PORT NECHES — Carter Henry and Ryan Leckich are scary similar.
The Port Neches-Groves duo can both be considered aces on the Indians staff and both have an intensity level that is off the charts.
Henry and Leckich are now set to be a big part of the Indians push into the playoffs starting with today’s 6 p.m. game at The Reservation against New Caney Porter in the Class 5A Region III bi-district playoffs. Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Porter High School and Game 3, if necessary, to follow.
Henry and Leckich not only match each other’s intensity but also have statistics that are very close.
Both pitchers have worked 38 2/3 innings. Leckich leads the team with 64 strikeouts and Henry is second with 60. Leckich has only walked 19 batters while Henry has issued 21 free passes. Henry has the edge in ERA with an astounding 0.54 mark and Leckich checks in at 1.49.
The two seniors also are both Division I signees. Henry is signed with the University of Houston and Leckich is headed to Baylor.
“Of course there is a friendly competition between the two of us,” Henry said. “That competition helps out our team.”
Both guys had a huge role in the Indians (19-6) claiming the District 22-5A title for the second year in a row.
“It’s now one week at a time,” Leckich said. “Every game you want to come out and win that day.”
Leckich said he and Henry’s confidence on the mound has been key to the duo’s success.
“We are both confident because we know we have a really good defense behind us and a really good lineup,” Leckich said. “We come out and throw strikes and let our defense work behind us.”
Neither Henry nor Leckich holds back from showing emotion when pitching. The two seem to find another zone to go into when pitching.
“It is just competitiveness,” Henry said. “Ryan and I have always played baseball with each other since we were like seven. We try to outwork each other and we feed off of each other. It ends up being a good thing for the team. There is a competition between ourselves.”
The Porter Spartans (13-18-1) enter the series on a two-game winning streak but have lost three of their last five games.
PN-G is on a different kind of streak. The Indians have won 12 straight games and have not lost since a 2-1 defeat to Goose Creek Memorial on March 18. PN-G went 10-0 in the month of April.
“We feel really good right now,” Leckich said. “We are focused on this week against Porter and that is all we are focused on right now.”
Henry, of course, echoed the words of his teammate about where the Indians’ minds are at right now.
“Somebody can always beat you,” Henry said. “You can’t look at this team’s record and start worrying about who you would play in the next round.”