LYNN– Sometimes you have to end a season on a sour note in order to erase those memories and go on a memorable run a year later. That’s certainly what the St. Mary’s baseball team is hoping for as the 2019 spring season quickly approaches.
The Spartans finished the regular season 13-7 and earned the No. 11 seed in the Division 2 North state tournament. They defeated Danvers (8-5) in the first round before falling to eventual state finalist Beverly (3-2) in a nine-inning quarterfinal thriller.
“It was a tough game,” Spartans coach Derek Dana, entering his 12th season, said. “Lee (Pacheco) started the game. Bobby (Alcock) came in and gave everything he had. We had chances to win. We had chances to win it in the ninth inning. It wasn’t a good way to lose the game. An inside-the-park walk-off home-run wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t just that play that ended the game. We had opportunities.
“The kids played tough and stuck together,” Dana said. “It was just a tough loss. Both Lee and Bobby really stepped up on the mound. Lee gave us four innings and Bobby, coming in after just pitching against Danvers, was outstanding.”
The Spartans return plenty of experience to the diamond this spring.
In the pitching rotation, St. Mary’s brings back three right-handers in seniors Bobby Alcock and Jared Coppola, and junior Lee Pacheco. Alcock, Coppola and Pacheco combined to pitch 140 of 175 innings for the Spartans last spring. Alcock went 7-4 with 131 strikeouts and a 1.47 ERA last season. Pacheco went 7-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 2018 and Coppola logged a 1.96 ERA.
“I think all three will give us a chance to win every time out there,” Dana said. “We just have to make sure we’re healthy. I think these guys will be able to take the ball when they’re asked to take the ball.”
Also, “We have a couple young arms that are showing some good signs,” Dana said. “They’re getting strong and they’ve worked at it.”
Offensively, the Spartans will rely on infielder Pacheco, shortstop/third baseman Coppola, junior catcher John Mulready, senior outfielder Connor Donohue, senior infielder/outfielder Colin Reddy, senior infielder DJ DiCenso and senior infielder Kyle Ouellette.
“We have a lot of people vying for the remaining spots on varsity,” Dana said. “The competition’s very, very tough. I have some tough decisions but that’s a good thing to have.
“I’m expecting (the offense) to be more consistent,” Dana said. “I think the leadership’s going to be very good. They’re a great group of kids that have been together.”
With a core group of returners from last year’s team that took Beverly to the brink, Dana feels the Spartans are battle-tested and know what it’ll take to win when the state tournament rolls around. Other strengths working in St. Mary’s favor this spring are leadership and versatility.
“I think leadership and versatility are our strengths,” Dana said. “We have kids that can play multiple positions and they’ve all been to the state tournament. They saw how close we were last year, taking the team that lost in the state final to nine innings. They know what’s out there for them.
“Their focus has been outstanding all offseason in the weight room,” Dana said. “They’re really looking forward to this year. This group has been together for a while.”
The Spartans will play a tough schedule this season. In addition to matching up against tournament mainstays like Austin Prep and Archbishop Williams in the competitive Catholic Central League, St. Mary’s will test itself through its non-conference schedule.
“Austin Prep has been tough,” Dana said. “I think they’ve won it the last three years. They league’s tough. They have the Division 4 state champ in Williams, the Division 3 state champ in Austin Prep. Fenwick’s always tough, Spellman’s tough. I know Spellman made the tournament last year. I know at least four of the five made the tournament and a few of them made some runs. We’re not going to have any days off. We play Masco, Andover, Winchester, Salem, St. John’s Prep, Nauset. We have a tough non-league schedule as well, plus the Clancy Tournament.”
St. Mary’s opens the season April 8 (4 p.m.) when the Spartans host CCL rival Arlington Catholic at Fraser Field.
“They’ve been excited since the time they left the field in Beverly last year,” Dana said. “We have some outstanding athletes playing football and basketball. They all had terrific seasons. We have some kids that know how to win. We just want to continue that in the spring.”