Baseball preview: Thomas Jefferson gets ready to clean up on a refurbished field

Published 10:12 am Friday, March 15, 2013

Everything seems to be coming together for the Thomas Jefferson baseball program. The Raiders seemed primed to make a run at an elusive postseason berth in the highly-competitive South Puget Sound League North Division.

But, maybe even more impressive, is the fact that TJ will be doing it on a baseball field fit for a title contender.

Current head coach Joseph Townsend, along with players and a group of close to 30 parents, have spent hundreds of hours over the past year freshening up the field at TJ.

“We are getting it done little by little,” said Townsend, who is in his third year at TJ. “I used to be scared for my life out there. I thought my shortstop was going to decapitate himself.”

Improvements on the field include things like leveling the dirt infield, installing wind screens on the outfield fence, painting the backstop crimson, updating the team’s batting cages, replacing dangerous downhill steps to the field’s Snack Shack, and the purchase and installation of a two-sided, electronic scoreboard that is also used by the TJ softball team.

Townsend hopes the improved facilities surrounding the program will lead to an improved on-field product at Jefferson. The Raiders have a roster loaded with experience after finishing just 7-10 last season.

Jefferson should be led by a solid pitching staff, along with junior shortstop Niko DelaCruz, senior third baseman Hunter Henry and senior catcher Nathan Baughman, who will play next year at Everett Community College.

DelaCruz had an impressive sophomore season for the Raiders, finishing with a .347 batting average, 17 runs scored and 14 RBIs. DelaCruz also led Jefferson with six doubles and one triple. The 6-foot-4 Henry also had a solid year for the Raiders, finishing with a .387 batting average with nine RBIs, seven runs and four doubles. Henry was named second-team, All-SPSL North by the league coaches.

“Our overall goal is to make it to Pasco and the state’s Final Four,” Henry said. “We have all the talent to do it.”

The Raiders’ pitching staff is deep and talented. Townsend will use guys like Travis McCauley, Sean Dolan and DelaCruz to eat up innings. Price already has a pair of saves in TJ’s first two games.

“We play well together as a team,” Henry said. “Our team chemistry is a lot better than last year. We are all more mature.”

The Raiders will be competing in the SPSL North against perennial powers like Kentwood and Tahoma. Kentwood won the 4A championship a season ago and returns stud catcher Reese McGuire, who should be a first-round pick in June’s Major League Baseball Draft.

Beamer

The Titans are coming off the most successful season in the school’s history. Beamer qualified for the state’s Final Four. In total, the Titans were 18-8 on the season.

Beamer hopes the recent success continues again this season.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs,” said head coach Jerry Peterson.

Leading the list of returners are junior pitcher Scott Sunitsch and Lawyer Braun. Sunitsch finished last season with a perfect 4-0 record and a 3.97 ERA in 30 innings. Braun, the Titans’ leadoff hitter, finished with a .343 average and was a first-team, All-SPSL South selection.

Also returning are Jarred Prather, Ben Arata, Taylor Davis, Kepa Sharpe and Drew Hoefel. Peterson also has several talented newcomers, incuding a pair of freshmen, Brycen Allen and J.J. Anaise.

But the Titans did lose a lot from a season ago, including All-City selections Sam Kosbab, Brett Oyer, Richie Apigo and Matt Bower.

Beamer should battle with Puyallup and Rogers for the top spots in the SPSL South Division.

Puyallup played in the state title game last season against Kentwood.

Decatur

The Gators finished last season in very impressive fashion. Decatur finished the regular season with just a 3-16 record, but won three-straight playoff games to come within one game of qualifying for the 3A state tournament.

The Gators bring back seven starters from last year’s squad and hope to build on the momentum from the playoff run.

Back are seniors Derik Bontempo (.330, 8 RBIs) and Mitchell Ciotta (.283, 5 RBIs), juniors Brandon Zimmerman (.324, 7 RBIs, 9 stolen bases), Chris Carns (.306, 19 RBIs) and Janson Junk (4-3, 3.41 ERA, 51 strikeouts). Also returning is senior first baseman Jim Sullivan, who played in only three games last season because of a leg injury.

“We should be improved,” said head coach Korey Sites. “We return all but two starters off last year’s team. We should compete with the top SPSL 3A teams.”

Decatur will also count on newcomers Taylor Havlicek, Isaiah Hatch and Kaden Jacobs.

“We’ve had a great first few weeks of practice, so we just need to take this season a day at a time and keep on improving,” Sites said. “Our success will come from being consistent in all phases of the game and keeping the right perspective throughout all seven innings.”

Federal Way

The Eagles return plenty of talent from a team that finished just one game short of the postseason last season. Leading the list are seniors Chris Shimer, a middle infielder, outfielder Evan Elliott and catcher/pitcher Derek Klaas, and sophomore pitcher/outfielder Rylen Cratsenberg.

“We will be successful if our pitchers throw strikes,” said coach Danny Graham. “Our defense will keep us in games, but if pitchers walk people, that will kill us.”

The Eagles will also count on newcomers Chris Jones, Marcus Fielder and Ben Koler. According to Graham, Jones “has one of the best swings I have seen in a long time.”