Five Things You Need to Know ... Triton Baseball

They say that a baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.

The Triton Mustangs were admittedly a work in progress when the season started, but after seven games, it is time to check back in with Mustangs coach Frank Marciano and learn five things about Triton Baseball.

1. After dropping their opener to Pennsauken, 17-16, the Mustangs had to endure a tough stretch of hosting Shawnee, Cherry Hill High School West and Camden Catholic. The Mustangs were outscored 44-15 in those three games. Still, Triton has since started to turn things around.

"In the beginning of the year, we gave away 3-4 outs a game with some sloppy defense," Marciano said of the 0-4 start. "The players realize that in order to be in ball games, we need to play a complete game. And that means getting good starting pitching, solid defense, and clutch hits with men in scoring position. We've won two of our last three, and I think we are starting to put everything together."

In the past week, Triton has avenged its loss to Pennsauken and defeated rival Timber Creek. The Mustangs' record now stands at 2-5.

2. The team saw nine seniors move on after last season, leaving holes at shortstop and outfield, among other spots. One of the players who was expected to make a serious contribution was senior centerfielder Kyle Scott.

Scott, who was all-Olympic Conference and all-Group 3 in 2010, suffered a torn ACL during the opener against Pennsauken, effectively ending his high school athletic career.

Scott has embraced a new role with the team, as he has decided to stay involved with his mates in anyway he can.

"Instead of letting that be the end of his high school baseball career, he still comes out to games and supports the team." Marciano said of Scott. "Between innings, he is always talking to the outfielders about how to play certain hitters and how to read a batter's swing. He can also be seen talking to the hitters, talking about how a pitcher likes to work and different tendencies."

One of the players who is helping fill the void left behind by Scott is Eric Zimmerman.

"Eric isn't a stat stuffer, but he does the little things that help us be competitive," Marciano said of Zimmerman's performance thus far. "He is able to have long at-bats and work pitchers. He can bunt for a base hit or drive the ball into a gap and stretch a double into a triple. He can go into the gap to get a ball with anybody in South Jersey."

3. The Mustangs pitching staff is anchored by senior Dom Scafidi and Justin Wroblewski.

Scafidi, who was a star for the Triton basketball team, notched his first win of the season on Tuesday in Camden over Timber Creek after pitching six strong innings.

Wroblewski has already caught his coach's eye with his progress on the mound so far this season.

"Our pitching is coming along nicely," Marciano said of his staff's progress early on. "Wroblewski threw six innings against Pennsauken last week and limited them to only two hits over five innings. He has been working hard during his side sessions, and it is really starting to pay off."

4. The Triton Mustangs view themselves as an "aggressive team that likes to dictate the flow of the game."

As the team has settled into the 2011 season, it has become clear that their bats and team speed are tools that could help them return to the postseason for a second consecutive season.

"We like to have an aggressive approach and we look to swing when the count is in our favor," Marciano said about his team's tendencies at the plate. "On the bases, we look to put a lot of pressure on the opposing team. We have a lot of guys with above-average speed, so when they get on, they are always a threat to run."

On Tuesday, Wroblewski and junior Tyler Schnapp both swiped a pair of bases on the Mustangs' way to a 9-4 win over Timber Creek.

5. As spring break draws to a close for the Mustangs, they see their schedule pick back up. They will host the Cherokee Chiefs today before playing a pair against Winslow Township.

The Mustangs fill out the next week with a return engagement at Shawnee—a game that the Mustangs likely will need to take if they wish to keep their postseason prospects bright

"Obviously you want to win," Marciano concluded, "but I think we saw what we needed to do in order to be competitive in our conference."