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March 31, 2008 - Foran’s baseball team lost only one of last year’s staring nine. Although Mike Dooling was one of the areas best the Foran baseball team should show significant improvement over last year’s meager 5-15 season. Being a year older and a year wiser, Coach Todd Williams’ Lions look to be back on the prowl in the Hammonasset Division and hunting for a state tournament berth.
According to Williams, “Last year we were frequently overmatched but this year I think we are more physically capable and smarter. It’s a nice combination and should make us much more competitive this year.” Even without Dooling, Williams feels that his pitching is much deeper and more experienced than it was last spring. An extra year of added maturity should be a major plus around the infield.
Senior Co-Captain Krystain Koldan was 2-1 last spring, but the hard-throwing lefty looks to be in much better shape (both physically and mentally). Williams also feels that he understands the game much better. Sophomore Brian Ward is a very promising, hard-throwing addition to the Lion pitching staff. Junior Chris Folsom (also 2-1 last year) gives the Lions a potential third starter/long reliever. Senior Co-Captain Cody Quinn, junior Joe Michaud, and sophomore Jay Lewicki join Ward in the starting infield but may also see some last inning mound action.
Junior Mike Booth is behind home plate for a second season. He is another returning starter that Williams feels is much stronger and wiser than he was a year ago. His understudy will be sophomore Matt Roy. “Mike is also fundamentally more polished this year,” Williams said.
Depending on which one is pitching, Ward and Koldan will split the chores at first base. Michaud is back at second base. Quinn (a three-year starter who slugged the ball at a .340 clip last spring) has moved from third base to replace Dooling at shortstop. A slimmer-trimmer Lewicki (who recently shed 30 pounds) switches this spring from first to third base. Sophomores Dan Geier and Nick Drenchen will serve as back-up infielders. Williams added, “Moving Cody from third base to shortstop makes us more solid up the middle.”
Junior Ben Besket is a sure-bet starter in left field. The same holds true for sophomore center fielder Mike Pascarella. As he approached Wednesday’s season opener against Shelton, Williams still saw the right field job up for grabs between junior Tom Fallon, sophomore Brian O’Keefe, and Folsom. Foran’s designated hitter will be Phelan or sophomore Mike Bucciarelli (an off-season transfer from Stamford High).
Williams points to Guilford (the 2007 Hammonasset Division, Southern Connecticut Conference, and Class L state champs) as once again the team to beat in the Hammy. He sees the Indians, Amity (the two-time Class LL state champs), and Xavier as the cream of the SCC crop. He added, “I’m looking for my guys to play solid ball games this year. We’re not going to let the mental things slide as we did last year because we were so young. I’m expecting us to play perfect baseball. We can’t make mental mistakes or errors. We’re old enough, mature enough, strong enough, and smart enough; it’s time for us to deliver the goods.”
Phil Brodsky Elm City News
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