Blazing a trail from the mound

Panthers pitcher having bounce-back campaign

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

Blaze Milam burst onto the Liberty Hill baseball scene two years ago as a freshman when the right-handed hurler put up numbers that belied his relative lack of experience – a 5-1 record with a 1.83 earned-run average along with 37 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings – leading the Panthers in wins and strikeouts and having the lowest ERA of any pitcher with at least 15 innings pitched.

According to Milam, his success that season was a bit of a surprise – as well as being on the varsity squad in the first place.

“Definitely, it was pretty cool to be on the varsity as a freshman,” said Milam. “I really didn’t expect to play as much as I did – I thought I would get a few games.”

However, instead of being able to build on that success his sophomore season last year, Milam was derailed by a knee injury that caused an elbow ailment.

“I dislocated my kneecap hitting, which caused a tendon strain,” he said. “I altered my pitching motion to compensate for that, which caused me to strain my UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in my elbow.”

Milam only missed a short amount of time, but went on to post a 2-4 record with a 2.89 ERA, with 32 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings – not exactly the kind of campaign he had envisioned coming off such a stellar freshman year.

“It was tough,” he said. “It got really bad during the season, but I was still able to pitch. During the summer, though, it got worse and I missed about six weeks.”

In fact, Milam said he might be better off now from having been shut down for an extended period.

“It was kind of helpful because it gave my arm time to completely heal up,” he said. “Now, I’m back to full strength again.”

Surgery wasn’t eventually needed and after rest and recuperation, Milam is back flashing the form that made him such a sensation two years ago.

Through his first six starts of this season, Milam had a 4-1 record to go with an ERA of 1.00 with 36 strikeouts in 35 innings and has established himself as the Panthers’ ace in the process.

Head coach Brandon Creek said it’s not just Milam’s numbers that have impressed him, but his overall character and work ethic.

“Blaze is a leader and a great teammate

– a very dependable young man,” he said. “Never late to a practice, leads by example and is the best kind of player a coach can hope for.”

Despite his gaudy strikeout stats this season, Milam said he’s not the kind of pitcher that goes out and tries to blow hitters out of the box – but rather the opposite.

“I think I’m a ground-ball pitcher more than anything,” he said. “I like to get ground balls and trust my defense to make plays behind me.”

Milam added this particular approach allows him to remain in games longer than perhaps a strikeout pitcher that racks up a much higher pitch count earlier in a contest.

“With the way I pitch, I can go most of the way in games,” he said. “I never really want to get to 100 pitches – 90 is a comfortable number for me – even better if I can keep it at 80-85.”

Creek is just fine with Milam’s mound mentality, he said.

“I’ll never put getting a win over the health of a young man’s arm,” said Creek. “I’ll never have a pitcher throw too many pitches.”

Case in point was Milam’s outing against Leander in the Panthers’ home district contest on March 28, when he threw exactly 90 pitches before exiting the game after six innings of what would ultimately end in a

2-1 loss – his first defeat of the season.

In doing so, though, Milam kept the Purple-and-Gold in a game that certainly could’ve produced a larger scoreline for the visitors – including pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to keep the score at 2-0.

“Coach Creek came out to the mound to talk to me that inning,” he said. “I told him I was going to get a ground ball and we did.”

Catcher chemistry

When Milam first appeared for the Panthers as a freshman, his teammate behind the plate was then-sophomore catcher Carson Riley, who is now a senior and has reunited with his batterymate after a brief absence earlier this season when Riley was pressed into service at shortstop.

During the interim, freshman backstop Carson Sharp had taken over catching duties and Milam did just fine throwing to the first-year player, but said the bond he and Riley have 60 feet, six inches away from one another is undeniable.

“Carson (Riley) has been my catcher for most of the past two-and-a-half years,” said Milam. “Sharp is a good young player who’s still learning and growing and I’m good with either one, but Carson and I have that chemistry.”

Strong, but not too strong

Since his freshman season, Milam has developed an affinity for the weight room, which he credits with helping him gain strength he has used to positively influence his pitching.

But, it wasn’t always like that, he said.

“When I was a freshman, I hated working out,” said Milam. “It was the worst part of my day.”

So, what changed his outlook on throwing iron around?

“I started to see results,” he said. “Now, I even work out in the offseason, which I never did back then, either.”

Creek said it’s important for pitchers to build strength through weight training –just not the same type of regimen position players are put through.

“With pitchers, we have them work upper body mostly with dumbbells as opposed to bar work,” he said. “While our position players do their auxiliary lifts, we’ll have our pitchers focus more on hip flexors and core muscles.”

