home against Southeast Polk on Tuesday. Do you feel like it’s important to win some of those games to keep your positive momentum going?
The wins would definitely feel good to grow some confidence before the postseason, but a lot of the team is fighting some injuries so if we can get everyone healthy I think that will definitely be more important and have everyone feeling good.
Your team was awarded the No. 4 seed in Class 4A Substate 3 by the Iowa High School Athletic Association. The substate bracket includes seventh-ranked Johnston and No. 9 Urbandale. What did you think of the overall draw?
I think it will be very interesting because we have seen their best guys and they have seen our best, so I’m excited. It’s baseball, and anything can happen on any given day. But they are both very talented so we will just have to really play our best ball.
Your team will play Des Moines Roosevelt in a quarterfinal game on Friday at Dowling Catholic. What do you know about the Roughriders?
I really don’t know a lot. I know one of their top guys left to go play summer ball, but I have heard from some people they have a good offense. It’s pretty easy to overlook them just because it’s a Des Moines school, but they got (the No. 3 seed) for a reason. I think with our guy (Hunter) Minner on the mound we have a chance with anybody.
I know coach Balvanz probably doesn’t want to reveal his pitching plans, but I’m sure you’d love to take the ball at some point in the postseason, wouldn’t you?
Definitely. I haven’t had the chance to throw in a postseason atmosphere, but I think I will get the chance this year and will be ready whenever (I’m needed). I’m pretty excited.
You are headed to Indian Hills Community College in the fall to play baseball at the junior college level. What did you like about the Indian Hills program?
I like the new coaches they brought in. Coach (Dru) Sebastian really knows what he is talking about, and he’s experienced. I also like how they develop players and have a pretty good history of winning. I also like the small campus in Centerville. It feels very personal, and I’m very excited for the next chapter.
What are you planning to study?
I’m planning to study finance.