By Lorenzo Recupero
Head coach: Joe Lento Jr.
Coaching experience: 6th season
Overall record: 53-52
Team record last season: 6-14
Playing field: Natural grass (Glendale Park field)
Returning starters: 1
Team concerns: Overall inexperience
Team strengths: Enthusiasm, pitching
Players to watch: Senior pitcher, Jason Hennessey; junior first baseman, Greg Reed; jr. shortstop, Alex Brown; Jr. catcher, Jonathan Fitzgerald.
Outlook: Last year was the first under head coach Joe Lento that the Crimson Tide missed the playoffs, mostly due to the team’s inability to “close out” close games.
Coach Lento attributed that to stiffer pitching competition in the North Eastern Conference (NEC), the league all EHS teams are now apart of after moving from the Greater Boston League.
But the road back to the postseason won’t be an easy task with the loss of eight starters from a year ago to graduation.
With a very young and inexperienced team, coach Lento will look to lean on the leadership and work ethic of senior pitcher Jason Hennessey.
“He’s a location pitcher that rarely walks and allows his defense to do the work. He’s economical with his pitches and can throw a strike,” said Lento of his Ace on the mound.
So look for Hennessey to lead the charge in a redemption year for the Tide. If he can find his footing, and the younger teammates follow suit, maybe a NEC title is in the cards?