Michigan commit Joe Allen has unfinished business in senior season
HAMPTON, N.H. (BVM) – Joe Allen wasn’t on the wrong side of many pitching duels throughout his dominant junior season, but unfortunately for the Winnacunnet ace, it took a no-hitter in the state championship game for it to finally happen.
Behind seven innings of no-hit baseball, Concord’s Jonah Wachter worked through Winnacunnet’s lineup, ending the team’s championship run in the final game. For Allen, the moment has given him all the motivation he needs this offseason to return to the Division 1 state title game.
“We lost in the state title and I didn’t throw as well as I could have,” Allen said. “I got out-pitched by Jonah Wachter. That motivated me a lot… and I took my opportunities this summer which made for the craziest [offseason] I’ve had.”
The trials and tribulations of the Warriors’ last game could be tough for some players to get over, but Winnacunnet coach Aaron Abood thinks the game will be a positive for Allen heading into his last year.
“I think (Joe) realized the pressure of the situation,” Abood said. “He wasn’t 100% going into that game and he still wanted to go because that’s how he is… I think he can also look across the field and say ‘if we’re going to win it this year, I have to be that good or better.’”
Allen’s offseason following the team’s final game has been a busy one, starting with a selection to the USA Baseball 18U National Team. The chance to pitch and play against some of the top talent across not only the country, but the world, has left a positive impression on the Winnacunnet senior. In two appearances, Allen flashed his low-to-mid 90s fastball and changeup, slider, combination in five scoreless innings.
The USA Baseball group became tight knit throughout the summer together and helped Allen realize just how talented players are around the country. With other states playing year round, Allen got the chance to see where he matches up against some of the country’s best.
“Playing for Team USA and running out to the mound wearing USA across the chest, just pretty starstruck still,” Allen admitted. “One of the biggest things I took from this whole summer and the offseason was, there are so many guys just like me out there that can throw low to mid 90s and can spin the ball really well. And these guys have more pitches than me. That’s what I take everyday in the gym is, ‘there’s kids doing exactly what you’re doing. What are you doing to put yourself apart from them?’”
Topping last season will prove difficult for Allen, but he’s up for the challenge. He went 4-2 in 2021 with a 2.07 ERA in 30.1 innings last spring and thinks this offseason has put him in an even better spot. With the goal of making it back to a state championship top of mind, Allen is still looking forward to running back out with some of the guys he’s played his whole life with before he heads to the next level.
“I’ve played with these guys for almost eight to nine years now which is incredible to say,” Allen said. “Just enjoying those last few games together, we’ve played hundreds of games together since we were 9 years old and just continue to play the game like a kid again, which is awesome.”
Allen will begin his collegiate career at Michigan in the next couple of months and will likely use his USA Baseball experience as something to lean on as he makes the step up. The Wolverines’ program has been top of mind for the Winnacunnet senior since the early days of his high school career and even with major interest from other Division I programs, Michigan has always stood out.
“Being around guys that are going to push me everyday and being around… juniors and seniors that have already pitched in big games, pitched in front of big crowds, that’s what I want,” Allen said. “I want to win a college world series, I want to go to Omaha.”
Allen is hoping to leave the same sort of impact at Michigan as he has at Winnacunnet with his final year just about ready to open up. With an already-impressive resume, Abood believes Allen’s biggest impact has been on the next generation of Warriors players.
“It’s been him and probably two or three others that I would accredit to building the program and getting it to the point where a lot of younger kids coming into Winnacunnet High School are looking at those guys and saying I want to be that,” Abood said. “They’ve inspired a lot of younger kids to train and say that I want to be the next guy.”
With Winnacunnet set for another long playoff run, Allen and his coach are lockstep in the team’s aspirations this upcoming season.
“That’s always the goal to win a state title, but to be that close last year, we have a bunch of returning players that know what it takes to play on a winning team,” Allen said of the team’s experience. “My goal is just to provide the best leadership and do everything I can to win a state title this year.”
