Catholic High’s two star pitchers are on different teams this summer.

JD Hidalgo and Lane Fenske helped CHS to a District 8-2A title as juniors this past season. Hidalgo is currently playing with a Knights American 17-u team that includes out of state players.

“Everybody in the lineup can hit,” said Hidalgo, who had two hits, two runs and two RBIs in a recent win. “It’s like a whole lineup of 3-and-4 hole hitters.”

Hidalgo, who is making the travel circuit to destinations such as Destin (Fl.), Hoover (Al.) and Atlanta, has spent more time in the outfield than on the mound with the Knights.

As a junior at CHS, he hit for a .306 average (.432 on-base percentage) and got better as the season progressed, batting .565 over the final month. He had a 0.77 ERA on the mound with 40 strikeouts in 36 innings.

Hidalgo has an unorthodox delivery when he’s pitching, raising his hands high over his head before coming to a stop and unleashing a fastball that has reached 91 mph.

“I don’t know where I came up with that,” he said. “I think it calms me down a little. I tend to get a little antsy, a little angry, and expect to strike out everybody.”

Hidalgo is receiving interest from a couple of SEC programs and several junior colleges. Fenske, meanwhile, verbally committed to the Univ. of Nebraska after earning an offer at an invite-only camp.

It will be a homecoming of sorts when he signs with the Cornhuskers; Fenske was born in Nebraska, his sister resides there, and his mom graduated from the school.

“Lane has some nasty stuff,” Hidalgo said. “A lot of people can throw hard. He throws hard, and he has a disgusting curveball.”

Fenske played this summer with Catholic High’s local team, which has finished its season. He just arrived back home after taking a vacation to New York to watch his favorite team, the Yankees.

“I mainly focused on my breaking ball, developing a bigger curveball,” said Fenske, who was named 8-2A MVP after going 4-2 with a 1.52 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 46 innings. He hit .320 with five doubles and two home runs.

CHS won the last nine games of the regular season, posting four shutouts and holding three opponents to one run. Owen Morris, who plays shortstop when he’s not pitching, and then-freshman Luke Hewitt threw big innings.

“Owen hits his spots,” Hidalgo said. “Hitters can’t piece him up. He gets a lot of ground balls. It’s hard to do what Luke did. You get nervous, especially as a freshman. It’s a different mindset in high school ball, and you’re younger than everybody.”