VARDEN — Western Wayne baseball has been struggling so far this spring.
Heading into this week’s action, the Wildcats are 4-7 overall and 2-4 in Lackawanna League Division II action.
But while the wins have been hard to come by for coach John Boandl’s squad, two of his battle-tested veterans are giving local fans a reason to cheer.
Ethan Lamberton and Jamie Chapman are both seniors. Each is performing at an elite level in the field and at the plate.
“Ethan and Jamie are excellent leaders,” Boandl said. “They do a great job with our younger kids. Any time those two are involved, I’m confident good things are going to happen.”
The Wildcats are scheduled to be back in action Tuesday, April 22, at home versus Lakeland and April 25 at Riverside. First pitch for each of these league games is slated for 4:30 p.m.
Dynamic diamond duo
Lamberton and Chapman have both been contributing key plays on a daily basis.
Lamberton in particular has been tearing it up offensively. The Wildcats’ cleanup man leads the team with a .433 batting average. He’s also providing plenty of pop with five doubles, a homer and 13 RBIs.
“I really like how I’ve been at the plate,” Lamberton said. “I feel like I’m seeing the ball well, doing my job, driving guys in and being an energy source for the team.”
Boandl agrees.
“Ethan is a really tough out,” the veteran skipper said. “He’s a big, strong kid with power to all fields. Ethan has no issues with other team’s number ones. He always steps up in big situations.”
Defensively, Lamberton has carved out a spot for himself as one of the area’s elite catchers. He’s a four-year starter who handles the rotation with aplomb and neutralizes the opposition running game.
“I’ve been feeling really smooth behind the dish,” he said. “Whether it’s being a wall back there, holding guys on or getting a couple extra calls for my guys on the mound.”
Meanwhile, Chapman bats in the two-hole because he’s the team’s most consistent hitter. He gets on base and moves runners over, but he’s also capable of driving the ball when the situation calls for it.
Chapman is batting .375 and tied for the team lead in hits. He’s ripped a pair of doubles, scored five runs and collected four RBIs.
“I’m feeling good up there,” Chapman said. “My approach is not to overthink, just zero in on the ball. There’s a lot of responsibility batting second because it’s challenging, but it’s a lot of fun too.”
Boandl concurs.
“Jamie is a great hitter who can use the whole field,” he said. “Jamie worked so hard during offseason to improve, and it really shows.”
Chapman has also been flashing Gold Glove leather in the middle infield. The slick-fielding second baseman has excellent range and a strong arm.
“Jamie is our most improved player defensively,” Boandl said. “He’s worked very hard on every part of his game and has just improved tremendously.”
Poised for a run
Western Wayne has shown flashes of potential.
The Wildcats have suffered several lopsided losses but also played well against two of the top teams in the district. They led both Mid Valley and Holy Redeemer through five innings before running out of steam.
Both seniors are enthusiastic and excited for the rest of the regular season.
Lamberton is confident this Wildcats team is poised to make a run.
“I think this is one of the most talented teams we’ve had in awhile,” he said. “There are a few pieces we still need to put together, but we definitely could make a strong push.”
Chapman agrees that Western Wayne is ready to make a move.
“I feel like when we play really well as a team, we can make great things happen,” he said. “We have the power to go on a run for the rest of the season and then make some noise in the playoffs.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Western Wayne baseball’s Ethan Lamberton and Jamie Chapman leading way
