Hawks Looking For Some Big Bats

The Jayhawks are coming off one of the best seasons in school history with a 13-5 record including a 6-5 win in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs against Jefferson Morgan, before bowing out to Serra Catholic in the quarterfinals, 7-2. This season, however, the Hawks have moved up a notch to Double A and more importantly, lost a lot of big bats and big arms from last year's squad.

Brian Weightman, an outstanding outfielder with a hefty bat and an arm to boot, went onto play at St. Bonaventure in upstate New York, after Duquesne elected to cut their baseball program, The master of the mound,...

Michael Mash is now at St. Vincent and has found a new love in competitive weight lifting. Clutch hitting left fielder, Thomas Paulone selected a collegiate career in football and is currently attending Waynesburg University.

These are just some of the gaps that the departing talents have left for coach Clarkson to find a way to plug.

But if I had to place my money on one man to do it though, I wouldn't hesitate at all to place it all on Clarkson.

He won't be starting over from scratch, he'll have some returning players from the 2010 season to build upon.

Sophomore Garrett Elliott will more than likely see the bulk of the work on the mound after an impressive showing his freshmen season. But he'll have a new target behind the plate in the form of freshmen, Michael Wise. And grabbing some of the limelight his freshmen year, Anthony Canady is sure to carry those waves into his sophomore year as well.

Although it may be hard to replace players like Weightman, Mash, Paulone, Ault and Smith, I feel confident in knowing that Clarkson is already on the job, and that rebuilding or not rebuilding, the 2011 season will have it's own memorable moments, like those of the 2010 season.

The move back into Double A, puts the Hawks up against some old foes including, Greensburg Central Catholic, Shady Side Academy and South Allegheny who are all sure to make some memorable moments as well for the 2011 season.

So grab your cap and your glove and take someone out to the ball park!