The Varsity baseball team hopes to pick up where they left off last year after winning their section and being two outs away from going to the semi-finals of the WPIAL playoffs. Freedom, led by 11-year coach Steve Wetzel, returns eight starters from last season, giving them no reason to think that they cannot continue their success. Freedom’s pitching staff is anchored by senior left-hander Cole Lentz. Lentz recorded nine regular season wins last season and is one of the most feared pitchers in the county. Right-handers Danny O’Leary, Bryan McSorley and Riley Schwertz and lefty Jesse Johnston will add to this solid pitching staff. Playing behind the sturdy pitching staff is a solid infield and speedy outfield. Senior shortstop Jeremy Herzog leads this solid defense. “We do work,” Herzog, a starter since his freshman year, says. He is confident in the ability of Freedom’s defense for this season. On offense, Freedom was fairly solid last season. With an ensemble cast of quality hitters, opposing pitchers and coaches always feared who would step up for this Freedom line-up. The line-up is filled with a little bit of everything; O’Leary provided a majority of the power for Freedom last season hitting five homeruns, while Herzog and Lentz led the team in batting average. The speed in the line-up will be provided by juniors Derek Lehocky and Franzee Barlamas. Complacency should be the biggest fear for Freedom this season; Coach Wetzel knows his team has a target on his back. He said, “We’re the biggest game on everyone’s schedule. Everyone wants to knock off Freedom.” It will be up to the seven seniors to lead this team, and not become arrogant, so that Freedom may be hanging another number up on the banner this year.