Turnover in staff, roster don’t change expectations for California
When Lou Pasquale was hired to take over the California High School baseball program in September, after Nick Damico resigned as head coach, he knew there would be change.
After all, the Trojans graduated seven senior starters from last year’s WPIAL Class AA championship team, including Nate Luketich, an Observer-Reporter first team all-district selection and John DeFranco, a second-team pick.
An assistant with California the last three years, Pasquale is familiar with what he and his coaching staff have to work with and said that things will remain the same in many aspects, including when it comes to expectations. Since 2001, California has won four WPIAL championships – three in Class A and last year’s title in 2A.
The Trojans’ expectations are to win and win big.
“They are always high here and that won’t stop with me,” said Pasquale. “I expect us to compete in every game and win a majority of them.
“And our first goal will not change, and that is to win the section title.”
California competes in Section 1-AA along with local rivals Beth-Center, Bentworth, Burgettstown, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Frazier and Fort Cherry.
Pasquale said that he and his coaching staff will lean heavily on the Trojans’ two returning starters, seniors Brandon Powell and Brendan Sheehan, as well as senior Richard Stimmell and junior Jacob Swartz.
Powell will pitch and play multiple infield positions. Sheehan will be in left field.
Stimmell was the winning pitcher in the WPIAL championship game last year and Swartz did some relief pitching last season and also spent time behind the plate as the Trojans’ catcher.
“They have to bring a calming influence on the field because we, as coaches, can provide that to a point but they have to bring it on the field,” Pasquale said. “They have to lead on the field and off.”
Pasquale said that there are 16 players vying for the nine positions and many of those starting positions are still unsettled.
“We will have a lot of young guys playing and contributing,” he said. “We will have to improve as we gain experience.”
As far as Section 1-AA, Pasquale said that the Trojans will have a target on their backs after going 14-0 in league play last season. The Trojans have played only one non-section game so far this spring, a 5-0 road loss to Serra Catholic, which was 21-3 last season and the third-place in the WPIAL.
“Coming home from our loss at Serra last week, I told the team that we have a bullseye on our back and it will be even bigger in section play. There are some talented teams in our section and we know that we have to play well every game.”