Mount Carmel’s TJ McQuillan is getting pretty good at reading a pitcher’s body language.

The junior third baseman also came up with the perfect response Tuesday afternoon.

“Their pitcher had that confidence — or look — and I knew he wanted to throw something,” McQuillan said of Bremen’s Aiden Gonzales, a sophomore right-hander. “I just got ready for it.

“And I squared up the best that I could.”

McQuillan, a Wake Forest recruit, smashed a three-run triple as part of a six-RBI performance to spark the Caravan to a 17-2 victory over the Braves at Ozinga Field in Crestwood.

Junior first baseman Anthony Chavez hit a solo home run and drove in two runs for Mount Carmel (1-0), which pounded out eight extra-base hits and had eight batters record at least one RBI.

Senior outfielder RJ Harris and junior DH Geraldo Ramos each scored a run for Bremen (0-1).

Batting second, McQuillan finished 3-for-4. His early three-run triple sparked a six-run second inning. His two-RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth capped off a dominant effort at the plate.

“I worked really hard on hitting the ball hard,” McQuillan said. “I know the guys behind me are going to get me in, so I just have to get those quality at-bats.”

His hot beginning proved the perfect start after he missed most of his sophomore season following a collision with a teammate that resulted in a shoulder injury.

“I missed about 25 games and came back just as we made our state tournament run,” McQuillan said. “So much of what I went through was mental, especially the games that were tight.

“I wish I were there to help out. The guys kept it going, and we pulled it together at the end.”

Chavez, who hits right behind McQuillan in the order, is thrilled to have his setup man back.

“Hitting behind him is great because he gets on base, letting me do the easy stuff,” Chavez said. “We love having him back. We missed him when he was gone last year.

“After he came back, he was really appreciated by everybody.”

Mount Carmel coach Brian Hurry called McQuillan a student of the game who possesses the right discipline and perspective.

“You could say he’s a baseball junkie,” Hurry said. “He’s always in the batting cage, always putting in the time. I’m really happy to see his success because I know all the hard work he puts into it.

“He had some really good at bats (Tuesday).”

McQuillan, a left-handed hitter, combines a sweet swing with the ability to generate power and push the ball to all sides of the field.

The game has been his love affair, a natural development with his father Thomas, who grew up in Beverly and attended Mount Carmel.

His father played at Illinois and worked as a scout for several MLB teams, including the Florida Marlins.

“I have an older half-brother who played here for a year and then transferred to school in Indiana,” McQuillan said. “He was older and always beating up on me in sports.

“I definitely got that competitive edge from him and my dad.”

McQuillan’s return last spring helped Mount Carmel make a late-season push to the supersectional, which ended with a 3-2 extra-inning loss to Class 4A state champion Providence.

He’s ready to maintain this hot streak — and stay focused.

“The main thing for me is to have a really good season,” he said. “Last year we got hot at the right time and we could beat any team in the state by the end of the year.

“(Tuesday) was just the beginning, and you saw what we could do. With the guys we have behind me, nobody wants to face them. We have great camaraderie and team chemistry.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.