Four for 2010 (Part II)

Here are the final two teams we're looking at to make runs next spring. After this post, we'll likely turn the page and begin to focus on high school football, which starts with camps in about a month. Before focusing on the gridiron, here's one last high school baseball post to hold you over until the spring.

Susquenita (13-5 in 2009; District 3-AAA first round)
We’re going to say it right now: Susquenita will win the Mid-Penn Colonial Division in 2010. The Blackhawks return everyone except Josh Baer to a team that split with Northern and threw two major scares into Waynesboro.

This team has some nasty pitching in Taylor Nace (2.11 ERA, 50 SO, 23 BB and 36 hits in 53 innings) and Justin Malehorn (5.13, 36, 34, and 45 in 45). Malehorn needs to work on his control to become a solid No. 2, something that is necessary for a team to go on a long postseason run.

On offense, Bobby Kohl (.414), Malehorn (.379), Mike Magaro (.339) and Josh Shearer (.322) will be tough outs as the Blackhawks look for a third-straight district appearance.

An area of concern is that loss to No. 26 seed Eastern York in the preliminary round of the 3-AAA playoffs. Any run this team could have made would have helped in the long run. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks will not have much postseason experience to fall back on when district play rolls around next May.

Camp Hill (23-3 in 2009; PIAA Classs A champions)
Really? A team that loses all but three starters is on a list of what should be the four best teams next year?

The reason Camp Hill makes the list is that this team has potential to make a deep run in the District 3 Class A playoffs and possibly qualify for the state field. There are other good Class A teams in District 3 out there but Camp Hill’s coaching and never-say-die attitude will be evident next spring.

Plus, the cupboard isn’t totally bare. The Lions return shortstop L.K. Thompson, who will be asked to pitch, second baseman Parker Marsh and speedy outfielder Matt Robertson. All three were key parts on Camp Hill’s back-to-back state title teams.

We’re still worried about pitching (in all honesty, a pair of arms like Matt Spiegel and Matt Boyd at a school the size of Camp Hill don’t come around often) but if the offense shows up, it might be able to cover up the questionable pitching.

Four for 2010 (Part 1)

As is the case each year, it's time to look ahead at what to expect next spring from the area baseball scene.

Taking a page from Baseball America's Eight for Omaha feature, we're selecting four teams we think will do some damage next year. If we're right, look for these four to make a run through the district playoffs and possibly qualify for the state field.

Last year we said to watch out for Camp Hill (PIAA Class A champion), Trinity (District 3-AAA quarterfinalist), Northern (District 3-AAA first round) and Susquenita (District 3-AAA preliminary round).

Because we know you're waiting, here are two teams from this year's crop. Check back later this week for the other two.

Red Land (12-9 in 2009; District 3-AAAA first round)
For a team that lost nearly every starter from the 2008 PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinalist, the Patriots shocked everyone and won the Mid-Penn Commonwealth for the third straight year.

Red Land also took Lancaster-Lebanon League champion Penn Manor to the brink the 3-AAAA playoffs before falling short, 2-1, in the first round. Next spring, look for the Patriots to be back in the district quarterfinals.

The most notable returnee is Nick Chester, who went 10-2 with a 2.74 ERA, 48 strikeouts and 25 walks in 72 2/3 innings and was named first-team All-Sentinel.

Adam Keller (.348), Brad Medellin (.305) and Jeff Scaramuzzino (.294) will pace the offense, which needs to improve. For Red Land to notch its fourth straight division title, it will need to do better against top-of-the-line pitching and cut down on the errors that cost it too many games this year.

West Perry (8-10 in 2009)
A young team in Elliottsburg took its lumps this year and ended up missing the playoffs one year after the Mustangs reached the District 3 Class AAA quarterfinals as a No. 22 seed.

Next year, the Mustangs should be back in the postseason party. The team’s offensive leader and first-team All-Sentinel first baseman, Devin White, has graduated but West Perry welcomes back shortstop Kenny Baum, who batted .400, and Jade Wilson, a .308 hitter.

In terms of pitching, the team’s ERA leader, Cody Richard (3.33), returns but the X-factor may be how much Brandon Dupert improves. This year, Dupert had a 5.75 ERA with 15 strikeouts and 11 walks. To do damage once the postseason rolls around, it’s vital to have at least two quality starters.

Pictured: Kyle Zimmerman, who will be a sophomore next spring, started Red Land's Mid-Penn Tournament loss to Northern in May.

All-Sentinel Baseball Team

With early July comes another edition of the All-Sentinel baseball team. This year's crop appears in The Sentinel on July 3.

Camp Hill ace Matt Spiegel is the Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The Lions' coach, Brad Shover, picked up his second Coach of the Year award for delivering the school its third baseball title. Cumberland Valley's Mike Whitehead Jr., with three Coach of the Year awards, is the only area coach with more than Shover.

Taking a look inside the roster, we only have four juniors on the first team. The Northern tandem of Sam Crater and Jake Warner are joined by Jeff Goyette of Trinity and Red Land ace Nick Chester. Power-hitting Bobby Kohl of Susquenita is the only sophomore to make the first team. (We omitted Kohl from the initial post. Kohl's year is correct in both the print version and below).

Juniors on the second team include L.K. Thompson and Matt Robertson of Camp Hill and Joey D'Agostino of Cumberland Valley. Susquenita pitcher Taylor Nace is the lone sophomore on either rosters.

Robertson and second team designated hitter Hank Sanders moved from first-team picks last year to the second team. Robertson suffered through a wrist injury that limited his production while Sanders was hurt by switching positions. Sanders likely would have been named first team as a first baseman but moved to catcher, arguably the deepest position in the area.

First Team
Player of the Year - Matt Spiegel, sr., Camp Hill (above)
Catcher – Tyler Shover, sr., Camp Hill
First Base – Devin White, sr., West Perry
Second Base – Jake Warner, jr., Northern
Shortstop – Sam Crater, jr., Northern (below)
Third Base – Joey Murphy, sr., Cedar Cliff
Outfield – Jeff Goyette, jr., Trinity
Outfield – Ben Anderson, sr., Mechanicsburg
Outfield – Ted Spinelli, sr., Trinity
Designated Hitter – Bobby Kohl, soph., Susquenita
Pitcher – A.J. Weaver, sr., Trinity
Pitcher – Mike Hnatuck, sr., Trinity
Pitcher – Nick Chester, jr., Red Land

Second Team
Catcher – Nico Delerme, sr., Red Land
First Base – Seth Crossley, sr., Camp Hill
Second Base – Joey D’Agostino, jr., Cumberland Valley
Shortstop – L.K. Thompson, jr., Camp Hill
Third Base – Andrew Fowler, sr., East Pennsboro
Outfield – Matt Koveleski, sr., Mechanicsburg
Outfield – Eric Ort, sr., Cedar Cliff
Outfield – Matt Robertson, jr., Camp Hill
Designated Hitter – Hank Sanders, sr., Northern
Pitcher – Taylor Nace, soph., Susquenita
Pitcher – Aaron Jones, sr., Mechanicsburg
Pitcher – Quin Taylor, sr., Northern