LIMESTONE – For the Eagle baseball team, 2011 may be what many would consider to be a building season. With only three seniors on the team, every game will provide an opportunity to gain valuable experience for the young squad.
Coach Brad Nadeau, along with his squad, have set some very realistic goals for the team.
“We are shooting to go .500 this season,” stated Nadeau. “We have a lot of up and coming talent, and I think we can be competitive on the diamond.” The Eagles have a mixture of local athletes and Maine School of Science and Mathematics students on the team, and they have come into the season with a very positive mind set.
In the early going, the Eagles find themselves with a 2-4 record, having beaten Class D opponents Van Buren and Ashland, while dropping contests to Southern Aroostook (twice), Central Aroostook and Fort Kent. They will face Central Aroostook again, and also have key games against Fort Fairfield, Madawaska and Washburn.
Senior captain Arron St. Pierre will be a key to the success that the Eagles face throughout the 2011 season. He has shown outstanding leadership both on and off the field, and with such a young team, this will be important each and every day. St. Pierre will pitch for the Limestone team and play first base as well.
MSSM senior student Zack Engel has been in attendance in Limestone for the past three years, but this is his first year on the team.
“This is his first year out to play,” stated Nadeau. “I truly wish that he would have come out sooner. He is a very strong third baseman who brings great batting and base running skills to the table.”
Senior Jack Westfall rounds out the senior class, and will battle for action in both the infield and the outfield.
The junior class will be anchored by captain Zach Cote. “He plays with his heart, and gives 100 percent every time he steps on the field,” stated Nadeau.
Defensively, Cote has been strong at first base, and he has also been a leader on the offensive side of the ball. Much of the Eagle success will hinge on Cote’s performance. Junior MSSM students Austin Dow-Smith and Henry Schuth have also worked hard and may see action in a variety of spots.
With seven sophomores on the team, the future will continue to look bright for the Eagles. Improvement each and every time out may well be the best measure of the value of the 2011 season. Nate Tucker is one of the leaders for this class. He may be the fastest player on the team, and once he gets on base, he will give opposing pitchers a lot to think about. Sophomore Cody Bryant has had a strong bat in the early going, and he hopes to continue that trend. Other members of this big sophomore class include Nick Whitehead, Brandon Thompson, Bret Butler and MSSM sophs Gabe Fournier and Charlie McDonald.
The freshman class is represented well also on the Eagle team. At the top of the list is Chris Bernier. An excellent pitcher, Bernier will be called on to deliver from the get go. He has an outstanding bat, and will see time at first base as well. Other members of the class include Tristan Kirk, Tyler Morgan and Brandon Nadeau. They will all compete for playing time, and should get better each time they play.
