Look for Union City to be competitive once again this season

 Veteran Union City head baseball coach Chipper Benway (center) looks for his team to be improved

Senior right-hander Juan Marichal hopes to pitch a lot like his namesake

It was certainly an uncharacteristically poor season in 2019 for the Union City High School baseball team.

The Soaring Eagles were 7-13 a year ago, but veteran coach Chipper Benway knew that he put a very young team on the field. So if and when the 2020 season is to begin, Benway knows that his team will rise back to respectability.

“I am expecting this is a year that we can make some noise,” Benway said. “We have some kids that have been playing varsity for three years now. We took our beatings the last two years and now we should reap the benefits of playing these kids for two years.”

The Soaring Eagles have a deep and talented pitching staff, spearheaded by junior right-hander Kevin Villares, who spent a lot of the offseason working on his game.

“He’s gotten bigger and stronger,” Benway said of Villares. “He went to a lot of camps and was clocked throwing anywhere between 82 and 85 (miles per hour on the gun) at the Wladyka Baseball Camp. He’s a battler. He plays hard all the time. I’m expecting real good things from him.”

Senior Juan Marichal (yes, just like the old San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer) is another pitcher that Benway can call upon.

Senior Justin DeMoya is a tall, lanky left-hander who stands about 6-foot-2.

“We didn’t use him much on the mound last year because he had an injury to his bicep,” Benway said. “But he’s healthy now.”

Senior righty Jair Vidal is a three-year starter on the mound for the Soaring Eagles.

“He lost eight starts as a sophomore, but was 4-0 last year,” Benway said. “He’s not going to overpower anyone, but he gets outs. He changes speeds and hits his spots.”

Junior Gabe Rosado is a transfer who will be eligible when the season begins.

“He’s a tough kid who is going to help us,” Benway said.

The catching duties will be shared by senior Joel Javier and junior Carlos Cedeno.

“The two split time last year behind the plate,” Benway said. “They are both good defensive catchers.”

DeMoya will play first base when he’s not on the mound. When DeMoya is pitching, then junior Adrian Contreras will man first base.

Second base duties will fall on the shoulders of a rotation of Villares, Vidal and senior Matthew Perez.

The same players will see time at shortstop, with Rosado becoming a fixture at third base.

In the outfield, senior Aaron Lorusso returns for his final season with the Soaring Eagles. Lorusso has been a three-year varsity player and will be the starter in centerfield this year.

Marichal and senior Randy Sanchez will also hold down a position in the outfield. Sanchez returns to the Soaring Eagles after sitting out last season.

Needless to say, if and when the Soaring Eagles return atop the roof of the high school, also known as Pep Novotny Field at Roosevelt Stadium, they will be a vastly improved team.

“I expect a complete opposite from last year,” Benway said. “These kids played all summer together in a few leagues and developed even more chemistry. This is something that has been built over the last couple of years. I expect us to have a real good season, be right back at it.”

Like the Soaring Eagles have always been since Union City High School was formed a decade ago.