Dreadnaught Baseball Preps for New Season

Dexter baseball coach Don Little had a successful first season in the Dreadnaught dugout last year. Behind Little, Dexter captured a Southeastern Conference White Division championship with a 9-5 record. Overall, the Dreadnaughts sported a 13-20 record last year and reached the Division 1 state district semifinals before losing to Brighton, 4-0.

Starting his second season as Dexter skipper, Little will have somewhat of a rebuilding project on his hands, at least early in the year.

“We have to replace our whole starting infield from last year,” Little said. “We also lost four senior pitchers from last year’s club.”

Though talented throughout their lineup, the Dreadnaughts are young.

“We have 11 juniors and one sophomore,” Little said.

Returning to lead Dexter will be All-SEC White Division first-team center fielder Justin Hart, a senior. Also returning will be senior All-SEC White Division honorable mention catcher Ian Boyd.

Other top returnees to the Dreadnaught lineup will be senior pitcher/right fielder Nate Jones, junior pitcher Joel Gowen and junior catcher/infielder Mike Mioduszewski. Both Gowen and Mioduszewski played on the varsity squad as sophomores last season.

Newcomers looking to contribute this year for Dexter include junior infielder Hank Dreffs, junior pitcher-infielder Zack Byron and junior pitcher Bryce Walls.

Little said despite their youth, the Dreadnaughts have plenty of team strengths.

“Our hitting might be a strength,” he said. “We also have two very good catchers and two seniors in the outfield.”

Little said Dexter has two main goals entering the 2011 season: “We want to repeat as league champions and win more nonleague games,” he said.

The Dreadnaughts will face a difficult schedule this year. Besides its always rugged SEC contests, Dexter will square off in nonleague games against traditional state powers Saginaw Heritage, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, Plymouth Canton and Novi.

“They were all regional champs last year,” Little said of the Dreadnaughts’ nonleague foes.

Saginaw Heritage reached the Division 1 state semifinals before losing last year, while Orchard Lake St. Mary’s was Division 2 state champions in 2003 and state runner-up in 2007 and 2009. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard was Division 3 state runner-up last season.