Hampton baseball determined to return to playoffs

By: John Grupp
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Missing the WPIAL playoffs last season for the first time in eight years left a frustrated feeling with Hampton baseball.

The players took it out on the offseason.

The Talbots devoted themselves to conditioning and weightlifting and played in a fall league for the first time in coach Kellen Wheeler’s seven seasons.

“There is a whole different mindset this year,” senior catcher Justin Dubee said. “Everyone is all-in and taking everything very seriously. … We have to give it our all and focus on coming together as a team and make the playoffs and show them what we are made of.”

The Talbots went 8-10 last season, losing their final five games and failing to reach the WPIAL postseason for the first time since 2016. Their fate was sealed when Knoch scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh in the section finale, winning 6-5 and eliminating Hampton.

Hampton returns a handful of full-time or part-time starters, including Dubee, senior P/1B Brady Smith (.381, 7 2B, 8 RBIs), senior 2B Dylan Eichas, junior IF/OF Ryan Scully (.406, 9 RBIs) and junior OFs Chad Moore (.419 OBP, 7 runs, 5 SBs) and James Derence (6 runs, 4 SB).

Zach Virbitsky, one of 13 juniors on the roster, will be starting at shortstop, while third base is “a complete unknown,” Wheeler said after the first week of practice.

“I have a good group of kids,” Wheeler said. “I think offensively we should have a better year than we had last year. Pitching-wise, we should be walking less and throwing more strikes.”

Smith, who struck out a team-high 32 batters last year, will anchor the rotation. Junior Ethan Phillips will also be counted on, along with fellow juniors Colin Custer, Jake Adamczyk and Drew Bucci.

The Talbots didn’t have their first outdoor practice until March 10, but Dubee said the pitchers look impressive.

“Just catching them from this year to last year, I can see a huge amount of improvement,” Dubee said. “Everyone has gained velocity and their control (is better). I’m really excited to get out there and see what they are able to do.”

Hampton played in a fall league, playing two games a week for about six weeks in September and October. In addition, the Talbots have a spring training trip March 19-23 to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

They will also be putting on some miles as part of their new-look section. The offseason realignment landed Hampton in Section 1-4A, a Beaver County-heavy group with Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley and Hopewell. North Catholic, the defending WPIAL Class 4A champion, is the only familiar foe on Hampton’s section schedule.

“In my time coaching I think we may have played Hopewell one time,” Wheeler said. “I’ve not even been able to play any of the other teams. It’s a whole new section. It’s going to be a lot of traveling.”

Everyone is motivated by the presence of classmate Aiden Hanna. The senior, who was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2022 and had part of his left leg amputated, is wearing a prosthetic blade. Hanna played baseball and golf as a freshman.

“He’s going to be able to give it a go and see if we can get him a few at-bats during the season,” Wheeler said.

Said Dubee, “Seeing him out there, running with us and hitting with us and throwing with us, making this comeback, I think just encourages everyone to work even harder and to do it not just themselves, but for everyone else on the team.”

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