SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PREVIEWS : DELPHIC LEAGUE

Buckley

COACH: Rick Weber, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 4-14; 4th in league, 4-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Weber coached from 1981-88 at league member Bel-Air Prep, so he knows the terrain. He sees pitching as the team strength. Left-hander Taryll Jackson was 4-2 in league play and accounted for all of the team’s wins last year as a freshman. Richard Haskin, a junior right-hander, also pitched a year ago, as did No. 3 starter Taj Jackson, a senior right-hander and Taryll’s brother. Steve Moon, a starter last year as a freshman, returns at catcher and gives the Griffins a young but strong battery. “He has a great arm and we expect big things from him,” Weber said. Taryll starts at first when not pitching and Taj starts at second. Junior Chris Irwin, a first-year player, starts at shortstop and senior third baseman Nick Sasano gives the team its punch. Sasano, who will bat cleanup, batted .410 as a junior. Outfielders include freshman Keith Armstrong and returning lettermen Chet Sherwood and David Wisnia, both seniors.

OUTLOOK: Pitching will determine whether the Griffins finish among the top three in the league and earn a postseason berth. “I’m optimistic,” Weber said. “I think we have the pitching staff to make the playoffs.”

Campbell Hall

COACH: Mike Wagner, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 1-15; 5th in league, 1-9

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Wagner envies the success of the Campbell Hall basketball team, which plays in the Southern Section V-AA Division final tonight, and would like to have some of the players from that team. In fact, he is counting on receiving three. Taylor Williams, C.J. Thompkins and Andrew Schwarz are still with the basketball team and all are projected starters for Wagner. Williams, a junior, will start at shortstop. Thompkins, a sophomore, will play in left field and Schwarz, a senior, starts at catcher. Newcomers include sophomore first baseman Joe Rainey and freshman outfielder John Lichterman. Brothers Sam and Ted Park return at second and in the outfield, respectively. Ted Park and Dave Schonfeld, both seniors, will alternate as pitchers. Matt Metzgar, a part-time designated-hitter as a junior last season, starts at third.

OUTLOOK: Wagner hopes that Williams, Thompkins and Schwarz can make the transition from basketball to more pastoral pursuits. “It’s gonna hurt not having them out there,” he said. “Hopefully, they can adapt quickly.” Beyond the starters, the Vikings are thin, but Wagner said he believes that a third-place finish in the six-team league and a playoff berth are not out of the question. “If everything falls into place,” he said, “we might be able to make it.”

Faith Baptist

COACH: Greg Weiss and Les Estrada, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 10-13; tied for 2nd in league, 7-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH: If the Contenders are to make a run at perennial league favorite and defending champion Crossroads, returning all-leaguers Darren Wyre and Alex Estrada will have to lead the way. The right-handed Wyre is the team’s top pitcher and Estrada bats leadoff and plays in center. “Alex is the Rickey Henderson of this level,” Weiss said. Estrada, an All-Southern Section basketball player, stole 36 bases and hit four home runs last year as a sophomore. Wyre, who also will catch, batted .333 as a sophomore. Backing up Wyre on the hill are a pair of untested freshmen, right-hander Chad Evanston and left-hander Clint Marcus. David Tibor, a sophomore, returns at first and senior John Miller is back at shortstop. Mike Jimenez, a freshman, will start at third. Lawrence Kennedy, a starter a season ago, returns in left field.

OUTLOOK: Last season, the Contenders were bogged down by the basketball team’s unprecedented success--the team won a Southern Section title. Consequently, Estrada, Wyre and Kennedy came out late for baseball. There will be no such problem this season because the basketball team was eliminated in the early rounds. Wyre picked up valuable experience playing for the Chatsworth American Legion team.