For Milam, he understands this concept, which makes it easy for him to now embrace something he once despised, he said.

“For a pitcher, it’s more of a flexible strength we try to build,” said Milam. “We just lift differently. In the offseason, I’ll lift heavier, but in season, it’s more reps with lighter weights.”

Baseball in his blood

Milam has played baseball since age four and despite the fact he dabbled in other sports such as football and basketball while growing up, it was always the diamond that was his first home.

“Baseball has always been No. 1 for me,” he said. “My dad (Zack) actually played at Liberty Hill and my mom played basketball.”

But, just because home was on a baseball field, it wasn’t until the past few years when Milam migrated to the mound.

“When I was young, I was just about everything but a pitcher – I played first, second, third,” he said. “My arm wasn’t good enough to be a pitcher back then.”

By the time he got to middle school, though, it became apparent the hill was going to be where he spent most of his time.

“When I was in seventh grade, I started pitching a little more,” said Milam. “By the time I got to eighth grade, I was pretty good at it and said, ‘Hey, I like this.’” hole.net alicia.boychuk@gmail.com

Now, Milam is looking to not only continue to dominate Panthers opponents for the rest of this season and next, but to continue honing his craft at the next level.

April 21

April

High Strung Band

April 7

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH HIGH STRUNG BAND

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9pm 512-548-6230/agabebbq.com

April 8

LIBERTY HILL COMMUNITY

EASTER EGG HUNT

Lions Foundation Park

10am

FREEDOM BIKES 1ST

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION GROUP RIDE

1201 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

4-8 p.m.

Swim

A fun, family event for all ages with a route that begins at the shop and ends at Liberty Hill Beer Market.

737-444-7120/freedombikesllc. com

STEPHEN PEARCY OF RATT Haute Spot

1501 E. New Hope Dr., Cedar Park

8 p.m.

Tickets $29-65 512-986-7411 hautespotvenue.com

April 12

AHL HOCKEY

TEXAS STARS VS. MANITOBA MOOSE

HEB Center

2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park

7 p.m. Tickets $20-64 HEBCenter.com

April 13

BEAT THE HOUSE TRIVIA

Whiskey Barrel Pub

1004 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

7 p.m.

512-548-6151 whiskeybarrelpub.com

April 15

MUSIC UNDER THE OAKS WITH M.A.R.S.

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m. 512-548-6230/agapebbq.com

PAUL THORN

The Globe Theater

SECOND HAND ROSE BAND

Hometown Watering Hole

3317 E. SH 29, Bertram

132 W. Vaughn Street, Bertram 8 p.m. Tickets $25-35 globetheatertx.com

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH NAMELESS ROAD

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m.

512-548-6230/agapebbq.com

April 26

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS

FROZEN & ENCANTO

HEB Center

2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park

7 p.m. Tickets $33-75 HEBCenter.com

512-986-7411 hautespotvenue.com

April 29

MUSIC UNDER THE OAKS WITH DEPARTURE ATX

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m.

512-548-6230/agapebbq.com

COMEDY NIGHT

Whiskey Barrel Pub

1004 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

8-10 p.m. Tickets $12 advance, $15 door 512-548-6151 whiskeybarrelpub.com

SHARE

April 28

THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS

Haute Spot

1501 E. New Hope Drive, Cedar Park

8 p.m. Tickets $22-50

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“You have to have patience and good reactive skills, and we really try to do that so we can meet their needs,” she said.

Registration for Joy Swim School opens on April 1 every year, and lessons primarily occur during June and July. Clients can have the instructors come to their own personal pools, a friend’s pool, or their community/HOA pools in their neighborhoods if an agreement is made with Joy Swim School.

McCain said she tries to be as accommodating as possible for her clients every summer. Once all clients have submi ed their lesson orders, she does a lot of coordinating to make sure she is maximizing both her instructors’ and clients’ time based on their locations.

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McCain encourages most clients to take two weeks of swimming lessons, unless they are already proficient swimmers and just need help with stroke instruction.

“Two weeks is best, because if you have a child who is crying and upset on the first day, by the fourth or fi h day they are usually doing everything, but still not confident or independent,” she said. “During that second week, the trust is already there with the instructor, and they can gain that confidence.”

McCain’s program only offers lessons for one or two weeks. Hosting lessons just once a week isn’t beneficial for kids, she said, because their muscle memory won’t develop fast enough.

“My goal isn’t to make money off clients, it’s to create confident swimmers,” she added. “I could charge you for once a week lessons the whole summer and your kids wouldn’t be swimming on their own. That’s why we only offer lessons by the week.”