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caption, page 2:
Leaders
From left: seniors Zach Roethlein, Hamilton Barnes and Jon Smith will lead the Woodstock baseball team this spring. Photo by Marc Allard.
Baseball preview
Depth could
propel
Centaurs a
long way
The Woodstock Academy baseball team had little to complain about last season. But they still come back hungry.
The Centaurs finished with a 17-6 record and were top seed in the ECC tournament a year ago.
But they fell to E. Lyme in a quarterfinal tournament game and, after a good win over Bristol Eastern in a Class L state tournament first-round game, they lost to Wilton, 4-1, in a second-round contest.
“I think it sticks in their craw a bit that we didn’t advance in the ECC tournament and the state tournament because we were very close,” said coach Brian Murphy. “We had a great year and we kind of beefed up our schedule this season to make it as tough as possible during (the regular season) so when it comes to postseason play, we’re battle-tested already.”
The Centaurs should be up to the task of a more rigorous schedule.
They have plenty of depth and talent in all the key areas: at the plate, on the mound and in the field.
“We’re definitely looking forward to it. I’ve been waiting for my senior season for a while and it came quick. Baseball is 100 percent my favorite sport,” said senior shortstop Hamilton Barnes.
On the mound, the Centaurs will have a pitching rotation that will center around junior Kaden Murphy (5-2, 2.53 earned run average); sophomore Riley O’Brian (3-0, 0.91) and senior Jon Smith (5-1, 1.83).
“We have a couple of kids touching 80 (miles per hour) or maybe a little higher, but we’re not flamethrowers. We work on location, changing speeds, changing rhythm and we have competitors on the mound,” Murphy said.
And they don’t put a lot of runners on the bases.
In over 137 innings last year, the Centaurs pitching staff struck out 132 and walked only 52.
That staff could be bolstered by the likes of Brendan Hill, who could not pitch last season due to injury, but will hopefully be ready this season. Hill suffered a broken wrist late in the hockey season this winter but it was not on his throwing hand so he could be ready this year.
Junior Carter Morissette, who had Tommy John surgery last year, is also back and will be gradually eased into service on the mound. Another junior, Marcus McGregor, seniors Zach Roethlein, Brennan Blow and Shawn Wallace and sophomore Eric Mathewson can also throw.
“We’re deeper than we’ve ever been, God willing that everybody stays healthy,” Brian Murphy said.
“I think it looks good,” agreed Barnes who does go behind the plate when Smith is pitching. “We actually have a couple of lefties this year which is nice.”
In the field, the Centaurs will have Kaden Murphy at first when he is not throwing, Mathewson will see time at second with Barnes and McGregor at short and third respectively.
The outfield will include Roethlein, Blow, Wallace and senior newcomer Ethan Davis, back from an injury suffered in basketball, surrounding senior centerfielder Jackson Goetz.
“I like the way we set up defensively and it’s another area where I probably have more talent than I’ve had in six years. We look pretty good, we have a good idea where people will be playing for the most part. We’re going to make an occasional error here and there but I think we’re stronger than we’ve ever been,” Brian Murphy said.
Which leaves the offense.
“I think our hitting will be good this year. That’s been a weakness in the past, but this team has the capability to really hit the ball,” Barnes said.
What the Woodstock Academy coach is stressing is hitting line drives and, as he has throughout his coaching career, stressing the need to make contact with two strikes.
Both are important at the Bentley Athletic Complex where home runs are rare.
“I explained to the new guys who were out there hitting fly balls and I just told them, ‘Look, it has to be line drives.’ Unless you can hit a ball 436 feet - which is deeper than (Boston’s) Fenway (Park) in left-center – which means the chances are good that you are not going to (hit a ball over the fence). Plus, in the spring, the wind comes in from the north so the ball usually doesn’t carry. We stress hitting line drives, making contact and having gap power,” Brian Murphy said.
Barnes sported a .417 average while Hill hit .375, Goetz .333 and Smith .292 last season.
The ECC is as tough as ever.
The Centaurs are in Div. II with the likes of Ledyard, Bacon Academy, New London and Montville and they will also play the Div. I teams, Fitch, Waterford (twice), NFA and E. Lyme (twice).
“Those are the class programs in the ECC and the ones we want to go up against,” Brian Murphy said. “Health is important. I have great kids on the team and I need them to all buy into the team concept, which they are. Baseball is pretty simple. You need good pitching, good defense and timely hitting. If those three things fall in order, we will have a good season.”
Baseball schedule:
Sat., Apr. 2: vs. Waterford 11 a.m.; Tues., Apr. 5: at NFA, 4:15 p.m.; Thurs., Apr. 7:at Ellis, 3:45; Tues., Apr. 12: at Killingly, 4; Thurs., Apr. 14: at Ledyard, 4:15; Sat., Apr. 16: vs. New London; 11; Tues., Apr. 19: at Bacon, 4:15; Thurs., Apr. 21: vs. Montville, 4:15; Sat., Apr. 23: vs. Killingly, 11; Tues., Apr. 26: vs. Fitch, 4:15; Sat., Apr. 30: vs. E. Lyme, 11; Tues., May 3: vs. Lyman, 4:15; Thurs., May 5: vs. Ledyard; 4:15; Sat., May 7: at New London, 11; Tues., May 10: vs. Bacon, 4:15; Thurs., May 12: at Montville, 4:15; Sat., May 14: at Valley Regional, 4; Tues., May 17: at Waterford, 4:15; Thurs., May 19: at E. Lyme, 4:15; Sat., May 21: at Ellington, noon.
By Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
.