Much of what Tyrone manager Tom Coleman is losing with the graduation of the Class of 2005 is easily quantifiable. In their final season alone, the seven regular players from the group contributed 106 hits, 79 RBI, 76 runs, and nine pitching victories.
But what Coleman will miss most isn’t something that can be charted on a stat sheet or logged in a scorebook. It’s the intangibles, not only in what the players brought to the table when they were on the diamond, but what they brought as individuals.
“We had a lot of good moments. They were a good group that had a lot of character,” Coleman said. “It was great just to be around them. We had a lot of great talks and conversations, and I’m really going to miss them.”
Of course it’s always a little easier to look back fondly when the memories include more wins than losses, and for most of the 2005 campaign, that happened. Led by its strong senior class, the team competed for a MAC Division III title, advanced to the District 6-AA quarterfinals, and ultimately finished 12-7. The Eagles also continued a two-year tear at the plate that saw them score 162 runs (8.5 per game), average nearly 10 hits per game, and bat a collective .350.
Clint Wilson, Brice Mertiff and Derrick Soellner each finished the season hitting over .400, and the trio combined for 30 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs.
For Wilson, especially, the season was special. After nearly being put out of baseball following his sophomore season when he was forced to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot that could have necessitated the amputation of his left arm, Wilson closed his career at Tyrone with one of the most dominant campaigns in Coleman’s tenure. Wilson led the team at the plate with a .442 batting average and was the team leader in both hits (27) and RBI (25).
Wilson also led Tyrone with five home runs, tied for the team lead with 12 extra-base hits, and compiled an unheard of .803 slugging percentage.
The 6-5 southpaw was also the ace of the Eagles’ pitching staff, going 6-3 in nine starts with a 2.84 ERA and eight complete games. He fanned 57 batters and walked only 30 in 56 2/3 innings.
“Clint really dedicated himself in the off-season, and it showed,” said Coleman. “He was our top pitcher, and the one we gave the ball to when we needed a win.”
Mertiff equaled or bettered his junior-year production in all offensive categories and finished with a .413 average. Batting in the leadoff position for the first time in his high school career, he was second on the club with 26 hits and 24 runs, while leading the team in steals (8) and on-base percentage (.493, tied with Wilson). He also added three home runs and six doubles as part of a .650 slugging percentage.
“I was really pleased with how Brice handled himself this year,” said Coleman. “He improved the way he practiced, and he stepped up his play in games.”
Despite the gaudy numbers posted by Wilson and Mertiff, Soellner may ultimately be the toughest player to replace after handling the catching duties for the better part of the last three seasons. Along with calling all of Tyrone’s infield adjustments and committing only two errors, he added consistency and power in the middle of the Eagles’ lineup.
Soellner’s .417 average was second only to Wilson and his 25 hits were good enough for third best. He was second on the team with 23 RBI, and his .650 slugging percentage placed him second on the club, tied with Mertiff.
“Derrick played with all heart,” Coleman said. “He took control of games verbally, and that’s going to be hard to replace.”
Second baseman Ben Gummo finished with a .333 batting average and led the team with 12 walks. His .477 on-base percentage was second on the club, and he was fourth with 16 runs.
Gummo also went 2-2 on the mound with a 5.52 ERA, and he nearly logged a no-hitter on April 18 at Bellwood-Antis when he pitched 3 2/3 hitless innings in a game that was shortened by the 15-run mercy rule.
Brandon Maceno rebounded from a mid-season academic suspension to top the Eagles’ pitching staff with a 0.84 ERA. He was 1-0 for the year, but he quickly became Tyrone’s best long-relief pitcher, allowing only two earned runs in his last two appearances.
“Brandon and Ben are two other players that you just can’t replace,” said Coleman. “They gave us not only experience but leadership.”
Despite the myriad of talent the Eagles lose, they will return a solid foundation in 2006, including two solid starting pitchers and a hitter that has been among the best in Blair County since his freshman season.
Junior right fielder Brit Mingle, in his third season as a starter, was again near the top of most offensive categories for Tyrone. He hit .375 with 24 hits and a team-high 25 runs. He tied with Wilson with 12 extra-base hits, and led the club with 11 doubles. His 15 RBI placed him fourth on the team, while his 10 walks were third.
Mingle committed just one error in right, and that came in the first game of the season on March 31.
He is sure to be the centerpiece of Tyrone’s lineup in 2006, and he’ll be joined by sophomore Tyler Gillmen, who in his first year as an everyday starter was among the Eagles’ most productive hitters, logging a .345 average with 14 RBI and 19 runs.
Gillmen also went 2-2 on the hill with a 6.75 ERA and 22 strikeouts, and committed only one error in 17 appearances at third base.
Junior Buddy Stotler, a mid-year transfer from Altoona who spent most of the season as the designated hitter, rode a hot early-season start to a .341 average with six doubles. He will compete for time at first base next season, but that spot won’t come easy after sophomore Tyler Golden put his stamp on the position down the stretch. Golden also demonstrated versatility by playing five other positions, including one relief pitching appearance.
The Eagles will also return sure-handed junior centerfielder Josh Clark, who along with hitting .300 showed an ability to cover a lot of ground quickly, which is essential in the expansive outfield at Tyrone’s Harry K. Sickler Athletic Complex.
Sophomore Jamie Levinson rounds out the group of top returnees, and as is the case with Golden, his ability to play any spot on the diamond will make him invaluable to a rebuilding team. Levinson appeared in 16 of Tyrone’s 19 games, playing everywhere from pitcher to catcher to courtesy runner. He finished with one pitching victory and five runs scored.
“We do lose a lot of players, but we have a lot of young players that I think are ready to contribute,” Coleman said. “We have some good pitchers back that will improve throughout the summer and into next year, and I expect a lot from the group that’s coming back. We want to be competitive and we want to make the playoffs, and then we’ll see what happens.”
DIAMOND NOTES: senior Matt Morrissey was fifth on the team with 14 runs, playing most of the season as a courtesy runner … Tyrone finished with 56 extra-base hits and 25 stolen bases … of the Eagles seven losses, six came to teams that qualified for the District 6 playoffs … Tyrone scored 10 or more runs eight times … the Eagles finished with 36 errors, down 18 from 54 in 2004.
