Ward Melville's Charlie West wins Paul Gibson Award
Charlie West of Ward Melville poses with presenter Jim Moccio after receiving the Gibson Award during the Suffolk baseball awards dinner on Monday in Holbrook. Credit: Dawn McCormick
There was the no-hit, 16-strikeout masterpiece against Smithtown East.
There also was the two-run, eight-inning outing under the heavy heat of an elimination game against Longwood that Ward Melville ultimately claimed in nine.
There was Charlie West at his finest in a season full of fine work on the mound for the Patriots.
People noticed.
There was a big reward Monday night for the senior lefthander from South Setauket in the form of the prestigious Paul Gibson Award as Suffolk’s pitcher of the year. West received it at the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association all-county awards dinner at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.
“He’s on the Mount Rushmore of Ward Melville lefties,” Patriots coach Lou Petrucci said. “For him to get the Gibson Award, it’s an amazing honor, being that Anthony Kay and Joe Flynn won it prior to Charlie.”
Indeed, West is just the third Ward Melville pitcher to claim it.
“When I first heard it, with all the great pitchers in Suffolk County, it was kind of surprising at first,” West said. “But it was exciting at the same time because all the hard work I put into this year came out and it showed . . . I think, in the offseason, I really worked harder than I ever had before.”
In his nine starts, he had a 6-1 record, a 1.42 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and 97 strikeouts in 54 1⁄3 innings. The opposition batted .116 against him.
“I think he has developed a great feel for the moment, a great feel for the game and a great understanding of being a competitor,” Petrucci said. “He competes every pitch.”
The 6-foot, 170-pound West, who also was a .375-hitting centerfielder, competed with two primary pitches.
“My fastball, I had good command and I just complemented that with my curveball and got a lot of swings and misses,” West said.
Next stop: Connecticut.
“I think he’ll do great at UConn,” Petrucci said. “He’s a big-game pitcher.”
Kay and Steven Matz — who won the Carl Yastrzemski Award in 2009 as Suffolk’s best player — also are on the Mount Rushmore of Ward Melville lefties. They made it to the majors. West can see himself being there someday, too.
“Every year, our coach and past players have always talked about Anthony Kay and Steven Matz, those guys always being so great,” West said.
“And when you get compared to those guys, it’s a good feeling that you’re working just as hard and maybe you could have the same outcome as them.”
