Fresh diamond leaders

By John Enrietto Eagle Sports Editor

March 26, 2011 Last Updated: March 26, 2011 01:16 PM High School

A new year means new head coaches in Butler County area high school baseball this spring.

Todd Erdos at Butler, George Bradley at Knoch, Randy Collins at Karns City and Jim Revesz at Slippery Rock are all first-time head coaches.

Bradley has been an assistant coach for years — most recently at Butler under Dave Florie — before getting his first head coaching chance.

“I love this group of guys I'm working with,” Bradley said. “There's not a lot of experience, but I can tell they're really into baseball and they're getting after it.”

Collins, a Butler graduate, takes over at Karns City After only one year as an assistant — and becomes the Gremlins' fifth head coach in eight years.

“Most of our guys are back and these guys are hungry to win the whole thing after getting a taste of it last year,” Collins said.

Karns City lost to Redbank Valley by a run in the District 9 Class AA championship game last spring.

A capsule preview of local teams follows:

Coach: John Irwin, fifth yearLast Year: 13-8Starters Lost: Reed Terwilliger 3B, Alex Brison CF, Joe Kaufman LF, Matt Bartley 2B-SS, Eric Page CF-RF, Alex Logue DHProspective Lineup: P-Cole Smith (senior, 8-2 1.76 ERA) and Allan Eaton (2-1, 2.21 ERA), C-Blayne McGuirk (senior, .407 5-HR 18-RBI), 1B-Eaton (.525 4-HR 19-RBI), 2B-Brody Irwin, SS-Smith or Kevin Kaufman (soph.), 3B-Cole Terwilliger (soph.), LF-Eric Staab (senior), CF-Jay Mangel (senior), RF-Logan McNamara (junior)Irwin says: “Smith, McGuire and Eaton are three of the best players in District 9. Blayne threw out 15 of 21 base stealers last year. That's a pretty good core to start with right there.”

Coach: Todd Erdos, first yearLast Year: 12-8Starters Lost: Cody Pilarcik, Cody Montgomery, Ian Jewart, Joe Malardie, John Crummy (Miami of Ohio), Roman Bargo, Ryan Fennell (La Roche), Zac Sessa (Wooster)Prospective Lineup: P-Tyler Slepski (senior), Mick Fennell (junior), Colin McKee (junior), Matt Baranchak (junior) and Vinnie Schmidt (senior), C-Tom Bruce (junior), 1B-Bobby Swartwout (senior), 2B-Fennell, Anthony Graziani (junior) or Mike Hartman (senior), SS-Cody Herald, 3B-Dalton Koebler (junior), McKee or Nate Bresnahan ((senior), LF-Colin Williamson (junior) or Zach Rader (junior), CF-Alex Ziegler (junior), RF-Ethan Rock (senior) or BaranchakErdos says: “We're deep at the middle infield positions and have some options there. We've got a good crop of seniors and I feel like we can develop enough pitching to go deep into the WPIAL playoffs over the next two years.”

Coach: Chris Graczyk, 11th yearLast Year: 15-2Starters Lost: Ryan Siegel OF (Coastal Carolina), Jarrod Mancine 2B, Ricky Francart SS, Shane Gallagher OFProspective Lineup: P-John Fetchko (senior), Jake Campbell (senior), Dan Brickeen (senior), Ryan Dunn (junior); C-Don Pastoria (senior), 1B-Fetchko, 2B-Dunn, SS-Alan-Michael Wiszniewski (senior), 3B-Campbell, LF-Dalton Moore (senior), CF-Tyler Singer (senior), RF-undeterminedGraczyk says: “Our ultimate goal is to win our section get to the playoffs and go from there. We lost a lot of our bats from last year, but our four top pitchers had ERA's below 2.00, so that's our strength.”

Coach: Pat Forese, 24th yearLast Year: League champion, lost in first round of playoffsStarters Lost: Randy Risch P, Pat Johnson OF, Nick Reddick 1BProspective Lineup: P-Jason Revesz (senior), Jeff Revesz (senior) and John Anderson (senior), C-Jeff Revesz (.500, 11 HR), 1B-Tyler Devine (junior), 2B-Torin Smith (junior), SS-Anderson or Jason Revesz, 3B-Gavin Herald (senior), LF-Chauncey Miller (junior) or O.J. Orlowski (senior), CF-Alex Miklos (senior), RF-Brian Murone (junior)Forese says: “We're pretty excited about this year. Pitching and offense are our strong suits and we have a lot of team speed.”

Coach: Randy Collins, first yearLast Year: 12-8Starters Lost: Eric McCue CF, Cole Rottman 3B, Patrick Foster P, Nate Christy OF, Cameron Harp INFProspective Lineup: P-Brian Best (senior), Derek Sadowski, (junior), Ethan Williams (junior) and Tyler Kepple (freshman), C-Zach Barney (senior), 1B-Zach Kepple (senior), 2B-Brad Fuhrer (senior), SS-Best, 3B-Williams, LF-Brandon Bowser (junior), CF-Tyler Slagle (senior), RF-Brad Francis (senior)Collins says: “We have plenty of experience and offensive ability back. Fuhrer led us in stolen bases last year and Francis is our leading power hitter.”

