The Boys Are Back In Town

The 2010 CSHS Blue Devils' Baseball season is just around the corner.

Spring brings green grass, fresh air, and the sound of the aluminum bats gracing the high school diamond as the Cambridge Springs Blue Devils baseball team takes the field.  This year’s Blue Devils’ roster returns many of last year’s top players as it boasts six seniors: N. Sebastian, S. Pechin, D. Bausch, D. Shearer, D. Watkins, and J. Oosterkamp.

The team opens the regular season at home against Saegertown on March 31 with first pitch scheduled for 4:00p.m.  But before that game, the team must find a way to fix their weaknesses; in particular, their pitching.

“Our pitching depth is a weakness,” said N. Sebastian.  S. Pechin, one of the team’s pitchers, gave a different perspective on the pitching situation.

“We use a variety of pitchers throughout the game,” said Pechin.  “We pitch by committee.”

With the Blue Devils using a variety of pitchers, the depth on the mound appears strong.  Along with pitching, Pechin is confident about the team’s ability to hit.

“Our main strength is batting,” he added.  One such reason Pechin can remain confident is because the team returns designated-hitter D. Watkins, a 1st-team All-Region 2 player at that position.  D. Bausch is another returning All-Region honoree as he was given an honorable mention award last year.

So what are some of the team’s goals for the upcoming season?  According to Pechin, the team’s goals are what most squads strive for: post-season success.

“Districts and playoffs are always a goal,” he said.  “We also want to be competitive in the Region.”

Coach Paul Frazier shares the same sentiments as Pechin.  To get there, however, Frazier notes that the basics must be in place.  When asked what steps will he take to ensure a winning season this year for the Spa, Frazier replied, “making sure we do the little things right in practice.”

Joining the well-known rivalry Cambridge Springs has with Saegertown, the Blue Devils are starting to butt heads with some other local schools, specifically Union City and Conneaut Lake.  Pechin said that the Spa gets into “dog fights” with these teams.

“Every game’s a tough game,” he said.  “We have an unspoken rivalry with these teams.”

Cambridge Springs hosts the Bears on April 30 and the Indians on May 4; both start times are 4:00p.m. at Baird Field.

With the snow melting and the open-gyms ending, it is certain that home runs are on the horizon.