VIRGINIA BEACH

Robby Newman put together three solid baseball seasons at Salem High School, but heading into his senior year he chose a different approach. 

“Relaxing,” he said, “and not getting too uptight.” 

Newman’s new outlook – “letting it loose” in coach Pete Zell’s words – has sparked a power surge for the SunDevils’ versatile standout. 

A pitcher, catcher and corner infielder, Newman blasted 12 home runs in 20 regular-season games this spring. 

“He just has real confidence, and he’s just getting his swings in,” Zell said. “Last year he was a little picky with what he was swinging at.” 

Salem opens the eight-team Beach District tournament Saturday at 4 p.m. as the seventh seed against No. 2 seed Princess Anne. Three other Beach games also are Saturday, all at Landstown. 

The SunDevils (11-9) arrive as one of the Beach’s hottest teams, with four victories in their past five games. 

Newman, meanwhile, began blasting home runs early, with three in his first two games, and the swats haven’t stopped. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound righthander, Newman has a long ball in each of the SunDevils’ past three games.   “I don’t try to do too much with it,” Newman said. “I’m just going up there, taking the same swing, not taking too much and putting good swings on it.” 

Newman comfortably won South Hampton Roads’ home run race. Granby’s Andrew Frazier and Bayside’s Zaine Jack finished with seven each. 

The last South Hampton Roads player to hit double-digit home runs was Great Bridge star Justin Upton , who had 12 in 24 games before becoming the No. 1 pick in the major league draft in 2005 . 

Upton saw considerably fewer pitches to hit than Newman, who has drawn 14 walks and struck out fewer than 10 times. 

Among Newman’s other gaudy numbers: a .492 batting average, .589 on-base percentage and slugging percentage of 1.240. Newman also has six doubles and 29 RBIs. 

On the mound, he is 2-2 with a 2.80 ERA.   “He’s transitioned from a big kid to an elite, lean athletic player,” Zell said. “Now he looks like a pro guy in a uniform: big and strong and lean.” 

Newman figures to see fewer pitches during the win-or-go-home playoffs. But he doesn’t plan to change his thinking in the batter’s box. “As long as I’m not trying to yank balls out, it’ll go,” Newman said. “If you try too hard you’ll start missing it.” 

Read a preview of the Beach District tournament [1]

Jami Frankenberry, (757) 446-2295, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com [2]