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GEORGETOWN, DEL. —
Just like the weather as schools release students for the summer, American Legion baseball is heating up and swinging into action.
Locally, two teams are taking the diamond this summer, as the Sussex East Warriors will play out of Dagsboro at Indian River High School and Spooner Post will host visitors at Sports at the Beach.
Although both clubs feature relatively young rosters, they expect to compete for playoff berths and possibly a state title.
“Our plan is to win it all,” Warriors manager Tony Dibou said. “Although we don’t have a lot of experienced players, our only senior is Zach Moeser, I think we have great team chemistry.”
That chemistry had to come together quickly, as Sussex East was not even going to field a team until three weeks before the season began. Since then, the club has practiced nearly every other day and even won its first contest of the season 9-0 over Milford.
Along with unity, Dibou said his club’s abundance of pitching is a team strength. Although the Warriors do not have a shutdown ace, they have up to 10 arms that can toe the bump and Dibou plans to take a unique approach with his rotation.
“I don’t think you’ll see any pitcher go a complete game for us this year,” said the manager. “Instead, we’re going to let guys go two or three innings each during games.”
Spooner, which does have its share of veterans – including former Sussex Central great Stevie Bull and recently graduated Golden Knight Mike Schlitter – will not take the same approach on the mound.
Despite also lacking a true ace, manager Pete McCarthy said his staff is solid and the club’s offense should keep it in any game.
“We’ve got some guys who can change games with their bats,” McCarthy said. “Our offense has the potential to score runs all the way through the lineup.”
If it does, McCarthy thinks Spooner (3-1 overall, 2-0 South) will be a dangerous team in the playoffs.
Just like the weather as schools release students for the summer, American Legion baseball is heating up and swinging into action.
Locally, two teams are taking the diamond this summer, as the Sussex East Warriors will play out of Dagsboro at Indian River High School and Spooner Post will host visitors at Sports at the Beach.
Although both clubs feature relatively young rosters, they expect to compete for playoff berths and possibly a state title.
“Our plan is to win it all,” Warriors manager Tony Dibou said. “Although we don’t have a lot of experienced players, our only senior is Zach Moeser, I think we have great team chemistry.”
That chemistry had to come together quickly, as Sussex East was not even going to field a team until three weeks before the season began. Since then, the club has practiced nearly every other day and even won its first contest of the season 9-0 over Milford.
Along with unity, Dibou said his club’s abundance of pitching is a team strength. Although the Warriors do not have a shutdown ace, they have up to 10 arms that can toe the bump and Dibou plans to take a unique approach with his rotation.
“I don’t think you’ll see any pitcher go a complete game for us this year,” said the manager. “Instead, we’re going to let guys go two or three innings each during games.”
Spooner, which does have its share of veterans – including former Sussex Central great Stevie Bull and recently graduated Golden Knight Mike Schlitter – will not take the same approach on the mound.
Despite also lacking a true ace, manager Pete McCarthy said his staff is solid and the club’s offense should keep it in any game.
“We’ve got some guys who can change games with their bats,” McCarthy said. “Our offense has the potential to score runs all the way through the lineup.”
If it does, McCarthy thinks Spooner (3-1 overall, 2-0 South) will be a dangerous team in the playoffs.
