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Young Admirals Excited To
See Action
By PRESS-REGISTER
CORRESPONDENT -
Mobile Press-Register Sports Reporter
Daphne,
AL (February 14, 2010) -- Bayside Academy's baseball
team will feature some new faces this season.
The Admirals return only three
starters from last year's standout group that posted a 27-9
record and went to the quarterfinals of the playoffs before
losing to Luverne.
"We're young and inexperienced
but the kids are excited to get started," said Bayside
Academy coach Doug Leffard, who is in his sixth year at the
helm of the program. "Our effort up to this point in
preseason work has been great."
The Admirals open up the 2010
campaign on the road against Pensacola Christian in a
doubleheader that's set to start at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The three starters that return
include senior infielder Joby Allen (.330 batting average in
2009 with one home run); senior pitcher/outfielder John
Stassen (3-3 on the mound a year ago) and senior
pitcher/outfielder Justin Raines (2-1 pitching record in
2009). The other two seniors include pitcher outfielder
Daniel Beebe and infielder Brandon Russell.
"The key for us this season will
be improving every day. That's definitely our goal," said
Leffard. "We want to be playing good sound fundamental
baseball. Even though we have only five seniors this season,
we're really counting hard on them for their leadership."
Recently, the Admirals have done
well, having advanced to the postseason six straight years
including making it to the semifinals in 2007 and getting
all the way to the second round in 2008.
Other players expected to make
an impact on the team this season include junior catcher
Josh Vernor; junior outfielder Ross Palesano; junior
pitcher/infielder Nick Parker; sophomore outfielder Geoffrey
Stinebaugh; sophomore infielder Geoffrey Brooks; sophomore
infielder Scott Johnson; sophomore catcher Chris Houseman;
sophomore outfielder Scooter Blake; sophomore
pitcher/infielder Joe Vincent; sophomore pitcher/infielder
Tanner Johnson; sophomore infielder Blake Ledet; sophomore
pitcher/infielder Matt English; sophomore pitcher/infielder
Neal Christman; freshman pitcher/infielder Jacob Graddick;
freshman outfielder Joe Stassen; freshman pitcher/outfielder
Kevin Masterson and freshman outfielder David DeNeefe. |
