Baseball: Berks IV team-by-team preview capsules
Kutztown Cougars
PIAA classification: 2A.
Coach: Tim Mertz, 23rd season, 331-177.
Last season: 8-3 Berks IV champ, 15-8 overall.
2022 postseason: Berks quarterfinalist, District 3 semifinalist.
Must replace: All-Berks P Grant Fitzgerald, all-division LF Ian Fenerty.
Top players: All-Division SS/P Matt Remick, all-division 3B/P Dalton Furst, all-division C Nick Hugo.
Key players: 2B/P Dominick Pizzelanti, DH/P Bryce Schafer, CF Ashton Dunn, INF Kole Schuler, 1B Colin Hamm, OF/P Colin Diehl, INF/P Colten Mathias.
Outlook: Cougars have a solid core, with the return of seven starters, including three all-division picks. Key will be replacing staff ace Grant Fitzgerald, who carried team to division title and into districts last season. Should make a similar run this season with a chance to make PIAA Tournament.
Brandywine Heights Bullets
PIAA classification: 3A.
Coach: Ron Schaeffer Jr., second season, 8-11.
Last season: 5-6 Berks IV, 8-11 overall.
2022 postseason: DNQ.
Must replace: All-Division Tyler Ott, OF/C Jesse Breunig, P Chad Maggs.
Top players: All-Division P/SS Carson Renner, all-division P/3B Nate Fronheiser, 2B/3B Joe Crist.
Key players: CF/P Jaeger Smeltz, 1B/P Aidan Hall, C/2B Connor Frisch, C Grant Parks, P/LF Lukas Bojt, P Connor Dunkleberger, INF/P Patrick Taylor, OF/P Aidan Leib, DH Ryan Cardinale.
Outlook: Have the pitching depth and experience to challenge Kutztown for the division title, and in Carson Renner the Bullets have one of the top two-way players in the league. Need to tighten up defense after committing 57 errors and allowing 46 unearned runs. Should turn around last year’s record and make a run at league and district playoffs.
Tulpehocken Trojans
PIAA classification: 3A.
Coach: Zach Shirk, third season, 12-28.
Last season: 2-9 Berks IV, 6-14 overall.
2022 postseason: DNQ.
Must replace: All-Division P Hunter Zohn, all-division C Brayden Evans, OF Nate Herbst.
Top players: P Weston Campbell, P/INF Nick Becker.
Key players: P/C Jared Baer, SS/P Aiden Schwalm, 1B Jason Light, C/DH Hank Gehman, OF/C Rom Herbst.
Outlook: Must replace five starters, including the only two .300 hitters and their top pitcher. Return two experienced starting pitchers in Weston Campbell and Nick Becker, each of whom had solid ERAs. Need to find a solid backstop, some more bats and tighten up defense to be more competitive.
Antietam Mounts
PIAA classification: 2A.
Coach: Ron Schaeffer Sr., third season, 2-34.
Last season: 0-11 Berks IV, 2-17 overall .
2022 postseason: DNQ.
Must replace: All-Division P/1B Dan Woodford, all-division INF/P Mike Fidler.
Key players: P/INF Jordan Unger, INF/P Dominic Perez, C Ayden Davis, P/1B Aiden Romberger, OF Jayden Adamczyk, OF Jacob Shrem, P/OF Ayden Grillo, OF Mauricio Gomez.
Outlook: Mounts had two all-division picks last season and both are gone: Dan Woodford graduated and Mike Fidler transferred to Berks Catholic. Still a young squad, with just two seniors and five returning players. Relying on several freshmen and sophomores.
