The CHS baseball team looked strong, winning its first scrimmage 5-2 against Seneca Valley March 10.

 The team has high hopes going into the 2012 season, as it is returning all but three players. Led by senior Kelby Spring, who was the starting pitcher, the team did a solid job pitching, allowing only one earned run.

 “Our starting pitcher Kelby Spring did a great job on the mound,” senior captain Ian Shemer said. “He hit his spots and many of the other pitchers did too.”

 Spring pitched the most innings of any starting pitcher last season. Senior captain Danny Weiss also looked dominant on the mound the two innings he pitched. With his overpowering fastball and command, the Screaming Eagles did not score a run on him.

 “Out of the five guys who threw everybody pitched well,” head coach Scott Blackwood said. “I was pleasantly surprised overall with the pitching staff, and I couldn’t ask for better.”

 Despite the good pitching, the team could have done better at the plate. Many of the runs the Bulldogs scored came from Seneca Valley errors.

 “We need work on our timing at the plate,” Shemer said. “We should have scored more runs than we did.”

 Last year the Bulldogs finished with a mediocre 7-9 regular season record, but pulled off a stellar playoff run. They made it to the regional final as the 13 seed and upset the four, five and one seed in the region.

 “I think we’re going to be really good because we have a lot of experienced seniors and everyone on the team works hard,” junior Michael Albers said.

 The team has nine seniors this year, and is bringing back the entire pitching squad. Two important pitchers are seniors Spring and Matt Kogan, who were the two main starting pitchers last season. Weiss will also make a big contribution as a pitcher, as he was the closer last year and has the best fastball on the team.

 “Our strength is our pitching because Spring and Kogan pitched well last season and we have some sophomores who are good too,” junior Charles DeFilippo said.

 The team was inconsistent at the plate last year and struggled to score runs in many games. Seniors Shemer, Hayden Saunders, Nick O’Brian and Weiss should all help fix that problem. As juniors, they all hit over .300, and they can hit with power.

 “Last year we did not perform well at the plate but this year we will do well because we have more experience,” DeFilippo said.

 The team has many goals for this season, which set the expectations high for this year.

 “Our goals this season are to win the division, win the region and win the state title,” Blackwood said.