by DAVE FACINOLI

Staff Writer

The Langley Saxons may not have the star players of past seasons, but head coach Jeff Ferrell is excited about his high school squad nonetheless.

BASEBALL PREVIEW

The Saxons, who finished 14-10 a year ago and lost in the Liberty District tourney championship game to Madison, are scheduled to open their season Friday at home against Chantilly.

“I think this could be the group because they are very coachable, they listen and they work,” Ferrell said. “We aren’t the greatest athletes, but these guys compete together and there are no clicks on this team.”

The strength of the Saxons could be its two returning right-handed starting pitchers. They are senior Russell Blankinship and junior Jimmy Saris. “I’ll stack those two up against anybody’s top two in the district,” Ferrell said. “Both have improved a lot since last season and they have a lot of experience.”

Blankinship and Saris will play shortstop and third when not pitching. Junior left-handers Chuck Eller and Josh Yearout and sophomore lefty Brendan DiBari are Langley’s other top pitchers.

Eller will start again in center field and junior Nick Zahra returns to start behind the plate.

Other starters for Langley could be sophomore Alex Dadisman at first, junior Kyle Fraser in right field, freshman Tommy Tysse at shortstop, senior Adam Hoffer at second, juniors Robert O’Connor and Trey Olcott in the outfield, seniors Joey Love and Danny McLean in the outfield, and senior Nick Houston in the outfield once he recovers from an injury. Junior Kevin Ruggirello is a pitcher and outfielder.

“I think pitching will be our strength and I’m optimistic about our hitting because we hit well in our scrimmages,” Ferrell said. “We don’t have much depth, though.”