Coach: George Bradley, first yearLast Year: 12-8Starters Lost: Cullen Hinderliter, Dale Gallo, Sam Stone, Andrew Wirtz, Zane Voltz, Rob Zanella, Marcus Cashell, John DeWaltProspective Lineup: P-Nate Junk (senior), Mark Keck (senior), Justin Grossman (junior), Drew Holben (junior), Ryan Letzelter (junior) and Andy Fritz (soph.), C-John Campbell (senior), 1B-Letzelter, Nate Sarnese (junior) or Fritz, 2B-Cody Beacom (senior), Keck or Zach Koller (junior), SS-Mac Megahan (junior), 3B-Holben or Josh Sheppeck (junior); LF-Sarnese or Sheppeck, CF-Junk, Grossman or Keck, RF-Keck, Grossman, Jake Smith (senior) or Billy Patrick (soph.)Bradley says: “Junk and Megahan are the only starters back, so we've done a lot of juggling around in our two scrimmages looking for the best fit. We'll try to get a little better each day and see if we can go get it.”

Coach: Brian Hobaugh, third yearLast Year: 10-10 (6-6)Starters Lost: Luke Gruber (RF), Ryan McKenzie (CF), D.J. Delucia (SS-P), Dylan Bear (3B)Prospective Lineup: P-Tyler Dean (senior), Kevin Shebek (senior) and Nick Bushee (senior), C-Brandon Kline (senior), Dave Bednar (soph,) or Nick Eperesi (soph.), 1B-Nick Comport (junior), 2B-Ryan Wotus (senior), Dean or Kevin Giallonardo (soph,), SS-Brian Cassidy (junior), 3B-Eperesi, LF-Ryan O'Connor (senior), CF-Blake Friday (senior), RF-Kline or Chris Wotus (senior)Hobaugh says: “We should be strong in pitching, but we lost Dylan Bear to a football knee injury and that may shake up our infield a bit.”

Coach: Ross Martin, sixth yearLast Year: 8-7Starters Lost: Tony Campbell CF, Zach Wheeler P, Jay Wiles 2B, Brandon Bonzo SS, Jeremy Ritts P, Mike Saper PProspective Lineup: P-Braden McCorry (junior), Josh Stockert (junior), Joe Holfelder (junior); C-Heath Lominski (senior, .450), 1B-Justin McNeish (senior), 2B-Colton Cumberland (freshman) or Trent Young (soph.), SS-Stockert, 3B-Aaron Shreve (senior), LF-Holfelter or Dave Campbell (junior), CF-Kyle Armagost (junior), RF-Tyler DiMaria (freshman)Martin says: “We have a young team and a lot of new faces, but I'm optimistic. We have some things to work on defensively. Baserunning will be a big key for us.”

Coach: Eric Semega, 11th yearLast Year: 6-10Starters Lost: Brad Collier (LF), Jake Kiefer (C), Brad Johnson (3B), Pete Vicente (CF)Prospective Lineup: P-Matt Smith (junior), Tyler Budisky (senior) and Zach DeTillio (junior), C-Brad Gresock (soph.) or Dennis Krevokuch (junior), 1B-Austin Bream (junior), 2B-Jack Graham (senior, .300), SS-Sam Fragale (soph.), 3B-Justin Stenger (senior, .300), LF-Chris Dorogy (soph., .300), CF-Kyle Gorniak (senior, .342), RF-Smith or Paul Krevokuch (junior)Semega says: “We lost our leading hitter from last year (Collier at .351) to two broken wrists from a snowboarding accident and Budisky may be down with an arm injury. We've got some new additions who will need to step it up ... Losing those two guys puts a damper on things, but we have to move on.”

Coach: Jim Revesz, first yearLast Year: 4-12Starters Lost: N/AProspective Lineup: P-Andrew Gieraltowski (junior), Sean White (junior), Mitch Robinson (soph.), Cody Stephenson (soph.), Connor Hogue (junior) and Sam Furrh (junior), C-Tyler Little (senior) or Robinson, 1B-Luke Taylor (senior), 2B-Andrew Waryanka (senior) or Gieraltowski, SS-White or Stephenson, 3B-Little or Stephenson, LF-Hogue, CF-Furrh, RF-Mike Stutz (junior)Revesz says: “We've been working really hard and we will be better. I'm used to coaching travel ball, so I bring a different work ethic. Speed will be our strong suit.”

Coach: Doug Kriebel, fourth yearLast Year: 7-9Starters Lost: Brennan Bliss 1B, Scott Booth 2B, Logan Mortimer CF, Ron Carey SS, Colbin Yoder LFProspective Lineup: P-Trent Corle (senior) and Taylor Smith (junior); C-Brandon Stitt (soph,) or Brody Shick (soph.), 1B-Jake Gezik (soph.), 2B-Kane McCall (junior), SS-Smith, 3B-Trent Corle or Richie Corle (senior); LF-Stitt or Shick, CF-Shawn Burns (senior), RF-Kaden McGregor (soph.)Kriebel says: “We play good defense and we have the pitching. I don't see a lot of pitching depth in this league. If we make the plays we should make, we should be able to surprise a few teams.”