By John Leggett
Staff Writer
John Welker, Sumner High School baseball coach, believes the fate of this year’s team will depend on the ability of the Spartans’ junior hurlers to remain calm under pressure.
“If I can rely on those guys to keep a confident demeanor out there on the hill and not panic, we are going to have a really good team this year, even considering this tough South Puget Sound League 3A we play in,” Welker said.
The handful of seasoned twirlers begins with big Brad Falk, who throws 90 mph. Another junior ace, who threw well for the Spartans last season, is Seth Morgan. The final link in the three-man starting rotation will be Emerald Ridge junior transfer Cameron Steffey, who was sporting an earned-run average below 2.0 by the end of his sophomore campaign with the Jaguars.
“Cameron paid his dues and really learned how to pitch at Emerald Ridge,” Welker said. “Among the pitches in his repertoire are a cutter, change and a pretty decent two-seamer as well.”
Rounding out the pitching staff for SHS will be junior righties Brady Cooper, Jason McClain and Casey Edwards, who have been penciled in for middle relief and closer duties.
It is no secret around the league when the Spartans get rocking they can light up opposing pitchers.
Calling the pitches from his backstop position again this year will be senior catcher Alex Sloan, who will not have to change colors in his collegiate career as he has already signed to play for the University of Washington.
Sloan has perhaps the best SHS stick, hitting for power and average, as he hit better than .400 with seven homers last year, also accounting for 21 runs batted in.
Sumner was in the top three teams in the SPSL 3A as far as batting average in 2009, finishing the season with an overall team average of .337.
The Spartans return nine lettermen from last season. All-purpose senior Casey Edwards will trade off with Falk at third base, play in the outfield and even do a little relief work when needed. Carl Evans, who hit .344 last season, returns for his senior stint patrolling center field and will be joined by fellow upperclassman Matt DeGoede in left.
The infield will be well fortified, as when they aren’t pitching, Falk will play at third and Morgan at first, while junior Tanner Brinkman will be holding down the fort at short. Senior D.J. Loving will be Sloan’s understudy at catcher and handling the everyday designated hitter’s role as well.
Welker figures this year’s crew is not only the deepest group he has ever had, but also the fastest and most experienced. So, he foresees a marked improvement over last season’s 8-8 mark in league play and 10-10 record overall.
“We have great chemistry as a team this year and I really think we can make a run at the league title even with Bonney Lake, Enumclaw, White River and Auburn Mountainview trying to fight us off every step of the way,” Welker said.
