Mar 27, 2017 4 min read

To say Luke Mollis has grown as a coach, along with the seniors on the Charleroi High School baseball team, is an understatement. They have been through a lot together and for many years.

“Four of the seniors have started since their freshman year and that was my second year as head coach,” Mollis said. “I think this is the most senior-dominated team since I have been here.

“It has gotten to the point where we have been competitive and want to compete both for a playoff spot and win the section.”

The quartet of seniors includes pitching staff ace and left fielder Josiah Fisher, center fielder Sam Miceli, shortstop Errict Tedrow, and catcher Josh Mavilla.

“We have been through a lot together and want to finish it strong for them,” Mollis said. “And there were others who got time as freshmen that year who are now seniors. We really do have a ton of experience and it should carry us.”

The success of this year’s Charleroi team begins with Fisher, a left-hander who had an eye-popping 0.84 ERA while striking out 85 batters last season.

Because of lack of run support, Fisher only had a 4-3 record.

“He is a really good pitcher, and a smart pitcher, who is crafty on the mound,” Mollis said. “He has three pitches: a fastball, curveball and a changeup, and can spot all three of them.”

Mollis said he has high expectations for Fisher, but they are not as lofty as the expectations Fisher sets for himself. One of Fisher’s goals is to improve with each outing.

“We know what he is going to give us,” Mollis said. “But he wants to be even better than he was a year ago.”

Mollis believes he has two more solid options on the mound in seniors Jesse Andrecjak, a righty, and lefty Emery Anden.

“We will have to throw strikes on the mound,” Mollis said. “And I know we have defense behind the guys on the mound, so we will need to score some runs.”

The Cougars have no shortage of players who can hit.

Miceli batted .450 a year ago, Mavilla .400, and Tedrow about .350 after batting .500 as a sophomore.

“We really need to hit the ball,” Mollis said. “Other than those couple of guys, who we know will come through, we need other guys to step up at the plate and produce.

“We haven’t had too many other guys explode yet, but now we have enough experience up and down the lineup.”

As the third-place team in Section 2-AA a year ago with an 11-8 overall record, the Cougars almost upset top-seeded Neshannock in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs but dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1.

With the realignments for high school baseball in Pennsylvania, Charleroi has moved up to Class AAA and is competing in Section 3, along with Brownsville, Mt. Pleasant, Seton-La Salle, Southmoreland, Washington and Waynesburg.

Though Mollis is only familiar with a few of the teams in the section, he expects the league to be difficult.

“It should be one of the better sections,” he said. “I don’t think that there will be any pushovers.”

Brownsville, Washington and Waynesburg were section rivals of the Cougars last season.

“It is hard to tell what Wash High and Brownsville will have but I expect them to be good,” Mollis said. “And Waynesburg has a ton of kids and some good pitchers.

“I don’t know a lot about the new teams, but Seton-La Salle is usually good, Mt. Pleasant used to be a really good program and I know it will be a really competitive section.”