Winthrop baseball aims for a return to tournament

Coach Frank DeMarco, who?s served as the head coach of the Winthrop baseball team for 17 years, says that while the Vikings made the playoffs last season, he believes his team “could have played better.” The squad finished the season 7-14 overall.
The new and returning members of the Vikings will have some big shoes to fill, with the team losing a total of seven seniors after the 2014 season — a group that includes outfielders Cody Wasson and Brendan Van Dalinda, pitchers Stephen Goddard and Chris Fucillo, along with catcher James Baxter, third baseman Ben Spinnazola and Zack Mills.
?We will be a younger team and have lost a lot of outfielders along with the leadership of [those] seniors,” DeMarco said. “They were a great group of players and kids.”
The Vikings will look to some key players to lead their push back to the tournament. In the infield, shortstop and four-year starter Dylan Driscoll will be a veteran presence, while Robert Fisher, a returning starter at second base, “plays all-out all the time,” according to his coach. The Vikings will have some versatility in Mike Rich, who the coach says “can play anywhere.”
?We are looking for a big step up from Mike,” DeMarco said.
While they did lose a couple of arms with Goddard and Fucillo graduating, pitching will still be a strength for the Vikings this season.
?We feel we have pitchers who will throw strikes and get their curveball over,” said DeMarco.
One of the key pitchers to watch for is Jack Wallace, who DeMarco said “has the ability to compete against any team in the league.”
Another facet of the game where the Vikings excel is on the basepaths. DeMarco cites the “above-average team speed” as one of the squad?s strengths.
Though he?s making no early predictions as to what the team?s record may be this season, DeMarco expects his team to play “every out of every game as hard as [it] can.”
The team is facing similar challenges as other schools across the league. The players have no idea when they?ll be able to practice outside. With the diamond covered in snow, DeMarco says that being confined inside is an obstacle.
?Being inside for an extended period creates a challenge to keep the players focused,” DeMarco said. “We will try to vary our workouts while we wait for the snow to melt.”
Assuming that the field is playable, the Vikings will open their season on April 2, taking on O?Bryant.Katie Morrison can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @KatieMo61