Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Week: Las Vegas High’s Joseph Ponticello

In the competitive Class 5A Desert League, Las Vegas sophomore pitcher Joseph Ponticello said the Wildcats were looking to make up for a slow start.

With every game having playoff implications, Ponticello said the Wildcats know the importance of winning league games.

Ponticello helped Las Vegas pick up a crucial win Saturday. He threw a complete game shutout with six strikeouts and allowed just three hits in a 6-0 win over Cimarron-Memorial. For his efforts, he was named Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Week.

“We just wanted it,” Ponticello said. “After the last couple of games, we haven’t played our best baseball and we knew that going into this game that we had to show what it takes to win.”

Against the Spartans, Ponticello said throwing strikes and getting ahead in the count were important to stay in control.

“I was trusting in my defense, pitching to contact,” Ponticello said.

Ponticello said he goes into every game intending to “give it everything I have” when he pitches. At the plate, he said he’s focused on moving runners over and helping the team by having good at-bats.

With less than a month before the playoffs begin, Ponticello said he and his teammates are focused on building off the win and continuing to get better. He believes the bond the young Wildcats have will be needed to make a strong run in the postseason.

“The best thing we can do is just keep playing together as a team, keep playing for one another, and all keep competing at the same time,” Ponticello said. “We want to chase the same prize, which is winning.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.