Peddie baseball after improvement, titles

By: Sean Moylan
   "Our goal, as it is every year, is to get better. Though obviously we want to win the MAPL and the State Prep championships," said Peddie boys’ varsity baseball head coach Erik Treese.
   Peddie last won a state title two seasons ago and Treese, who is now in his 5th season as the head coach and his 10th coaching season overall, has a 48-36 lifetime record. Last season the Falcons were 9-11. However, some of the Falcons’ most talented players are back and ready to have good years.
   This year senior Pat Sandman will, once again, attempt to put opposing batters to sleep with his blazing fastball and dazzling curve. He also play third base.
   "He’s our best player," added Treese of Sandman.
   By the end of last season, David Reichmann had earned the starting second base job at Peddie. A good hitter who bats around .300, Reichmann, a junior, is back this season to show off his fine glove work at second base.
   Brett Yarusi, a junior hurler, has a full arsenal of good pitches including a solid fastball, curve and change up.
   "Yarusi was a Prep All-State selection as a sophomore," noted Treese.
   Sophomore hurler and infielder Mike Murphy may be new to the team but he has already shown a varsity-ready tight slider and the location of his pitches has been very good in the team’s first few practices.
   Post grad Casey Ennis, who transferred to Peddie from Seton Hall Prep, is looking very good at shortstop.
   Sophomore Conor Kourtmann, a left-handed first baseman/third baseman/outfielder, is a line drive hitter with sound fundamentals at the plate. Look for him to have a very good year.
   Rick Rose is a solid senior pitcher while senior Max Flinn is a standout outfielder/designated hitter. These are just some of players who are expected to make a significant impact for the Falcons this year. Treese, however, is hardly finished rounding out his roster. He is still trying out kids for the starting catcher position and he’ll add a few more names to the varsity team in the coming weeks.
   Treese, who is a batting instructor who also works with the infielders, will be assisted by Peter McClellan (who works with the outfielders), Matt Pustay (the pitching coach) and Don DeAngelis (catchers).
   Treese and his staff have been impressed with the play of some of the younger players. So you could see a few new names on the varsity roster this year. Nevertheless, the Falcons must improve in an area or two to better their record of a year ago.
   "We have some pretty good pitching and the defense will be okay. The question is whether we can score enough runs (to win games)," said Treese.
   Peddie will start to get an answer to that question when it plays a road game versus the Hun School on April 3.