The 2018 Deer Isle-Stonington baseball team includes, in front from left, Myles Brown, Jacob Gell, Cole Brown,
Steven Cochrane and Silas Bates; back, Tyson Rice, Trevor Bubar, Mason Oliver, Nathan Winchester, coach
Scott Oliver, assistant coach Perry Astbury, Tobey Snow, Kinsey Bartlett, Robby Turner and Dylan Steele. By Jack Scott
By Jack Scott
The boys baseball team features a similar mix of seniors and freshmen that the basketball team had. With many of the players back from a team that lost a close game in the playoffs and some talented freshmen, rookie coach Scott Oliver is looking ahead for a good season and making the playoffs again.
Coach Oliver is a bit nervous to be coaching at the varsity level but has helped coach at many levels leading up to high school. He has a good rapport with the core of seniors, who he feels are helping the freshmen step up to varsity play, and he likes the way the team is working hard.
The seniors include Mason Oliver at pitcher, utility, and catcher, Silas Bates at pitcher and infield, Nathan Winchester at third base and catching, Steve Cochrane at outfield, Robby Turner at outfield, Kinsey Bartlett at outfield, Tyson Rice and Trey Plummer at utility positions. Tobey Snow is the only junior and he will play at first base and pitching.
There are no sophomores and the freshmen include Cole Brown, Myles Brown, and Dylan Steele who all will see some pitching and possibly infield or outfield. Also, Trevor Bubar at outfield, Nathan Thompson at catcher, and Jacob Gell at outfield.
As always, these positions are a work in progress so early in the season. Coach Oliver is optimistic. We have many players who have shown good prowess in pitching, which is critical now that pitchers in baseball are limited to a pitch count.
Unfortunately, what preseason scrimmage we had set up fell through, but we have been practicing hard with what the weather will allow us. The key will be getting the freshmen to step up to varsity speed. If we can manage to do that with a quick learning curve, we should improve on our good season last year and find ourselves in the playoffs once again.