FILE PHOTO
Jimmy Alcott will be one of the main cogs in the Saugus machine this spring.
By HAROLD RIVERA
SAUGUS — With a new face at the helm, the Saugus High baseball team is ready to build a strong season this spring.
This offseason, the school hired Joe Luis to lead the Sachems, and so far he’s enjoying the opportunity to get to know his players.
“Everybody’s trying to get to know each other,” Luis said. “I’m getting to know them, they’re getting to know me. There’s a lot of new faces, we have some sophomores getting to play.
“We have some hockey guys and basketball guys getting back with their baseball buddies,” he said. “We’re just taking each day as it comes to learn each other’s personalities and make it all mesh together.”
Luis and the Sachems are taking things slow in practice, as the goal is for the players to get back to the baseball basics.
“We’ve been looking over the players to see who’s making varsity and junior varsity,” Luis said. “It’s been a lot of evaluating to see where everyone’s ending up.”
Leading the Sachems this spring will be four skilled captains in seniors Jimmy Alcott (shortstop, pitcher), Brendan Ronan (right fielder) and Nick Rusconi (first baseman), and junior Mike Mabee (catcher, infielder).
Other players expected to play a key role this spring include Steve Ruggiero (third base,pitcher), Steve Pettenati (pitcher), Justin Horvath (pitcher) and Nick Dascoli (catcher).
Luis noted that the Sachems could potentially field six seniors in their starting nine, meaning that experience will be one of the team’s strengths this spring.
“We just to battle hard and be in every game,” Luis said. “I’m not really putting any expectations on the team. We have a senior-loaded team. It’s up to them. The seniors can control their destiny. They can be as good as they want to be.”
In the end, however, it’ll come to down to pitching and defense. If Saugus can throw strikes and make the plays on defense, the Sachems will have a good chance to win.
“Pitching and defense will be 90 percent of the game,” Luis said. “It’s the most important part of the program. If we can pitch and play defense, we’ll do ok. If we can’t do that, it’s going to be a battle.”
Due to weather, Saugus hasn’t been able to get outdoors for practice. The Sachems are hoping to do so for a handful of scrimmages that are scheduled to start next week. They’ll take on Wakefield on April 5, followed by scrimmages against Melrose on April 6 and Georgetown on April 7.
“That’s going to be really the first time I get a good look at these guys,” Luis said. “Some of the coaches that came back have a good reading on it.”
Luis added, “Once I get to see the kids in a live situation I’ll get a good read on them with where they should go and belong. We finished around .500 last season, so my expectation is to do better than that and make the state tournament. That’s our goal and we’ll take it from there.”
Assisting Luis on the coaching staff are Dave Ruggiero, Jarret Barbarick, Steve Elmquist and former Saugus American Little League World Series catcher Tyler Calla.
Saugus opens the season on April 10 against Everett.
