Pieces in place for Ligonier Valley baseball
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Thursday, March 21, 2019 | 1:17 PM
Senior Sullivan Schueltz, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Andrew Kuzemchak, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Johnny Caldwell (left), listens to coach Brett Marabito, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Johnny Caldwell, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Andrew Kuzemchak, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Sullivan Schueltz, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Johnny Caldwell, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior shortstop Sullivan Schueltz (left) protects second bae as senior Andrew Kuzemchak runs in, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Coach Brett Marabito, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Sullivan Schueltz, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Johnny Caldwell, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
Senior Andrew Kuzemchak, during baseball practice at Ligonier Valley High School in Ligonier, on Monday, March 18, 2019.
There are batters at the top of the order with speed who regularly get on base and cause problems.
There are run-producing bats in the middle of the order.
Ace pitchers? Yep, there are a couple of those.
The players are tested by a challenging regular-season schedule that includes perennial WPIAL and District 5 contenders.
Strong leadership exists among the upperclassmen, the majority of whom have been part of PIAA playoff-qualifying teams in other sports.
On paper, there’s a lot to like about the Ligonier Valley baseball team. Now, the Rams want to translate all those positives into a Heritage Conference championship and a lengthy playoff run. Achieving those goals are within reach for a team that returns seven starters, finished 11-8 last season and lost in the District 6 Class AAA quarterfinals to Penn Cambria.
“We need to focus on the little things,” senior left fielder and top-of-the order batter Andrew Kuzemchak said. “We need to clean up on our errors, not missing fly balls or missing ground balls. Basically, playing smart baseball.”
Kuzemchak and classmates Sullivan Schueltz (shortstop/pitcher) and John Caldwell (pitcher/center fielder) will lead the charge.
Schueltz batted .383 with 29 runs and was 17 of 17 on stolen-base attempts last season. Kuzemchak batted .339 with 18 runs, and he was 12 for 12 on steals. They form a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the order and will be tasked with getting on base for Ethan Boring (.348 average, 21 RBIs in 2018) and Ben Anderson (.455 average, 1.308 OPS and 19 RBIs).
“We put in a lot of work during the offseason,” Schueltz said. “We spent a lot of time in the weight room.”
The Rams hope that work pays off against Heritage Conference heavyweight Homer-Center, which reached the PIAA Class A playoffs last year, and a schedule that includes perennial playoff teams in Greensburg Central Catholic, neighboring North Star and Somerset.
Pitching-wise, the Rams appear up to the challenge.
Schueltz went 3-0 with a minuscule 0.54 ERA last season. Caldwell went 1-2, had 17 strikeouts in 14 innings and picked up Ligonier Valley’s lone save. Plus, after the bumps and bruises of basketball heal, the Rams get back Michael Marinchak, who went 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings.
“We have a deep pitching staff, and I think that’s our strength,” said Caldwell, who batted .333 with 14 runs and 11 RBIs last season, “but we have to take it one step at a time. We obviously want to win the Heritage Conference. If we accomplish that, then we can talk about the playoffs.”
Making the playoffs is nothing new at Ligonier Valley. The football team has become a PIAA playoff regular. The boys basketball team qualified for the state playoffs the past two seasons.
Guys such as Kuzemchak, Schueltz and Caldwell have tasted that success as part of the football team. Now with their senior year nearing a conclusion, they want to add another chapter to Ligonier Valley’s successful sports program.
“We’re bringing back a wealth of experience, and we can’t really teach any situations that these guys haven’t already been through.” said Ligonier Valley coach Brett Marabito, a former standout player at Pitt-Johnstown. “The discipline they’ve built up from other sports, and the success they’ve had, they know how to work on their craft. They understand what it takes to be successful.”
Tags: Ligonier Valley
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