Last spring, Hall baseball coach Tom Keegan said inexperience at the varsity level hurt the Red Devils as they went 20-11 and lost in a regional semifinal.
But this season, Hall returns a strong core of veteran players in seniors Greyson Bickett, Braden Curran, Hunter Edgcomb, Jack Curran and Clayton Fusinetti, along with juniors Luke Bryant, Noah Plym, Geno Ferrari and Jaxon Pinter.
Seniors Landon Raef, Chase Burkart, Jimmie Jablonski and Alex Koch are returners who saw some action last spring, while junior Brody Bosi is a newcomer who could make an impact.
“We have several players back who got varsity experience last season,” Keegan said. “At times last season, inexperience bit us in certain situations. Youth is not an excuse this season. We can either play the game or we can’t.”
The Red Devils have a strong group returning to lead their pitching staff.
Braden Curran, a NewsTribune and BCR All-Area player last spring, went 5-2 with a 1.29 ERA last season, Plym was 4-1 with a 3.12 ERA, and Bryant was 1-1 with two saves and a 2.71 ERA.
“We should be able to pitch it enough to allow us to compete,” Keegan said.
Who plays where on defense will depend on who’s on the mound.
Braden Curran, Fusinetti and Plym will play first base; Ferrari and Jablonski will see time at second base; Bryant and Plym will get innings at shortstop; Plym and Edgcomb can play third base; Bickett and Plym will be behind the plate; and Edgcomb, Jack Curran, Pinter, Bosi, Raef, Koch and Burkart could see time in the outfield.
“Defense will have to be an area of improvement for us,” Keegan said. “We need to make the routine routine.”
Keegan said the Red Devils are looking to improve offensively, as well.
Last season, Bickett hit .321, Braden Curran hit .295 with 23 stolen bases, Edgcomb hit .292, Jack Curran had 14 RBIs, Bryant hit .300, Plym scored 26 runs, and Ferrari drove in 23 runs.
“[How the offense is going to be] is what we’re all anxious to find out,” Keegan said. “At times last season, generating and sustaining an inning on offense was a challenge for us. Against the good arms, which we will see several this year, can we draw a walk, get hit by a pitch, swipe bags, bunt guys over, have productive outs and ultimately deliver with guys in scoring position? We are going to find out together over the next two months.”
The Red Devils will look to earn more postseason hardware after winning five regional titles in the past seven seasons, along with two sectional titles and the 2018 state title.
“We want to play as many games as we can this year and represent our school and community on and off the field the way it deserves to be,” Keegan said.