By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

 

            In a town where soccer and basketball are the primary sports, baseball Coach Casey Cummins and his staff are looking to raise the Sammies program to a higher level and contend as a top sport in Sutton. Sutton has been a consistent team in making the tournament in all but one of its years. Last spring the local nine once again ventured into the Central Mass Tournament but were sent home in the Quarter Finals with a 5-3 loss to Ayer Shirley; Cummins is hoping to improve upon that this year.

            “We have been a very consistent program thought the years, but we have not been fully successful as of yet,” the Sutton Coach said. “Plating in the Dual Valley Conference we try to strive for perfection and are looking to take it one step further.”

            The Sammies are returning a good portion of their starts from last years squad; only saying goodbye to two starting pitchers. Despite losing two pitchers to graduation Cummings believes that he has the replacements already inhouse and the squad shouldn’t falter on the mound at all.

            Three captains (seniors Pat Kostiw and Briant Johnson as well as junior Leo Colena) will guide Sutton into the season and hopefully back into the Central Mass Tournament.

            Kostiw, an All-Conference All Star, started every game at short for Sutton while hitting .410 with 8 RBI and 13 runs scored. He was also a captain as a junior and will be headed to Assumption University in the fall to play baseball for the Greyhounds. Johnson also started every game last spring behind the plate. He hit .202with 8 runs scored and 11 walks.

            “Brant’s a three-sport athlete that will be playing football in college,” Cummings said. “He’s a steady individual behind the plate and will provide us with stability at bat.”

            Colena will be looked at as the ace of the pitching staff. The junior posted a 3.75 ERA in 33.2 innings pitched last season with 48 strikeouts. At the plate he added 13 hits and batted .333 for the Sammies. According to the Coach, he is a hard throwing lefty with good stuff and will be looked upon as the workhorse of the team this year.

            In addition to Colena on the hill, senior Jared Allen and junior Chase Falcon will also be starting for the Sammies. Allen, a left-hander, will be the team’s number two hurler that hits his spots with accuracy and producing a lot of ground balls. Falcon is slated as the team’s third starter; having phenomenal mechanics he throws strikes and Cummings will be looking for him to provide the team with some big innings.

            Senior reliver Jacob Ford brings yet another left-handed thrower into the mix.

            “Having an abundance of lefties is good for us,” Cummings said. “It’s different for hitters as they don’t always see a lot of left-handed throwers and are not use to it, so it is to our advantage.”

            At the plate Cummings will rely on Colena, Falcon, and junior outfielder Josh Jenkins to provide the power in the middle of the lineup. Jenkins started every game in centerfield for Sutton last spring batting .353 with 6 RBI and 19 runs scored. Another junior will be Ben Connors, who will play the hot corner once again this season.

            Playing in the DVC is a battle in itself historically with Nipmuc and Hopedale near the top of the ladder. Sutton, Douglas, and Blackstone Millville Regional will be nipping at their heels.

            “The goal every year is to ideally sweep at least one of the top teams, if not a sweep a split. That is our biggest challenge, especially if we want to win the league,” the Sutton Coach said. “Every game I the DVC is never easy and with not a lot of teams you have to make the league games count, there are no days off.”

            Cummings and his coaching staff always look to round out their regular season schedule with some tough non-conference game so that they are prepared to go deep into the tournament. If the Sammies get the pitching they believe they have then venturing deep into the Central Mass Tournament shouldn’t be a problem.