Flyers seek return atop the FC
Mar. 29—NORWALK — Just a pitch or two.
Or maybe it was a swing or two.
Last season, the St. Paul baseball team came up one pitch — or swing — shy of winning a fifth consecutive Firelands Conference championship. But a pair of one-run losses to eventual FC champion South Central, including one in extra innings, saw the Flyers finish one game out of first place.
It was the first time since the 2016 season that St. Paul wasn't atop the FC. But with eight letter winners — including three all-league players returning in 2023 — the Flyers are hoping to return to the top.
The Flyers finished 17-10 overall and 11-3 in the FC in 2022, also winning a sectional championship and finished district runners-up to Tiffin Calvert in Division IV.
"The league will be competitive this year," fourth-year head coach Aaron Fries said. "I think Crestview is the favorite because of all the experience they have returning, and a championship pedigree gained from football and basketball titles.
"Western Reserve and Mapleton have really good athletes, South Central has the best player — and Plymouth has some good pieces back to build around. Hopefully with some strong consistent play, we can find ourselves in the conversation come May."
St. Paul (1-1) opened the season with a 13-0 win in five innings at Tiffin Calvert on March 27, then followed with a 3-2 loss to St. Mary Central Catholic on Tuesday.
Both games showed about what Fries expected entering the season.
The Flyers have another bonafide staff ace in junior Kole Maxwell, but hitting with runners in scoring position was a concern.
Both rang true in each game, as St. Paul allowed just three runs on nine hits with one error in 12 innings — but didn't win both games.
Maxwell is coming off an honorable mention All-FC sophomore season that saw him finish 3-1 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 innings of work. He struck out 28 and walked 16. In Monday's opener, he struck out 10 in four scoreless innings at Hopewell.
In Tuesday's loss to SMCC, the Flyers also got four scoreless innings from Drew Kuhnle, who was 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 24 innings of work last season. Ashton Stang is likely the third starter, and he was 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA in limited work last spring.
In the loss, the Flyers stranded eight baserunners.
"Pitching has been really good, and our young infield is really taking shape to go along with an experienced athletic outfield," Fries said. "Offensively we have been solid, we just need to be a bit better with runners in scoring position."
St. Paul will be led offensively by senior Thomas Zuccaro. The All-FC first team selection batted .372 with a double, two triples, 17 RBIs and stole 14 bases in 2022. Just as important, the second team District 9 selection made just one error and had a .995 fielding percentage as the team's catcher.
The other regular senior to the lineup is Luke Blum, who is still rehabbing a torn labrum injury. He hit .333 with three doubles and 21 RBIs last season. The All-FC second team selection was also 2-1 with a 2.07 ERA in 23-plus innings on the mound.
Maxwell hit .247 with five doubles, two home runs and 21 RBIs a year ago, while Stang, a junior, hit .273 with four doubles and 18 RBIs.
Other returning juniors include outfielder Ben Burger (.370, five RBIs), Kuhnle (.271, 10 RBIs), and third baseman Alex Weaver (.245, 13 RBIs). Sophomore Jacob Bocock also brings back varsity experience from a year ago.
Senior Jacob Roth, junior Dan Schwan, sophomores Gavin Thurston, Brock Houck and Nolan McCall; and freshman Landon Fries round out the roster.
"Overall, I am really pleased with what I have seen so far," Fries said. "We are not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination, but the pieces are there for us to make a run at a conference title and a deep tournament run."
