When the Bridgeport High School baseball team takes the field for today’s season opener at Preston, don’t be surprised if the Indians have a little bit of edge to them.

 

One of the state’s elite programs, regardless of classification, the BHS season in 2023 didn’t end the way anybody wanted. Despite a 21-14 record, the Indians fell to University in the sectional championship game snapping an 11-year streak in which they not only won the section and regional but advanced to the state tournament. In that 11-year span, BHS won seven state championships.

 

The majority of last year’s roster is back and they are hungry.

 

“There’s a lot of competition for spots, which is good,” BHS baseball coach Robert Shields said. “We graduated four seniors from last year. Knowing that we didn’t make it for the first time in a while, I think the kids have a chip on their shoulder.

 

“We have a big senior class with a lot of competition going on.”

 

It’s difficult to be a good baseball team without depth and the Indians have boatloads of it. A handful of players are available at every spot on the field and Shields has more pitchers available than some teams have total players.

 

“Last year, our team batting average was down, our strikeouts were up,” Shields said. “I didn’t think we were going to go through those type of growing pains. But, in the meantime, we built a pitching staff last year. We return a lot of guys who had a lot of innings last year.”

 

Rowen Michaelis, Ben Bifano, Brody Pierce, Jacob Stavrakis and Kasen Baun all emerged as reliable pitchers in 2023. All five are back.

Shields also said three seniors who didn’t throw a lot as juniors but did as sophomores will be counted upon in Grant Lively, Ashton Curry and Zach Rohrig.

 

He went on to add that Conner Blake is going to pitch a lot. Carson Currey, Sean Via, Blake Butcher, Dylan Duvall, Justin Duvall, Antonio Spagnuolo and Sam Goodwin will all see time on the mound.

 

That’s 16 capable arms.

 

“Early on, I’m not going to throw anyone more than 50 pitches,” Shields said. “I might go 55 depending on the flow of the game. We’re going to save our arms and be strong come May and see who is really shutting people down and hitting their spots.

 

“Those weekends were we play four games, we are going to need a lot of arms.”

 

One such weekend comes in just a few days as the Indians will participate in the Guard the Classic tournament which will feature 14 teams in action at two sites, Herbert Hoover High School and GoMart Park in Charleston (formerly Power Park, where the state tournament takes place).

 

The Indians are scheduled to face Herbert Hoover and Princeton on Friday afternoon in Clendenin and St. Albans and Spring Valley at GoMart Park on Saturday.

 

Shields said his team is equally excited about playing at GoMart Park and its new turf infield as it is seeing such quality competition this early in the season.

 

Behind the plate, Shields said he thinks the team has two really good catchers in Michael Romano and Connor Benson and Blake could fill in there as well.

 

At first base, Michaelis, Bifano, Blake and Stavrakis can all play. Rohrig, Currey and Jack Gould will be the primary second basemen. Currey and Rohrig can also play at shortstop along with Baun.

 

At third, Dylan Duvall, Blake, Pierce, Currey, Stavrakis and Rohirg are capable of playing.

 

Mark Biafore is back in left field.  Pierce can play multiple outfield spots. Curry is the primary center fielder and Via and Romano can play there as well. In right field, Goodwin can play there as can Lively, Dylan Duvall and Justin Duvall.

 

“The competition is going to help come tournament time,” Shields said. “It’s about roles, goals and attitudes. We are trying to have everybody realize that everybody wants to be out there but I can only put 10 (counting a designated hitter) out there.

 

“We are looking for production and all the little things. If you miss a sign, if you don’t get a bunt down, if you swing at bad pitches. These were the little things that made us a championship ball club before.”

 

Bridgeport’s first home game will be at noon on Tuesday, April 2 against Philip Barbour.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo of Michaelis, middle photo of Biafore and bottom photo of Romano by Joe LaRocca.