By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

Last spring the Holliston baseball team put together their best season in some 32 years. 

The Panthers went 14-7 during the regular season capturing the Tri-Valley League Championship, their first since 1991. Unfortunately, Holliston eventually fell in the Round of 16 to Plymouth North, 4-1. 

According to coach Joe Santos, last year’s senior group was one that he had coached since they were 11 years old in travel ball, and they specifically told him back then that by the time they were seniors in high school they were going to be the ones to win the TVL for Holliston. 

Santos has lost six seniors, all lineup bats, as the Panthers gear up for the upcoming season. Despite the big losses in the lineup, Santos returns every single pitcher that he had in his arsenal last season. This leads the Coach to believe that this year may be his deepest and potentially the best staff in Holliston history; even better than the 1987 State Championship team.

“This year’s team will be a little bit different, but the pitching will allow us to come on slower. We won’t have to hit the cover off the ball, until we are able to get comfortable at the plate,” Coach said. “As a coach I like to be conservative and not overuse our arms. We have 13 arms on the varsity team and will use as many of them as possible.”

Leading the team into battle will be two of the three senior captains in Jake Schoenberg, who has pitched in three big playoff games for the Panthers and will be pitching for Saint Anselm in New Hampshire next year, and Teddy Peters, who will be heading to Brandeis University in Waltham. The two hurlers are each competing in their fourth year on the varsity squad. 

According to Santos, Schoenberg is the team’s ace and throws 86-87 and possesses a good slider, while his counterpart (Peters) has fantastic command locating his pitches, can change speed and allows minimal damage. 

“As I said before, I worry about arms and don’t want to overextend them, so Jake will pitch the last game of the week and Teddy will get the game in the middle,” Santos said. “Leaving the first game to go to third year junior Arav Prajapati, who up until this year was primarily a pitcher, but this year we will be trying to get him some at-bats as well.”

Prajapati will bring what the coach believes to best the best change-up that he has seen at the high school level over the past 13 years. He too will be pitching for a college team next year, but at this time is still weighing his options being only a junior.

The final of the tri-captains is another big arm in Albert Savino. The lefty comes at batters with a low arm slot and is a bulldog on the mound, hurling an incredible fastball and a wipeout slider. He will be pitching at UCONN at Avery Point in Groton Connecticut next season.

Another lefty that will take the mound this spring for Holliston is junior Brent Kiley. Last season he was given an opportunity on a few occasions, but this spring Santos is hoping that he takes his breaking ball to the next level. Another junior who pitched some big innings for the Panthers was Evan Kuharich. The Holliston coach is looking for him to continue to pound the zone and attack hitters in his expanded role this year.

When the season opens, Santos and his staff will be looking to the strength of the team on the mound until the bats can get figures out. While that is working out, the coach knows that Schoenberg and Peters will continue to be a big part of the team’s offensive identity and run production. 

Brad Andreola will be moving over to centerfield from last year’s left field position and is currently being penciled in as the team’s leadoff hitter.

“He’s a game changer with speed, one of the fastest kids in the league,” Santos said. “In the outfield he’ll be able to track balls down with ease and on the basepaths he will be our table setter.”

Another returning junior will be Sam Schoenberg, who will vacate his second base position from a year ago and move into the shortstop role this season. According to the coach, he is a Division 1 prospect playing in the middle of the field as he is a very talented athlete with a great skill set. The younger Schoenberg is one of the team’s hardest throwers and the Coach is looking at the potential of using him as a closer. Although Santos likes the possibility of having him close out games, the junior has much more value playing shortstop for the team.

Behind the plate will be yet another junior in Drew Kafka. The Holliston catcher was responsible for spearheading the team’s run down the stretch. After Holliston found themselves on a four-game losing streak, Kafka got the team moving in the right direction and the Panthers were able to put together a nine -game winning streak. 

Sitting behind a three-year starter, the young catcher had to wait his turn and take his role in stride, but when given the opportunity he executed on the field behind all his hard work.

As the new season gets underway, the Holliston skipper knows that his team is a hard-working group of individuals who have already changed the culture of Holliston baseball.

“This is a very humble group of young men and behind the leadership of their captains are looking to improve upon their game from a year ago,” Santos said. “Leading by example they are showing the younger kids how it’s done, and they’re excited about the year ahead of us. We have a lot to replace, but with attitude and leadership they’ll make up for it.”

Santos is hoping that his team plays the right way each and every time the cross the lines and step onto the diamond.

“As coaches we harp and preach this on a regular basis,” the Coach said. “If you do this, the rest will take care of itself. I’d be lying if I didn’t say this group of individuals is very hungry and ready to repeat.”

If the Holliston arms can keep other teams at bay until the bats can come alive, the Panthers should be able to find themselves in the hunt for capturing their second straight league title and hopefully making a deep run through the State Tournament.