SWAMPSCOTT — The bats — and even the weather — are starting to heat up for Swampscott’s baseball team as it prepares for opening day on April 1 against Essex Tech.
Like others, the Big Blue had to start in the gym as fields were being prepared. Progress is still being made down the lineup, according to head coach Joe Caponigro.
Swampscott will have 45 players spread out across freshman, junior varsity, and varsity rosters. The team graduated seven seniors, but returned a large junior class that is ready for one last swing.
“We have a lot of senior leadership . . . all very high-character young men,” Caponigro said. “Our staff is excited to have them for another season.”
There are a couple of things Caponigro is looking forward to this spring, starting with Adam Sparacio, a senior who has battled a recurring brain tumor throughout high school.
“At this point, the No. 1 thing that I am personally looking forward to is getting senior leader Adam Sparacio back with the club, hopefully sometime in April. Adam’s presence in any classroom, any team, any room he walks into instantly makes that a better place — a better situation. So, we are all looking forward to his return,” Caponigro said. “The next thing that I am looking forward to is having the climate and field conditions cooperate so that we can start practicing outside on a baseball field.”
Last spring, Swampscott finished with a 9-11 record. Five of those losses were decided by two or fewer runs.
Caponigro hopes to change that.
“Although it was encouraging to know that we were in so many games last season that didn’t ultimately go our way, we need to be able to crack that code this year,” he said. “The glaring fact is that we did not get the timely, situational hitting when we needed it with runners on base. Our focus, offensively, is to put the ball in play with authority and good, positive production will follow.”
Players Caponigro believes are ready for the challenge are Caden Ross, Michael Collins, Jamison Ford, Chase Groothuis, Connor Chiarello, Cooper Correnti, Aidan Brown, Paul Calsimitto, Dylan Difilippo, David Palmer, and Sparacio.
“We have several veteran guys on the team who have had significant playing time since their freshman and sophomore seasons, and I expect them to not only lead us statistically, but also to set the barometer for the younger guys on the team and in the program,” Caponigro said.
Although it’s too early to tell if any underclassmen will play major roles, Caponigro pointed to sophomore Luc Tardif as a player who is showing promise.
Caponigro’s message to his players: stay grateful.
“Be grateful for the opportunity that you have to play this game and never, ever take anything for granted,” Caponigro said. “Show up with passion, energy, and the desire to get better individually. But more importantly, as a unit and be a great teammate.”
