Follow @pbrnewengland

With the 2020 spring season right around the corner, PBR New England is eagerly anticipating bringing the New England states the best high school coverage throughout the region.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2020 Team Preview, click here.

To view the whole list of 2020 Team Previews, click here.

Interested in attending a PBR New England event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2020 NH Spring Team Preview - Hopkinton

CONTOOCOOK, N.H. - Dave Chase has led Hopkinton to three Final Four appearances in the last five years. With just two graduates gone from last season’s state runners-up, the outlook is certainly bright for the 2020 squad.

“Defense and pitching should be team strengths,” noted Chase, who is 284-153 entering his 24th season at the helm, including a 16-5 record a year ago. “We are hoping the hitters will be a year better with strength and experience.”

Senior shortstop Mike Baer headlines the returnees coming off a .420 season in which Baer drove in 16, scored 15 times and stole 16 bases.

The senior trio of two-way players Sam Crawford, Sam Rawson and Colby Marshall are other key performers back for Hopkinton, which lost third baseman Caleb Yianakopolos and first baseman Larsen Burack from the 2019 team. Crawford, who missed his sophomore campaign with an injury, was 8-3 with a 1.26 ERA and 69 strikeouts, Rawson 3-1 - including one no-hitter - with a 3.60 ERA and 20 Ks while Marshall was 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA, fanning 17 in 14 innings on the mound.

At the plate, Crawford, an IF/C, hit .393 with 21 runs and 18 stolen bases; Rawson, an outfielder, .283 with 17 RBIs; and Marshall, another outfielder, .300 with 18 runs and 14 stolen bases.

More experience comes via Kevin Newton-Delgado, a 6-4 power-hitting outfielder who also pitches. Now a senior, Newton-Delgado averaged .328 with 24 runs, 19 RBIs and 17 steals in 2019.

Sophomores Peyton Marshall, Jack Morrall and Bryce Charron also return from a year ago. Marshall (OF/IF/P) hit .346 with 12 runs, Morrall (catcher) .189 and Charron (second baseman) .235. 

Junior Logan Briand, an infielder/pitcher, is another potential contributor after transferring in from Mascoma.

“Staying healthy, throwing strikes, playing good defense and getting the big hit when we need it,” are the keys to success according to Chase, whose Hawks were beaten 7-3 by White Mountain Regional in the Division 3 state championship game last season.

Hopkinton has had a nice run since Chase took over the program, winning state titles in 2000, 2012 and 2017 while also advancing to the Final Four in 1999, 2006, 2015 and 2016 in addition to the second-place showing a year ago.

“We should be competitive again in a league where there is a ton of very good pitching,” related Chase. “Teams like Cilford, Laconia and Campbell are among the top teams in the division and each of them have top college pitching commits.”