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Northville Freshman, Nori, Hits For The Cycle

NORTHVILLE - When Dante Nori flew out to deep left field to end the fifth inning his shot at hitting for a cycle appeared to end. But the Northville freshman was given one more opportunity and Nori took advantage with a two-out blast to left to cap off an amazing day at the plate for the top-rated 2024 in Michigan.

“I was thinking I’ve got another chance to do it … why not?” reflected Nori about his thoughts heading to the plate prior to hitting his first home run of the season. “He threw me an outside hanging curve.”

The round-tripper completed a performance that began in relative normal fashion with a line single to center for the Northville leadoff hitter.

“I was sitting fastball,” noted Nori. “On the second pitch I got the barrel on it.”

After his team batted around in the first inning of what ended in a 10-7 victory over Farmington, the Nori ninth-grader ripped a 1-0 pitch to center field for a triple to open the top of the second.

“It was a hanging curve,” Nori pointed out about what turned into the first triple of his high-school career. “I sat back long enough and hit a two-hopper to the fence at the 375-mark.”

With two out and two on an inning later, the left-handed hitting Nori doubled to right in his third plate appearance of the game.

“It was a high inside fastball on the first pitch,” Nori said. “I turned on it and hit it down the line to score two.”

It gave his team a 7-0 lead, but Farmington battled back with a six-run third to make a game of it. The Mustangs upped the advantage to 8-6 in the fourth and it was still a two-run differential when Nori came to the plate with two outs and nobody on in the top of the fifth. After a called strike, Nori - needing a home run to complete the cycle - connected on a shot to left.

“I thought it was out,” Nori admitted. “But he got under it at the wall and caught it on the warning track.”

Fortunately, Nori’s teammates came through in the sixth to not only score a run to take a 9-6 lead, but bring six batters to the plate ensuring Nori at least one final at-bat.

The Northville 16-year-old did not disappoint, hitting a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence with two outs and nobody on base in the top of the seventh.

“Obviously, he was very impressive,” said Northville Hall of Fame head coach John Kostrzewa. “All of his hits were hit hard and he used the entire field from line to line, going oppo on his home run to left. Impressive for anyone, let alone a freshman.”

After a game line of 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs, the Arizona State commit is now averaging .359 with five doubles, one triple and one home run while driving in a dozen. Nori has also tallied 30 runs on the season with 18 stolen bases, 20 walks and a .510 on-base percentage.

“I’ve been batting leadoff all year,” the 5-11 170-pounder noted. “We’ve had our ups and downs but the team is putting it together right now and we’re rolling.”

A sweep of Belleville a day after the cycle moved the Mustangs, winners of eight of their last 10 games, to 14-12 on the season after a 1-3 start to the campaign.

“I really like the team, all the upperclassmen around me, and the coaches,” Nori said. “The staff has been great.”

Admittedly, starting as a freshman has been a challenge even for a player as talented as Nori.

“I’ve learned anything can happen,” related the 81st-ranked freshman in the country. “One week we’re in a slump, and the next week we’re above .500.”

There has been overall improvement in his game along the way, not just at the plate but as the starting center fielder.

“I’m getting better reads, I communicate better and I’m better with my cutoffs and throws,” the 16th-rated 2024 outfielder in the nation said.

And the hitting has not been too bad, either, for Nori, who in his first at-bat in high school lined a single to center on a 2-1 pitch and eventually came around to score in the season opener. He added a walk, sacrifice fly and run-scoring double in a 2-for-2 day with three runs scored.

“You just have to look in the right direction,” Nori summed up about his day-to-day philosophy with the sport. “Today’s a new day and roll from there.”

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