Phil Anastasia: Healthy Schorr boosts Audubon

May baseball is a blessing for Andrew Schorr.

No wonder he can't wait for June.

Not that Schorr is rushing through this merry month. He hasn't pitched in May since 2009. He wants to make the most of all 31 days on the calendar.

"Just to be out here again is so exciting for me," Schorr said after leading Audubon to a 3-1 victory over Haddon Township on Tuesday in a Colonial Patriot clash of traditional rivals.

On a rainy afternoon, Schorr pitched a complete game as Audubon improved to 15-4 overall and 10-2 in the Colonial to take a one-game lead on Haddon Township (11-5, 9-3). Both teams have four conference games to play.

The senior lefthander mixed a fastball and curveball with his best pitch, a Cole Hamels-esque change-up. He allowed five hits. He struck out nine with two walks.

"He's such a polished pitcher," Haddon Township coach Doug Richardson said.

Schorr learned a lot about baseball as a sophomore and junior. He just didn't play a lot of baseball.

He missed his entire sophomore season and all but two starts of his junior season with separate knee injuries. He hasn't taken the mound this late in a season since he was a freshman.

"This is my seventh start," said Schorr, who is 6-1 with an 0.68 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 402/3 innings. "That's a big deal for me. It's been a long time since I've been able to help the team this late in the season."

Schorr spent most of his sophomore and junior seasons sitting on the bench next to head coach Rich Horan and assistant Chris Harris. He was in the dugout when the Green Wave reached the Group 2 state final in 2010, and when they won the Group 1 state title in 2011.

"It was exciting, but not as exciting as being out there," said Schorr, who has signed to attend East Carolina on a baseball scholarship. "That's what I'm hoping to do this year."

Schorr doesn't want to get ahead of himself. He's trying to worry about his next start, which likely will be Saturday against Bishop Eustace in the first round of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic, and not think too much about June.

It could be a big month. He could lead Audubon deep into another state tournament, and he could be selected in the major-league baseball draft, which begins June 7.

Schorr's fastball tops out in the 87-m.p.h. range. He's a good athlete, with a batting average of better than .400 as the Green Wave's leadoff hitter. He knows how to pitch. And he's lefthanded, a big plus from a major-league standpoint.

"They like him," Horan said of the major-league scouts who have tracked Schorr's progress.

Tuesday's rain might have scared away some scouts, so they missed a good game. Haddon Township righthander Pat Burns allowed just four hits and struck out 10.

Schorr was at his best in key spots. He struck out the final two hitters in the fifth with runners on first and third. He struck out the final batter of the game with runners on first and second.

Audubon catcher Boomer Wickersham said Schorr was a "bulldog" who fought out of trouble. Horan said the same thing.

"You want to see what a pitcher is going to do in tough situations," Horan said. "Andrew rises up."

Schorr said when you haven't pitched in May in three years that even the jams are enjoyable.

He can only imagine how much fun they are in June.

Audubon   0012000 - 340

Haddon Twp.   0000100 - 151

WP: Andrew Schorr. LP: Pat Burns. 2B: A-Eric Schorr; HT-Pat Burns, Jake Campbell.