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Salem Baseball Preview

2007 record: 17-4, lost in Class L first round

Returning starters (9): Hal Landers, Sr., OF/P; Matt Hardy, Sr., OF/P; Peter Allain, Sr., 2B; Joe O'Dell, Sr., 1B/P; Brad White, Sr., 3B/P/C; Larry Weymouth, Sr., OF/P; Greg Gardner, Sr., C; Eric Perrault, Sr., P/OF; Josh Jones, Jr., OF

Returning lettermen: Greg Bates, Sr., SS; Joe Moritz, Sr., 2B

Newcomers: Kyle Johnson, Sr., 1B/DH; Ryan Phillips, Sr., 3B; Matt Peters, Sr., P; Josh Heil, Jr., INF; Matt Waldron, Jr., C; Jordan Estevez, Soph., SS; Rob Liberatore, Soph., P/INF; Josh Treff, Frosh., C

Candidates in all grades: 103

Captains: Not named yet

Returning leaders: Hal Landers, .406 avg., 29 runs, 16 RBIs, 3-1 record, 3.16 ERA; Matt Hardy, .346 avg., 15 runs, 3-0 record; Larry Weymouth, .371 avg., 1-1 record; Joe O'Dell, 2-0 record  

Returning honorees: Hal Landers, All Class-L second team.

Assistants: Bob Larsen, JV; Kendrick Whittle, Frosh.; D.J. Bettencourt, varsity assistant

Opener: April 9, host West

Odds and ends: For the second straight year, Salem suffered a tough opening playoff loss as the No. 2 seed. ... Salem has to replace Gatorade N.H. Player of the Year Brian White. ... State representative D.J. Bettencourt, currently a senior at the University of New Hampshire, has joined the coaching staff. The Salem native, an All-Scholastic at Tewksbury (Mass.) High, is the son of former Blue Devils coach Dave Bettencourt. ... Wheaton College-bound Hal Landers ended his junior campaign on a rampage, hitting in five straight games at a .625 clip.

Coach Dan Keleher (12th year, 144-86): "These seniors have played together for a long time. You can tell the maturity in the group. They were prepared and ready, even before tryouts. We don't have the ace that jumps out at you, but we do have the senior starting pitching and depth. It's nice to have the leadoff guy (Landers) back, but we have some holes to fill in the middle of the lineup. Practice and perform, that's our only goal right now. We will not look ahead."