Rockets, Maples, Pioneers hoping to improve
The Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and West Greene baseball programs have all had their struggles over the last couple of years, but all three teams are looking to build upward in 2016.
All three squads are out of Section 1-A and finished behind California, Carmichaels and Bentworth a year ago.
Here are the season previews for all three county squads.
Jefferson-Morgan Rockets
Coach: John Curtis.
2015 Record: 6-11 overall/4-6 in Section 1-A (fourth place).
Seniors Lost: 3.
Recent History: The Rockets were left out of the postseason for the second straight year in 2015 and have only qualified for the playoffs once in the past five seasons. Since 1998, J-M has the made the playoffs five times and reached the semifinals in 2001.
Top Pitchers: Pitching will be a critical aspect for J-M this season and after losing their ace from a year ago, the Rockets’ staff will be anchored by Gage Clark, Jakob Bissett, Zach Shaffer and Jake Broadwater.
Top Hitters: After a steady sophomore season, Joe Headlee is penciled in as the No. 3 hitter for the Rockets and will be counted on as the main run-producer. The offense will also need help from Clark, Isaac Dean, Bissett, Shaffer and David Blaker.
Opening Day (If Mother Nature Allows): vs. Monessen, March 29.
Section Opener: at Mapletown, April 8.
Keys to Success: “We don’t have a lot of power in our line-up, so we need to be aggressive on the base paths,” Curtis said. “We are going to steal bases and bunt runners over. We gained some valuable varsity experience last year and our younger kids are learning the game. This is a competitive section and every team has talent. We have to rely on our fundamentals to succeed.”
Mapletown Maples
Coach: Dominic DeCarlo.
2015 Record: 0-15 overall/0-10 in Section 1-A (sixth place).
Seniors Lost: 2.
Recent History: Mapletown is currently on a 10-year playoff drought. The last time the Maples gained entrance to the postseason was in 2005. The Maples have only made the playoffs two times since 1998 and have only had three winning seasons in the last 18 seasons.
Top Pitchers: The Maples return two senior starters from a year ago, and both Garrett Kiger and Pat Clites will look to pitch solid innings on the rubber. Mapletown will also look for assistance from Dylan Rush, Tanner Griffin and RJ Durr in relief this season.
Top Hitters: The goal for Mapletown’s offense this year is simple: get runners on base and get that key hit to knock them in. The Maples return a lot of starters from a year ago, but the offense will be led by Kiger, Clites, Durr, Dylan Rush and Matt Rush.
Opening Day (If Mother Nature Allows): at Clay-Battelle (W.Va.), today.
Section Opener: vs. Jefferson-Morgan April 8.
Keys to Success: “Our goal this season is to be the hardest working team in the section and in the WPIAL,” DeCarlo said. “We want every team we play to say to themselves after the game, ‘Man, we don’t want to play them again.’ We want to finish with a better record than last year and compete for a playoff spot. We have to play the game the right way and have confidence.”
West Greene Pioneers
Coach: Shawn Lohr.
2015 Record: 5-11, 2-8 in Section 1-A (fifth place).
Seniors Lost: 6.
Recent History: The Pioneers have been shut out of the postseason the last 18 seasons. The last time they made their mark in the playoffs was in the early 1990s. The most successful season this decade for West Greene was in 2012, when they compiled a 9-11 overall record.
Top Pitchers/Hitters: Much like a lot of small Class A schools, West Greene will count on the same players to be leaders as hitters and pitchers. The Pioneers had several underclassmen make an impact last year and they will need to carry over that experience. WG will need productive years from Dillon Shields, Michael Howard, Cole Hamilton, Tyler Baker and Tanner Wildman.
Opening Day (If Mother Nature Allows): vs. Waynesburg Central, today, at CONSOL Energy Field.
Section Opener: vs. Bentworth, April 8.
Keys to Success: If the Pioneers want to get over the hump in 2016, they must find a way to win close games. In 2015, West Greene was 0-5 in section games decided by four runs or less. The final playoff spot in Section 1-A is definitely up for grabs this season, and the Pioneers must find consistency in all phases of the game for any chance to reach the postseason.