Corrente Barrels Past Career 300-Inning Mark

By Carlos Verde

TORONTO - It passed with little fanfare, in the midst of a routine 14-5 win in Brantford, but deserves recognition: Veteran lefty Rich Corrente broke the 300-innings pitched mark in 2022.

Then, Corrente went out and put in six-plus innings en route to a win at Christie Pits in his next start.

He was reserved and sweaty, but happy following his quality outing in Toronto.

“I didn’t even know,” he chuckled following the Jackfish’s 14-2 win over Toronto on Sunday. “The IBL’s a great league, you go out every night and just battle.

“I’m lucky that I’ve got a great team behind me: I get the outs, they help it out.”

The win in Toronto was Corrente’s third in four starts, and dropped his ERA to 4.50.

“He’s a guy we count on (and) trust him when he throws, because we know he’s going to throw strikes,” said Welland manager Brian Essery. “He’s a character guy, one of the leaders on our team.

“When he’s not starting, he’s down in the bullpen with the guys, keeping them loose,” continued Essery, whose ball club sits a half-game ahead of the London Majors for first place in the Intercounty. “He’s a dependable, reliable guy.”

Dependable, indeed: Corrente has appeared in 23 games for the Jackfish since 2019, eating up over 100 innings — and posting a career-low 4.43 ERA during the regular season in 2021.

“It’s amazing playing in Welland,” he said of the organization. “The owners and coaching staff treat everybody really well.”

Corrente has seen his share of IBL crowds, dating back to his 2014 debut with the then-Burlington Bandits.

“The fans come out ready to go every night, it’s great,” said the Chatham, Ontario native. “When they’re there, we know we have to be ready and come to play.”

The 300-inning mark is a small milestone for the reserved left-hander, but one that deserves to be noted.

The Welland Jackfish are in the midst of the best season in the franchise’s short history — and a true IBL vet in Corrente is helping lead the charge.