Portage right handed pitcher and senior Kris Springman has started the season by recording victories in each of his first two starts followed by a no decision in his third start and currently stands at 2-0, with a no decision in a game that his team eventually won.“This season, as the head of the pitching staff, I need to do my absolute best for the team,” Springman said.

The hard work has paid off early on in the season.  The team opened up on March 28 by rolling over Elkhart Memorial 13-0 behind a complete game by Springman.  He allowed just one hit and struck out eight.  Springman also received the nod in the home opener, in a 10-0 rout of Highland.

Springman was scored upon for the first time this season on April 10, in the Duneland Athletic Conference opener against LaPorte.  He pitched well enough to keep his team in the game and put the Indians in position for a 6-5 victory with a three-run bottom of the seventh.   The Indians’ offense has supplied Springman with run support, averaging 9.7 runs per game in his starts.

“Obviously, I don’t want to give up any runs at all, but when I have some insurance runs it helps me relax in case I get in tough situations,” Springman said.

Springman’s arsenal includes a two-seam fastball, four-seam fastball, curveball, circle-change and splitter.  He usually leans on whichever pitches are working for him when he warms up in the bullpen on any given day.

Springman is attempting to lead the team to a sectional championship this season.  LaPorte, which gave Portage a scare on April 10, is also a solid club, but Portage, Lake Central and Crown Point are expected to finish in the top three in the DAC.
Entering the season, pitching was an area of question for the team, which was expected to have a potent lineup.  However, Springman has helped answer that question by proving that he can counted on.