Experience isn’t an issue for the Skyline baseball team this season.
The Spartans return 11 seniors to their lineup from a group that went 12-4 in the KingCo 3A last year and 16-7 overall.
“We’ve got some good athletes,” head coach Chris Tamminen said. “I think on paper we should be pretty strong, but you’ve still got to throw strikes, hit the ball and play catch.”
Skyline won the regular-season KingCo 3A title last year, but fell short in the league tournament with two losses to Liberty. Tamminen said the experience was tough, but the past is the past.
“I’m just looking forward to this year,” he said, noting every game will be a test in the newly formed KingCo 4A. “The competition you’re going to have game in and game out is going to be pretty incredible.”
Key to success in a tough league will be pitching — and the Spartans have a key returner in junior Adrian Sampson. He went 6-0 as a sophomore with a 1.46 ERA and 38 strikeouts — the second most in the league. Senior Blake Fulghum also provides depth on the mound. He went 3-2 with a 1.68 ERA and 25 strikeouts. Senior Jared Lemke was hurt last season, but is expected to help out significantly. While the starting rotation is locked in, the Spartans will need some younger players to fill in.
“We’re going to need some guys to step up,” Tamminen said. “We’re going to need a third starter, and a couple of relief guys to step up and really help us out, no doubt about that.”
Skyline also brings back some big bats, including Ryan Somers (IF/OF). The senior was third in the league last year in batting average (.449) and runs scored (17). Senior utility player Will Chandler hit .393 for the Spartans last season and senior outfielder Jake Knecht hit .341.
Other key senior returners to this year’s team include: Jacob Shannon (UTL), Sean Ellis (C/INF), Tony Beattie (P/INF), Ryan Gilchrist (INF/OF), Kyle McGowan (OF) and Chris Hedberg (INF/P). Junior Anthony DeMatteo (OF) and junior Sean Penberthy (OF/P) also bring back varsity experience.
Tamminen said he likes the athleticism and defensive potential his team brings to the field this year. Competing against the likes of old foes Newport and Issaquah, along with new obstacles like Redmond and Lake Washington, Tamminen knows it will be a tough battle, but he also knows he can expect one thing from his team.
“Our thing is to play a hard seven and compete,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to do, that’s always are motto, our goal, to play a hard seven and compete.”
Skyline opens its season at 3:45 p.m., Monday, March 16 at home against non-league Mt. Rainier.
