By John Leggett

Staff Writer

The Enumclaw High baseball team, which missed the Class 3A state tournament by one pitch last year, is expecting to make another run at taking that elite trek and remains one of the frontrunners in the always-competitive South Puget Sound League 3A.

Enumclaw shared league champion honors with Auburn Mountainview last season, both finishing with 13-3 league marks.

This year’s squad boasts an experienced and well-rounded infield that is especially solid down the middle. Senior second baseman Kailen Bickler and junior shortstop Michael Luccarelli figure to be a successful double play tandem as both displayed stellar glove work last season.

Calling pitches will be senior catcher Grant Hathaway, whose high battling average helped make Enumclaw the SPSL 3A club with the highest team batting average last year.

At first base will be slugging junior Cody Hughes, who has fully recovered from a neck injury sustained during the football season.

The situation at third base is still a bit cloudy but coach Eric Fiedler professes to have a pair of cat-quick candidates.

Two out of the three outfield positions appear locked up with junior Kyle Baumgartner, a threat to steal once he reaches the basepath, in center and speedy sophomore Tyler Carlson in either right or left field. The third outfield station is a dogfight between several candidates.

Even with the departure of left-handed pitcher Andrew Olson, Fiedler believes the pitching staff is solid and includes one senior Casey Clare and juniors Kevin Johnson and Marcus Madden.

Enumclaw opens at 7 p.m. Friday with Federal Way on Osborne Field.