BASEBALL: Valley View product Howanitz chosen for Northwoods League all-star game
Jul. 14—After a solid season at West Chester University, Dylan Howanitz traveled to the midwest in search of tougher challenges to further develop in his pitching.
He became an all-star.
The Valley View graduate was selected to the all-star game for the Northwoods Collegiate Summer League, a wooden-bat league that is celebrating its 30th season. The Battle Creek Battle Cats' closer will suit up for the Great Lakes East Division squad on July 25 at Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City, Michigan. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
"It's truly an honor to represent the team I play on, West Chester University, the Valley View community, my family and my teammates," Howanitz said. "It also shows that the work I have put in has really paid off."
A three-sport standout at Valley View, Howanitz overcame a pair of ACL tears and continued his baseball career at West Chester University.
He redshirted in 2021 and the following spring and had an ERA of 4.19 in 19 1/3 innings with one save in 21 appearances. He walked five and striking out 14. Howanitz made two appearances in the NCAA Atlantic Regional against Seton Hill and two more in the Atlantic Super Regional against East Stroudsburg.
This past spring, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-handed side-arming specialist with a sweeping slider and improving fastball made 24 appearances, tied for second all-time in a single season at West Chester. He posted a 2-1 record with a 4.31 ERA and one save. In 31 1/3 innings, he struck out 37 strikeouts.
This summer, Howanitz has blossomed as the Battle Cats' closer. In 20 appearances, he has six saves and 28 strikeouts against nine walks. Battle Creek is 7-5 overall and in second place in the Great Lakes East Division.
"Coming out here to the midwest and this being one of the top leagues in the country, you are playing some of the top college players," said Howanitz, who turns 22 years old Sunday. "You also get to bounce ideas off everyone and see how that translates to improving your game. It is a comforting feeling to know that I am competing against some of the top players and I am holding my own."
Howanitz has some work ahead of him. The Battle Cats have nine games remaining before the all-star break.
"I have been thinking about the all-star game since I found out," Howanitz said. "There are going to be a lot of Major League Baseball scouts there. It is a huge deal, and it is something that I haven't stopped thinking about. My parents (George and Eileen) are going to fly in for the game, so that will be great. It is something I am not taking lightly."
Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter
