Sumner High’s baseball squad made it to postseason play last season, only to be bounced in the initial round of the Class 3A state tournament.

Practically this same squad, minus senior catcher Alex Sloan, will be able to redeem itself in the newly-configured South Puget Sound League 2A, with a new skipper at the helm in Casey Adcox.

He’s been around the Spartan baseball scene for awhile, serving as coach from 2003 to 2005, and Adcox believes this particular group of sluggers has great potential.

“I know there are enough guys on this Sumner squad who have been in the fire before and have that intangible trait of already possessing winning expectations after last year,” Adcox said.

Among those Adcox was referring to is flame-throwing right hander Cameron Steffey, who transfered from Emerald Ridge as a junior in 2010 and certainly lived up to his expectations.

Steffey delivered the goods from the hill with a 10-2 individual mark, shouldering the lion’s share of the pitching responsibilities for the Spartans in their last campaign.

The biggest bat should be provided by Brad Falk, who flirted with a .500 batting average last season. He will likely be stationed at third base but may also be called upon to put in a few frames on the bump, as he was a serviceable pitcher in 2010.

SHS looks strong up the middle, beginning with senior shortstop Tanner Brinkman and senior center fielder Seth Morgan.

Returning to the SHS baseball program after a two-year hiatus is Cody Haavik and returning from last year’s wrecking crew will be utility man Tyler Hidalgo, a three-year baseball letterman.