Lehigh Valley Legion: Welcome

The 2012 season of the Lehigh Valley Legion Baseball League is underway, with play beginning May 31st and running throw this weekend.  Below is a capsule look of each team:

COPLAY

Coach:  Louie Falco  (1st year)

2011 Finish:  7^th place.  Eliminated by Fullerton in semifinals of League Tournament.

Key Players:  IF Michael Makara (.377, 4 RBI), IF Christopher Saliby (.349,  1 HR, 4 RBI), OF/P Joe Feller ( 2-3, 33 K’s, 2.70 ERA)

Outlook:  Multiple losses of key personnel from last year’s team on both offense (Ed Hozza, Tyler Knauss) and pitching (Christian Marcin, Tyler Svetik).  Marcin and Svetik accounted for 50% of innings pitched last year.  If team is to contend, it will need a bigger year from Feller and for some of the rookie pitchers to step up.      

Predicted Finish:  8^th

EMMAUS HORNETS

Coach:  Vinnie Eiden  (1^st year)

2011 Finish:  9^th place.  Did not qualify for League Tournament.

Key Players:  IF/OF Andrew Nixon (.348, 1 HR, 11 RBI), OF Connor Trinkle (.389, 7 RBI), C Craig Wagner (.278, 7 RBI), P Luke Miller

Outlook:  Returning 8 players from last year’s squad, but lost many veteran players in Brian Kurtz, Kevin Lapp, and Andrew Seitz.  Miller had a solid varsity season for Emmaus HS, and will be counted on as the ace of a relatively unproven pitching staff.  Team is young and will have some growing pains this year.

Predicted Finish:  9^th

FULLERTON RAMBLERS

Coach:  Daniel Delp (1^st year)

2011 Finish:  4^th place.  Went undefeated in League Tournament and won championship.  Advanced to Region 2 tournament and was eliminated after 3 games.

Key Players:  IF Davin Pagan (0.447, 2 HR 13 RBI), 1B Zach Delp (.370, 3 HR 14 RBI), C Allen Umbenhauer (.353, 1 HR, 14 RBI)

Outlook:  Returning players provide a lot of offensive punch for team.  However, losing ace pitcher Mike Tatasciore (48 innings, 2.92 ERA, 52 K’s) will deplete staff.  Pitching is the name of the game, and while team will score runs, they will have a difficult time keeping other teams from scoring.

Predicted Finish: 7^th

LOWER MACUNGIE LIGHTNING

Coach:  Don Breisch (2^nd year)

2011 Finish:  6^th place.  Lost to Fullerton in finals of League Tournament.

Key Players:  C Ben Johnson (.381, 11 RBI), IF Justin Mastroiann (.293, 5 RBI),  IF Lance Miller (.324, 4 RBI), P Dave Pisauro  (37 innings, 1.89 ERA, 52K’s), P Weston Gearhart (38 innings, 2.20 ERA, 28 K’s)

Outlook:  Pisauro and Gearhart provide solid 1-2 punch to pitching staff, and then adding Emmaus HS standout Vinnie Romano gives Lower Mac some of the best pitching in the league this season.  If they can find a way to make up for the loss of offensive production from Dan Clay (5 HR, 25 RBI), Lower Mac could be in the finals again. 

Predicted Finish:  2^nd  

NORTH PARKLAND BUFFALOES

Coach:  Terry Stoudt (41^st year)

2011 Finish:  2^nd place.  Lost to West Allentown in quarterfinals of League Tournament.

Key Players:  IF/P Walter Roland  (.341, 11 RBI, 4-0, 2.41 ERA), OF Boo Weaver (.288, 7 RBI, 9 SB), C Matt Merkle (.529, 5 RBI), OF/P Brian Zesch (.529, 11 RBI)

Outlook:  Big changeover in personnel which leaves North Parkland short on offense and short on pitching.  First-year Brett Kosciolek should give pitching staff a boost, but team will struggle to match offensive production of last year.

Predicted Finish:  4^th  

NORTHERN VALLEY CHARGERS

Coach:  Brad Rauch (2^nd year)

2011 Finish:  1^st place.  Won regular season title.  Lost to Lower Macungie in quarterfinals of League Tournament.  Earned spot in Region 2 tournament and eliminated after 2 games.

