POULSBO — North Kitsap Head Coach Steve Frease compares the beginning of the baseball season to Christmas morning.
“It’s like opening a Christmas present — you don’t know what to expect,” he said.
With his team only days away from taking the field, Frease is hoping that he will be pleasantly surprised.
The 2003 Vikings will have an intriguing blend of seniors — who make up 13 of North Kitsap’s 17 varsity players — and younger talent. Frease said he believes they are capable of pitching well, playing tight defense and putting together a few big innings.
The team may boast one other quality: flexibility.
“You may never see a similar lineup,” said Frease, adding that the team will change lineups depending on who’s pitching, who’s hitting well and the current situation.
The team brings back several pitchers from last year, including Kyle Howe (who is one of the team’s two juniors), Dan Peck (who is the other), Peder Rauen and Quinn Mouser.
Chris Carlsen, who recently committed to Eastern Washington University as a football player, will have one more season as a Viking as he pitches and plays some first base for the baseball team.
Sophomore Jared Prince — another veteran of the football team who played summer baseball with many of the seniors — will likely get some time on the hill as well.
Frease said additional players — including Josh Beahan, Sean Ryan and Peter Novotney — may also get a chance to throw if circumstances warrant it.
The outfield is less settled, with competition still being held for the corner spots, but one position is likely settled: all-league center fielder Patrick Gilbert will man the spot for his senior season.
The infield also remains flexible, with several players, including Mouser and Chase Dukes, who can catch; Carlsen and Jon Gerhardt able to man first; Derek Deeter able to play several infield spots, including third; and several others who will start or take utility spots.
Frease said the senior leadership has shined so far.
“It makes practice easier,” he said. “They know the drills. They have high expectations. They’re a teachable group.”
While Frease and the rest of the coaching staff will teach fundamentals that have been around since the game’s beginning, at least one big change is in the air: the baseball team has new uniforms.
The Vikings will now take the home field in purple caps with a single white “N” on them, rather than the Yankee-like design the team has shown off for years. (Frease quipped that the team was tired of being mistaken for Yankee fans.) They will also have new white jersey with cursive script.
North Kitsap will begin its season with a home game at 3:30 p.m. March 17 against Washington.
They have a varsity doubleheader at Bainbridge at 3:30 p.m. March 19, and will begin their league schedule on March 31 with a home game against Central Kitsap.
