Saugus baseball team has a different look for the upcoming season

The Saugus High baseball team underwent some changes during the off-season including the hiring of a new coach, Rich Angelo, to replace Pat Petrone, who had been at the Saugus helm for more than 30 years.Angelo spent the last three years as an assistant to the North Andover High baseball coach. He also has experience in basketball, which he played at Holy Cross, graduating in 1985.”It’s been a feeling-out process,” Angelo said. “I’ve seen the kids a lot. They’ve been working hard.”Angelo will be counting on his tri-captains, Christian Fabrizio, Vinny Talluto and John Moore, to help make the transition a smooth one. Fabrizio plays second base and pitches. Talluto is the returning third baseman and Moore is back in the outfield.A spin around the Saugus infield finds K.J. Mills, who didn’t start last year, at first base; Fabrizio at second and sophomores Ty Kennedy and Dan Groark at shortstop. Kennedy played second base last year. Groark will be at short depending on who’s pitching. Talluto will get the call at third.A look at the outfield and you find junior Dave Witham, a transfer from Malden Catholic, in center field, Moore in left and Ryan Chisholm, Mike Green and Nick Freehling battling it out for right. Sophomore Steve Blaney and senior Paul Andrews will battle it out for the job behind the plate.Also looking to make an impact this season will be senior infielder Joe Sacco; freshman Dominick DiPesa (the only freshman on varsity) and junior Connor Norton.The Sachems will be a little green in the pitching department, but Angelo has been encouraged by what he’s seen during the preseason. The rotation will include Norton, Kennedy, Groark and DiPesa.”Our pitching is going to be young,” Angelo said. “None of them saw significant time last year ? We have a good (overall) mix of senior leadership and young, very good talent. We know what the upperclassmen can do. We’re going to rely heavily on the younger kids to carry a lot of weight this year. Their time’s coming. I think they’re ready.”Saugus finished 11-9 last year and lost in the first round of the state tournament to Greater Lowell, 1-0.Angelo’s varsity assistant coach is Len Ferrari, who coached the freshmen last year. Jim O’Connor, who was a teammate of Angelo’s on the Holy Cross baseball team, is the pitching coach.The Sachems open the season with a non-league game against Stoneham April 6 at World Series Park. They’ve already scrimmaged Bedford, Wakefield and North Andover and, conditions permitting, Saugus has scrimmages lined up with Melrose on Thursday and North Andover on Friday.