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East Greenwich

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. - For the first time in 17 years, East Greenwich failed to make the playoffs last season. Veteran head coach Bob Downey feels the Avengers will get back on track in 2019 after starting six first-year varsity players a year ago, including four freshmen.

“Last year was a rebuilding mode,” explained Downey, now in his 19th season in charge of the program. “This year we want to get in the attack mode, get a lead early and play good baseball behind some solid pitching. If we can score five or six runs a game, we can win.”

A trio of left-handers are being counted on to carry East Greenwich on the mound this year. Senior Pat Shea and junior Tyghe Healy are expected to be at the top of the rotation. Shea, a four-year starter who plays first base when not pitching, had 28 strikeouts in 27 innings last year while batting 306. Healy, a 6-1 175-pounder ranked 146th in New England and a member of Team Connecticut at the 2018 Future Games, had three wins with a 2.97 ERA for the Avengers last spring.

“Our whole staff will be the strength of this year’s team, they’re all lefties,” noted Downey, who started coaching at the school in 2001 when East Greenwich was Division II, but the avengers moved up to Division I five years later.

Dan Prior, a 6-3 200-pound lefty who had three saves and an ERA just above 3.00 as a freshman, is expected to be the number three pitcher for Downey, who has taken the Avengers to five Final Fours with an overall record of 215-170 at East Greenwich.

“Pitching and defense will be keys this season, along with being aggressive base runners,” Downey said. “We don’t have a lot of power, but if we’re smart on the bases we’ll be there.”

A pair of experienced sophomores are being looked at as leaders offensively this spring for East Greenwich. Shortstop Jack McMullen hit 285 last year before an injury brought an early end to his season while classmate CJ Coppola was the DH in every game of the 2018 campaign.

“We still have a lot of youth in there and we’re still learning, but we’re shooting to get back to the playoffs,” Downey said.

That is where others will have to step up for a team that was one win short of the playoffs a year ago, finishing with a 6-12 record.

Senior Sam Lewin, a lacrosse player and the fastest member of the team, batted 280 after returning to play baseball last year. Lewin, a left-hander, will be in center field and can also provide pitching depth. Junior outfielder Conrad Swanson is being counted on to start for the first time this year.

“We’re looking to contend for the division,” noted Downey, whose Avengers play in Division IB. “Pitching and defense win games. Our program knows that’s what we need to do if we’re getting into the playoffs.”