Key Players:  OF Payton Bachman (.458, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 19 SB), IF Jake Kern (.343, 9 RBI, 14 SB), OF Kyle Schomp (.404, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 11 SB), P/1B Sawyer Smith (.436, 10 RBI, 5-0, 2.06 ERA)

Outlook:  Returning nine players from last year’s team.  Solid nucleus of offense and pitching, despite loss of Tyler Hill (.449, 4-0, 1.42 ERA).  With its players a year older, Northern Valley should continue its winning ways and a return to the Region 2 tournament is within reach.

Predicted Finish: 1^st  

SALISBURY FALCONS

Coach:  Dave Ernst (4^th year)

2010 Finish:  10^th place.  Did not qualify for League Tournament.

Key Players:  IF Ryan Utsch (.349, 5 RBI), OF John Kalafut (.300, 8 RBI), P Nicholas Hoffman (23 innings pitched, 34 Ks 3.04 ERA)

Outlook: Eleven new players make up the bulk of this year’s Salisbury team.  Roster lacks many of the high school players which led Salisbury to the District AA finals, and the inexperience throughout the lineup will be a factor. 

Predicted Finish: 10^th  

SOUTH PARKLAND TROJANS

Coach:  Mark Sutovich (2^nd year)

2011 Finish:  3^rd place.  Lost to West Allentown in 2^nd round of League Tournament.

Key Players:  OF Tim Baranek (.355, 5 RBI), IF Eric Zinkler (.327, 10 RBI)

Outlook:  While 11 of South Parkland’s players return from last year’s team, losses include three pitchers (Matt Nelson, Dan Shaw, and Ryan Sutovich), who combined for 98 innings pitched, not to mention that each of them batted over .300. 

Predicted Finish:  6^th  

SOUTHERN LEHIGH SPARTANS

Coach:  Brennan Harding (2^nd year)

2011 Finish:  8^th place.  Lost to North Parkland in 2^nd round of League Tournament.

Key Players:  P/1B Alex Long (.392, 16 RBI), P/OF Robert Mirth (.481, 14 RBI), IF Connor Vanin (.410, 14 RBI), Dominic Cuce (2-2, 2.36 ERA), P Ramsey Lerch

Outlook:  Eleven returning players from last year’s team give Southern Lehigh the most experience they have had in years.  Loss of pitchers Dominic Cuce and Ramsey Lerch will hurt, as they combined for 40% of overall innings pitched.  Offense should produce enough runs, and if some of the rookie pitchers can step up, a return to the playoffs is likely.

Predicted Finish: 5^th

WEST ALLENTOWN HAWKS

Coach:  Bob Yocum (3^rd year)

2011 Finish:  5^th place.  Lost to Lower Macungie in semifinals of League Tournament.

Key Players:  IF Bryan Bernal (.300, 10 RBI, 12 SB), P/1B Chris Czonkstka (.311, 11 RBI), IF Carrington Santana (.357, 4 RBI, 9 SB), OF/IF Justin Schalles (.280, 13 RBI, 13 SB), Pitcher Ruddy Rosario (1-2, 1.91 ERA, 6 saves)  

Outlook:  West Allentown was the surprise of 2011, advancing to the semifinals of the League Tournament.  Pitching staff (Terry Reiss, Tyler Reyes, Rosario, and Brady Yocum) returns, and by adding some young arms like Tyler Metz, this team looks to build on last year and could finish even higher in the standings.  A league championship is certainly within its reach.  

Predicted Finish: 3^rd  

The All Star game will be held on Tuesday, June 19th, at 7 PM at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, PA. The game will be nine innings with wood bats being used. While each league will develop its own criteria for selecting players, each player selected will be given the opportunity to play. An admission fee to the game will be charged, with all proceeds from the game donated to the Lebanon VA Medical Center.

The Showcase will be held on Saturday, June 23rd, at 9:30 AM. All teams in the two leagues will be sending players who have not committed to any college to a skills competition at the Kutztown University baseball field. Invitations have been sent to college coaches and Major League Baseball scouts in the Eastern Pennsylvania area.