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South Kingstown

WAKEFIELD, R.I. - Success and the South Kingstown baseball program go hand in hand.

Over the past three years the Rebels have a 52-8 record, reaching the finals all three years capped off by a state title this past season.

“We’ve had a lot of good players that love the game of baseball and want to learn as much as they can,” explained veteran head coach Jim Sauro. “They play multi-sports, but they train year ‘round and stay dedicated to the game.”

Sauro knows a little bit about dedication. The South Kingstown head man has been at the school since 1979, winning a state championship in 2002 in addition to 2018. The Rebels have been to the Final 4 on 10 occasions in the past 16 years.

The outlook is bright in 2019 as well for South Kingstown, which won state in 1953 and 1955 way before Sauro took charge of the program.

“We have everyone back but two this year,” Sauro said. “We lost our DH and our number one pitcher who is at the University of Rhode Island.”

While Bo Brutti is now pitching for the Division I Rams, South Kingstown will be loaded this spring with nine key returnees led by three-time all-state catcher Blaine Lidsky. The 6-1 200-pounder, ranked 169th in the New England senior class, has committed to Stonehill.

A pair of other first-team all-state players are back in Broc French and Cole Podedworny. French, the 160th-ranked 2019 in New England, is an OF/LHP committed to Trinity College (Ct.). The 6-2 145-pound senior pitched the first game at state for the Rebels last year. Podedworny is a 6-2 185-pound first baseman headed to play next year at Rhode Island College.

Colin Egan and Hunter Roberts were both second team all-state a year ago and are also back to bring experience to this season’s lineup. Egan, a 5-9 170-pound center fielder rated 382nd in the 2019 class, is a University of Rhode Island recruit while Roberts, a 6-0 165-pound RHP/2B ranked 220th in the New England junior class, had an ERA less than 1.00 a year ago.

Four more players are back for the Rebels in senior Phil Ruhle, junior Sam Craven and sophomores Zac Zyons and Jack Wentworth. Ruhle, a 5-8 175-pound right-handed pitcher rated 325th in the senior class, has committed to Rhode Island College. Craven, a 6-0 148-pound RHP./3B ranked 401st, did not commit an error at third base last season. Zyons, “arguably the MVP at state” last year according to Sauro, is a 5-9 155-pound left-handed hitting shortstop rated 33rd in the New England 2021 class while Wentworth is a 6-2 155-pound left fielder ranked 113th.

“The strength of this team is good senior leadership, good pitching and excellent defense,” Sauro said. “I think we’re better than last year except we don’t have a kid throwing 90. But it all has to come together.

“Chemistry and desire are the concerns. Do they still want to work like they did? Are they still willing to put in the effort? The talent is there.”

A new format is being used in Division I this year in Rhode Island, with 20 teams broken into IA and IB sub brackets.

“We’d like to capitalize on last year and continue moving forward,” Sauro said about expectations for this year. “We have senior leadership but can they keep it together? Spring is a tough season. There’s Senior Night and graduation. You have to commit to the team and miss functions the normal student goes to. You have to sacrifice for the team.”

There is one more thing Sauro points to as part of success.

“A little luck helps.”