RallyNorth.net

Blue Devils gladly sacrifice for the good of the team

Friday, June, 13 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

When Salem's Brad White singled in an insurance run late in Wednesday night's Class L semifinals, the first Blue Devil out of the dugout to pat him on the back was Greg Gardner.

Coach Dan Keleher has come to expect that.

With Salem nursing a 2-1 lead against Nashua North, White was pinch-hitting ... for Gardner.

In this era of specialization, year-round AAU and stifling pressure placed on high school athletes, Gardner's attitude was refreshing.

For Salem baseball under Keleher, it was by no means unique.

"I guess on the normal high school team, the way it is now, it's odd, but these guys do things like that all the time," said Keleher. "I guess that's one of the reasons we've had success."

Success this season equals 19 wins, the top seed overall and a trip to tomorrow's Class L state title game at 5 p.m. at Merchantsauto.com Stadium in Manchester against No. 3 Goffstown.

Sacrifices like this have become the norm since Keleher took over the Salem program 12 years ago. In fact, his coaching style demands it.

This spring, Keleher has massaged a dozen regulars into the 10 starting spots, with the 13th man being pitching ace Eric Perrault, who doesn't hit. All 12 regulars have at least 40 plate appearances, which means idle but talented hands at times.

The Devils have been well schooled.

"All year, it's been like this, and my (assistant coach) father sees it more than me when he's on the bench and I'm out (coaching) third base," said Keleher. "He made a comment early in the season that nobody on this team (whines). He told me that no matter what I do, they support it. They love each other. We've had teams like this before, but these guys are right at the top when it comes to that."

Senior Kyle Johnson is typical of Salem's unselfishness. A .369 hitter, he opened the year with a six-game hit streak, totalling 10 RBIs in that span. He then sat for two of the next four games.

Johnson says "team first" means a lot more in Salem than in other places.

"We've been playing together since we've been about 10 years old," said Johnson. "We have a team bond that I don't think any other team has and it shows in our play. We make sacrifices for this team because we all love to win more than anything. We have the same goal."

Maybe it goes back to his playing days at Salem, but Keleher shares a passion for the little man. As a coach, he also likes to keep the bench busy.

"Our last two years, we've had 17 wins, 16 wins, and we've always looked to play different people," said Keleher, who is also an assistant football coach for the Blue Devils. "We've always had more than nine or 10 contributing, and that's how it's going to be."

The Salem High (Class of 1986) and Keene State grad kept the team positive even after the Blue Devils were upset each of the last two years in No. 2 vs. No. 15 games.

Baseball is just part of the high-flying Salem athletic program. Sports Illustrated named the school the premier athletic school in the Granite State.

Salem is the reigning boys state champion in tennis, volleyball and basketball.

Don't consider it coincidental.

Take outfielder Josh Jones, the Eagle-Tribune basketball super teamer. In the Class L quarterfinals, Jones played the hero, leading off the seventh with a walk and scoring the winning run. Jones, who has scored 13 runs and driven in nine, found himself on the pine in the semis.

Know your role, right?

"It doesn't matter who you are on this team," said senior Joe Moritz, whose biggest roles are pinch-hitter and pinch-runner. "To have a great team, you have to accept it. And this is a great team."

Check the ego at the dugout, play for titles. It's the Salem baseball way.