VIDEO: Baseball Team Has Leadership to Spare for 2011

Although baseball players understand that they’re in a tough league and play a tough schedule, the players remain confident that they’ll succeed in 2011.

“We’re hitting the ball well in the scrimmages, we’re coming together, our fielding is improving, and we’ve got really good chemistry on this team,” senior co-captain Dan Colbert said.

The Headers finished 10-10 last season, and bowed out in the first round of the playoffs, falling to Reading in the state tournament.

“One of our strengths is senior leadership this year,” coach Jason Tarasuik said.  “Every one of this year’s seniors have experience playing at the varsity level and that will serve us well this season.”

The Headers open up the season Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Fraser Field against perennial NEC power Lynn English. Bulldog coach Joe Caponigro always has his team playing sound, fundamental baseball.

“We’re strong up the middle, catcher, short and center-field,” Tarasuik said. “English will be tough, and Danvers is always strong, Winthrop and Swampscott have good clubs, too, and we can’t forget about Gloucester either.”

Tarasuik enters his sixth season as Header coach and will be looking to his captains Ben Koopman, Matt Temme, Jake Kulevich, Dan Colbert and Ryan Stanojev to lead on and off the field.

“It will come down to pitching, we’ve got to pitch well to win,” Tarasuik said. “We want to win innings, play strong, build a lead, and finish on top.”

The Marblehead coaching staff greeted 65 hopefuls when spring practice began, all hoping for a spot on the varsity roster.

“We’ve got a good group here, from the freshman up to the seniors,” Tarasuik said.

The Headers don’t play at Seaside Park until April 15, when they host Saugus at 4 p.m.

“We need to limit the walks, throw first pitch strikes, play sound defense and we’ll be successful,” Tarasuik said.

Joining Tarsasuik on the Headers coaching staff for the 2011 season will be assistants Juan Tavarez, Ruben Pimental, Joel Espillat, Dustin Beechwood, Frank James, Jr., and Tom Roundy.

2011 Schedule:

Winthrop

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