Post 339 baseball
By: John E. Powers
Doug Allen, the manager of the Hopewell Valley American Legion Post 339 baseball team, has never been one to name a team captain.
"It kind of puts kids on the spot," Allen said.
But, Allen adds, this year’s team has a natural for the position, a competitor that his young players can look up to without having any title applied to him.
Chris Zsenak, the team’s third baseman/first baseman, is playing in his fourth year for Allen and is off to a 10-for-23 start with a homer and 11 RBIs.
Zsenak, who graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High School earlier this month, will attend and play at East Stroudsburg State University, Pa. Zsenak made All-Colonial Valley Conference, hitting .446 with 33 hits, 30 RBIs, five steals and a homer. He also was 1-1 on the mound with five saves. The left-handed swinger finished his career with 105 hits and a batting average of more than .375.
Zsenak was sorry to see his high school career come to an end. He played four years of varsity ball. Allen has coached the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder since he was 11.
"He’s a hard-nosed kid, just an all-around tough kid," Allen said. "He’s pretty much our honorary captain. He’s like my confidant on the team. I hold his opinions in high regard. I’ve known him since he was 11, and we have a good relationship.
"He’s the kind of kid you want right next to you when you go into battle."
Zsenak said the transition going from high school to American Legion ball has helped him over the years.
"I like the idea that you don’t have a couple of weeks to sit around and lose your touch," said Zsenak, who also played football for Hopewell. "I like it. Once the Legion season ends, I don’t know what to do with myself."
Allen said that versatility is one of Zsenak’s strengths.
"He’s played everywhere," Allen said. "When he was younger, he played shortstop, and he was one of the better catchers around."
Allen used Zsenak quite a bit as a pitcher last year, but since Hopewell Valley has five pitchers to choose from this year, Allen hasn’t been as quick to use him. Dan Hogan, Tim Parker, Blair Miller, Brandon Rockoff and Randy Forrester have been the arms Allen has relied on.
"He can concentrate on his hitting this year," Allen said.
Hopewell Valley, which was 4-4 at press time, was scheduled to play games on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The Mercer County American Legion League’s All Star game was scheduled for Sunday at Moody Park in Ewing. Zsenak said that Hopewell will have to play better defense behind its pitchers, if it intends on making the playoffs.
"If we don’t field, we won’t win," he said. "We have a lot of hitters, and we can put up seven or eight runs a game, but defense has been something of a problem. This is probably the best pitching staff we’ve had."