'Streaks sluggers enter with experience

CHISHOLM—Chisholm High School baseball coach Tim Provinzino is hoping experience pays off.

The Bluestreak mentor doesn’t have a lot of numbers, but what he does have is a veteran group of players with a lot of varsity time returning for the 2024 season.

“We’re bringing some experience back from last year, so that should help us out,” Provinzino said. “That’s the No. 1 thing. I’m hoping that plays out in the end.”

That experience starts with seniors Trent Forsline, Mason Yaroscak, Sean Fleming, Eli Pessenda and Blake Warner.

The junior class consists of Dom Pascuzzi, Lawrence Oberg and Sam Zancauske.

Provinzino needs these two classes to take over the reins of the team.

“It’s not so much the seniors, but all of the kids that played last year,” Provinzino said. “We’ll have a couple of younger kids in the lineup, and you want them to look at the seniors and upperclassmen.

“That’s where you have that experience. I have six returning starters. It’s nice to know where they played and what they can do. We’ll have to figure out those last three or four spots in the lineup as to who can do the job.”

Rounding out the team will be Isaac Fleming, Andrew Sundquist, Aiden Caudullo, Logan Anderson, Brandon Ostervich, Colton Hill, Trenton Jungwirth, Hudson Roche and Tucker Anderson.

The one strength the Bluestreaks have is on the mound with Fleming, Pascuzzi, Oberg and Sundquist.

“Sean and Dom pitched quite a bit,” Provinzino said. “The others pitched last year, so I’m hoping they can give us some quality innings to help out our No. and No. 2 guys. We have five proven names.

“We need to get a couple of other guys to prove themselves. We’ll need those extra arms. We need guys who can go out there and throw strikes.”

Defensively, Provinzino is expecting this team to be good at picking up the baseball.

“The key is up the middle,” Provinzino said. “We have experience in the middle, but we’re trying to figure out who are centerfielder is going to be. As far as second, shortstop, pitching and catching, we’re set with that experience.

“We have that experience in the middle of our infield, but we’re looking to improve from what we did last year. It seems like we always gave up a big inning at some of a game that cost us a game. We can’t give up that big inning.”

The Bluestreaks’ offense is the biggest question mark right now.

“That was our Achilles heel last year,” Provinzino said. “We didn’t score a lot of runs. That was an issue for us last year, so what’s the going to look like at the end of the season?

“We need more quality at bats. Some kids are gifted at it where they see one good pitch and hit it. We have to have quality at bats.”

If everything works out, the Bluestreaks could be in the thick of things come playoff time.

“Coming off of last year, I see us in the middle of the pack going into the section tournament,” Provinzino said. “The Final Four, that’s your goal, to get there and have a chance.

“The biggest thing will be our offense. If we can get that turned around, then we can attain those goals. If we don’t, it’s probably not going to happen.”