Coach happy to be rebuilding

By: John E. Powers
   The South Hunterdon High School baseball team is fighting battles on several fronts this spring.
   The Eagles have just 12 players out from grades nine through 12 and play in the rugged Skyland Conference Raritan Division with bigger schools like defending champion Delaware Valley, perennially strong Somerville and contenders North Warren and Hackettstown.
   The Eagles’ potentially top pitcher, junior left-hander Lucas Rinz, is coming off ankle and elbow surgery, which puts his start in question. Head coach Ron Peterson’s team went 2-17 last year and lost seven starters to graduation. The losses included shortstop Steve Bartzak, first baseman Joe Fenneman, right fielder Steve Williamson, second baseman Mark Czyewski, catcher Tom Ennis and outfielder Kyle Donnelly.
   But Peterson is buoyed by the thoughts of a growing middle school team and the spirit of the kids he has out.
   ‘We have 27 kids out for the middle school team," Peterson said.
   The varsity season begins with three road games. South Hunterdon travels to Hackettstown Tuesday followed by games at North Warren Thursday and Manville Friday.
   "Talent-wise, we might be better than last year, and we lost some good kids," Peterson said. "We are working hard, coming around slowly as we work the new kids into the system and try to build a team. They are all good kids, and the object is simply to be better than last year."
   Rinz will play first base when he’s not pitching. Peterson said Rinz will probably be limited to three innings early on.
   "He’s ready to go now," Peterson said. "I just don’t know how deep he can go — maybe three innings top."
   The infield also includes freshman second baseman Dave Muscatell, who will probably switch off with sophomore Ryan Marriott. Marriott will play shortstop as well. Marriott will play second base when sophomore Ray Wengryn plays shortstop. Junior Jake Stephens will play third base.
   Marriott and Wengryn also pitch. Junior Kyle Simoyne, the team’s starting catcher, also will be the team’s No. 2 pitcher behind Rinz and Simoyne also can play shortstop. Wengryn is right behind Simonye in the pitching rotation. Simonye had one of the Eagles wins last year.
   The outfield will be made up by sophomore left fielder Kyle Hart, sophomore center fielder Anthony Danese and senior right fielder Karl Miller and sophomore right fielder Robby Williamson. Freshman Russell Miller also will play in the outfield and serve as a utility infielder. Junior Jack Krajack is the back-up first baseman.