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2020 NH Spring Team Preview - John Stark

WEARE, N.H. - Optimism is high at John Stark with the top two pitchers returning from the best baseball season in school history.

“That will definitely be what carries us this year,” related John Stark head coach Dennis Pelletier.

Senior Brett Patnode, an American International College commit, was first team all-state a year ago after striking out 69 in 45 innings on the mound with a 5-2 record, two saves and a 2.02 ERA. When not pitching the left-handed hitting Patnode, who averaged .407 with 24 runs scored and 12 stolen bases in 2019, will move over from third baseman a year ago to first base this season.

Austin Hazzard, a right-handed pitcher who plays right field as well, is also back after a 4-1 campaign with 32 Ks in 31 innings and a 2.26 ERA. Hazzard averaged .346 at the dish a year ago.

“This could be a big year for Austin with colleges,” Pelletier said of the 283rd-ranked junior in New England.

Senior right-hander Tryten Williams brings depth to the Generals, which must replace Nathan Isabelle who was 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA in 40 innings last season.

Help comes in junior pitcher Alex Moore, a move-in from Virginia who is also in the middle infield plans.

“We expect key contributions from him offensively,” noted Pelletier.

It was a big year at the plate in 2019 for John Stark, which had eight guys average better than .300 during a 16-3 year that ended with a loss in the state semifinals, the farthest the program has ever gone.

“Almost every year I’ve been here we’ve had an ace,” pointed out the seventh-year head coach. “What I’m most proud of is how we’ve improved our offensive output. Last year we hit .340 as a team and scored 166 runs. It was a really good season.”

Sophomore lead-off hitter Nathan Innerfield, a left-handed batter who was a third-team all-state selection a year ago, is back after averaging .463 with 11 stolen bases and a .574 on-base percentage. Innerfield will move to center field this season and also pitch.

More experience comes in the way of junior shortstop Brady Philibotte, a .244 hitter last season with a .417 on-base percentage.

“He’s a gamer,” Pelletier said of the team’s leading hitter in legion ball during the summer. “He works his butt off and doesn’t make errors.”

The biggest concern is behind the plate after the graduation of catcher Aaron Robertson, a .351 batter with two home runs and 19 runs scored.

“This is the first year in a while that we don’t have a top-line catcher,” Pelletier pointed out.

Carter Pike, a two-year starter at second base, is expected to move to catcher this year.

“A big piece to the roster is Carter Pike at catcher,” Pelletier said about the .347 hitter a year ago. ”That’s been one of John Stark’s best positions. Carter has a great baseball mind and is a hard-working kid and he seems energized. It’s an integral piece to us being a highly-competitive team,”

One large addition to help fill the void of graduates like Rian Queen (.404) and Jake Cole (.361) is Nathan Tower joining the program. A quarterback on the football team, the left-handed hitting junior brings athleticism to the outfield.

Pelletier, who has brought success to a program that had not made the playoffs in a decade prior to his arrival, is also counting on a pair of juniors, third baseman/pitcher Cam Bergeron and left-handed hitting Ben McKeen.