Sports Spotlight: Hartland Baseball

• PLAYERS TO WATCH AND WHY: Senior outfielder Dan Richmond; junior infielder/pitcher Jake Jessen; sophomore catcher/pitcher Jake Lowery; senior first baseman Shane Felix; and senior catcher/infielder Sean Bennett. All are returning players from whom coach Brian Morrison expects a lot.
• RECORDS: Team is 22-2 overall and tied for first in the KLAA West at 12-2 with a doubleheader against Grand Blanc on Saturday left. Last year, squad finished 26-8 overall and fourth at 9-7 in the KLAA West. 
• TEAM GOAL: "To play better at the end of the year than we were at the beginning," Hartland coach Brian Morrison said.
• COACH: Brian Morrison has been coaching the Eagles for 10 years.
• COACH QUOTE: "I want us to be competitive," Morrison said. "That's all I can ask for. They're great kids and I think we have a chance to win every game we play." 
• PLAYER QUOTE: "We'll be good if we continue to play defense," Jessen said. 
• WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS TEAM: "They have very tight chemistry," Morrison said. "They pull for one another, they work hard and they're a pleasure to coach."

 

2011 Hartland Baseball Team No. Name Position Grade 4 Travis Johnson INF/P Sophomore 5 Al Wachsmuth OF/INF Senior 6 Shane Felix First Base Senior 7 Dominic Dallape OF/P Junior 8 Sean Bennett C/INF Senior 10 Anthony Villar INF/P Sophomore 11 Tory Sheffer OF Junior 12 Jake Lowery C/P Sophomore 13 Jorge Mendez OF Senior 14 Jake Jessen INF/P Junior 15 Erik Kangas OF/P Junior 18 Kyle Garner OF Senior 20 Cory Lewandowski P Junior 21 Steve Milarch INF/P Sophomore 22 Travis Spears OF Junior 24 Dan Richmond OF Senior 25  Ryan Sharpe OF Senior