Stratford baseball coach John Chalus and the Knights enter another spring on the diamond with a solid cast.
They bring back one of their top pitchers, senior southpaw Chris Hanna, and a number of other key players from last season’s 18-6 team. But they only have three seniors, Chalus said.
“We’re kind of young,” he added. “The seniors have to show great leadership and we’re looking for them to step up… We’ve got a lot kids that will hopefully listen and learn.”
Hanna, a Citadel signee, gives the Knights a chance to win any game they’re in from the mound. As a junior, Hanna was 5-2 with a 0.98 earned-run average and 6-0 with a 1.63 ERA as a sophomore. He’s struck out 148 batters the last two seasons.
He will also play first base and right field this season.
Fellow senior Patric Limehouse returns to the mound too after going 3-2 last season. He also plays third base. Northwood Academy transfer Brandon Hester, a 6-5 right-hander, will bolster the pitching staff.
Replacing Josh Crout at catcher will be senior Ryan Kilgallen, a Citadel commitment. He played second base last season but is moving to his more natural position.  Crout was the team’s top hitter a year ago.
“He’s got really good hands,” Chalus said of Kilgallen. “He’s back where he likes to be.”
Hanna, Limehouse and Kilgallen were all part of a group that hit over .300 last season.
Their top performer returning at the plate is left-handed hitting Bobby Ison, the centerfielder. Last spring, he finished just under .400 and scored a team-high 24 runs.
Sophomore designated hitter/first baseman Chase Tidwell is back too after hitting .302 last spring. Junior shortstop Billy Motroni returns after hitting over .280 and scoring 15 runs.
Juniors R.J. Carte, Gary Mercado and Brandon Bodiford are in the running at second base and give the Knights a lot of depth up the middle on the infield. Junior Michael Gonzalas is also listed as one of the team’s second basemen.
Sophomore Austin Merriman will play third base when Limehouse pitches.
Sophomore Daniel Huskey is projected to start in left field and sophomore Marshall Snyder, sophomore Chad Johnson, junior Shawn Steen and junior Adam Kirtley will also play some in the outfield.
Sophomore Patrick Simmons may also play some at designated hitter and can also fill in behind the plate or at third base.
The Knights open the regular season March 12 at West Ashley and play at Colleton County March 15.
Other games in March are Fort Dorchester (17 – home), Beaufort (19 – away), James Island (22 – home), Goose Creek (24 – home), Wando (26 – away), Berkeley (29 – home) and Summerville (31 – away).