Foxes varsity baseball fever is back and hotter than ever
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- Published on Tuesday, 12 March 2013 18:14
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The Foxes have returned to the business of playing hard-nosed baseball. The King George High School baseball program is a living example that lightning will strike three times in the same place, provided you have the personnel to take you to the next level. Four years ago, Thad Reviello came to King George with a mission to re-energize the Foxes into a competitive program capable of winning a championship.
Not only did he change the mindset into a sustainable machine, but he successfully made the Foxes the most dominant team in area baseball.
“Last year was a culmination of the two previous seasons, where we had a group of seniors that have been brought along for a couple of years,” Reviello said.
In spite of rain, and limited access to the baseball field, the Foxes are hungrier than ever to reestablish their program as the top of the Battlefield District food chain. Never mind the fact that the Foxes are replacing six graduates, which includes the entire pitching staff.
Last season, Damion Carroll (1.3 E.R.A., 6-0 record, 96 strikeouts, 48 innings), Dustin Phillips and Lex Estes dominated hitters throughout the district with an uncanny ability to either shut-out or yield a limited about amount of runs.
This season the mound rotation equation changes, as junior Lane Ward will lead the Foxes into battle as their ace on the mound. The arms of senior Mark Antosz and sophomore Drew Berry will also add some flavor to the starting pitching rotation.
Most recently, during the baseball scrimmage opener, the Foxes defeated Massaponax, 5-3 over a span of 10 innings.
“I am super pleased with how we did,” Reviello said. “Although we’ve hit ground balls on the gym floor, and to a limited degree outside, we have not had a lot of time to practice on our infield.”
The Foxes’ entire pitching staff experience action in the Panther game, along with Drew Berry, Bailey Pierce and Billy Owen.
While the jury is still out on permanent positions, the following players will be featured in the infield: Zach Kegley, third base (returning First Team All-District); Matthew Hunt, short stop; Cody Bell, second base; Hunter Tolliver, catcher. Jay Buckner, Stephen Jenkins, Daniel Frederickson, and Lane Ward are among the players battling for outfield positions.
Reviello leads teams to reflect a working class attitude, where execution and accountability are paramount. The intangible of unity will come into play after the team has embedded its familiar swagger against opposing teams. “The more we get into our normal routine of running a normal practice, the unity factor and meshing will get even better,” Reviello said.
Regarding the constantly changing opposition within the district, Reviello remains cautiously optimistic. “If we go out there and take care of what we need to take care, we will be in the thick of things at the end of the season,” Reviello said.
Results of the Tuesday regular season opener against Washington & Lee were not available due to press deadlines.
Leonard Banks
Sports Editor
