For the first time since 1977 a Perry High School varsity baseball season will begin without Mike Long serving as head coach.
Long’s assistant, Austin Daniels, has stepped into the role, a position he will hold for just one season, as he has taken a teaching job out of the district beginning in August.
However, Daniels insisted, that does not mean he will not be giving everything he has into making the 2019 season a successful one.
“I can’t ask the kids to give me 110 percent if I am not willing to do the same,” he said. “We will need to hit better for sure, will need the defense to be better in key spots, but mostly need the pitching to come through, but that (pitching) is the key for everyone, not just us.”
The Bluejays were 9-12 overall last summer, with an 8-5 mark in Raccoon River Conference play. Low numbers meant a restricted junior varsity schedule and offered little flexibility in the lineup, both offensively and defensively, but Daniels said the participation numbers are stronger this year.
“We have plenty of experience coming back and I think that is only going to help us,” he said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t have a good year.”
Juniors Keghan West and Avery Meister are the only pitchers returning with any kind of measurable time on the hill.
West was 2-5 with a save in 35-2/3 innings last year. He had an ERA of 5.3, with opposing batters hitting .256.
Meister tossed 20-2/3 frames, suffering one loss and collecting one save. Batters hit .269 off Meister, who finished with an ERA of 5.42.
Junior Kato Dougan will likely see time on the mound as could senior Kaleb Olejniczak.
Olejniczak was the spark at the top of the lineup batting .364 with 24 hits and 19 runs scored. He had two doubles, three triples and two homer runs while driving in 13 runs and walking seven times. Olejniczak was retired on strikes only three times as a junior.
Senior Justin Stammer (.241), along with Dougan (.208) will be asked to play more of a role in helping Perry score runs, as the Jays were outscored 137-96 in 2018.
Seniors Alex Morales and Quinn Helmers will be called upon to provide quality play, with fellow senior Connor Kenyon returning behind the plate.
Perry opens play tonight at Roland-Story, with North Polk to visit Progressive Field Tuesday before Perry travels to Greene County Thursday.
