May 24, 2002 By Jim Kriek For The 2 min read

CARMICHAELS – When Dickie Krause talks about numbers, he’s not looking at those kind you put down a buck for, straight and/or boxed. He’s talking about the numbers he has on the field as he starts his 18th year as manager of the Carmichaels team in the Fayette County Baseball League.

A year ago the Copperheads won the league’s Western Division, then finished second to Bud Murphy’s in the championship finals. This year, the team has another number in mind they want to play – One!

That’s their goal for the season. Played straight.

Manager Krause said of his team “we have a real good mixture of veteran players and newcomers, plus some depth. Numbers could be the strong point of our team, for right now we have 15 to 18 players available.”

The roster includes five players who have sparked the Copperheads’ success at various times the past decade.

They include catcher Jeff Thompson, centerfielder Duane Dupont, pitcher Pete Stofcheck, first baseman Vince Zapotosky, and catcher Tom Ricco.

Mix in with that experienced group shortstop Charlie Humes, pitcher-third baseman Scott Swinchock, and second baseman Scott Krajnak, and you have the nucleus of a team that knows its way around the field.

Joining them are newcomers Eric Holt, outfielder-pitcher from Waynesburg College, outfielder Lee Fritz, pitcher Derek Fritz, outfielder J.W. Kayla, and pitcher-outfielder Ryan Shetterly, from West Virginia Wesleyan.

Manager Krause observed, “We have a good mixture of age, experience, and youth on our team. Seven of our players are 30 or older, and six more are 20 or under, which gives us a nice balance. I think we may have more balance across the entire league than we have had in recent years, and that can only lead to better baseball for the fans.”

The Copperheads opened their season with a win over Fayette City-Belle Vernon, and will be playing Anthony Crane on Sunday at the Republic Field, at 5 p.m.